Words and Music: Conn MacNeill
Source: Visitation de la Muse Polyhymnia
Chansons et Poemes Compose de Conn MacNiell
Three estates say the priests, ordained by god,
The first toileth endlessly, tilling the sod,
The second entreats for our souls to the lord,
The third estate lives by the sword,
The third estate dies by the sword.
And we are the makers of war,
We are the slayers of thousands,
We shall be wounded for those who lie safe,
We of the third estate.
The merchants live richly, are haughty and vain,
They bargain for profit, our office disdain,
Their greed for their safety as great as for gold,
No they would not live by the sword,
No they would not die by the sword,
But blows are the coin of war,
And we've come to bargain sternly,
We shall be wounded for those who ply trade,
We of the third estate.
The villain he laboreth all day in the sun,
Yet safely he sleeps when his day's work is done,
He would not hazard his flesh to be torn,
No he would not live by the sword,
No he would not die by the sword,
Yet swords are the scythes of war,
And we've come to reap a grim harvest;
We shall be wounded for reapers of grain,
We of the third estate.
The bishops and priests warn us well of sin's perils,
Of tournaments, feasting, temptations and devils,
They save their whole skins as well as their souls,
No they would not live by the sword,
No they would not die by the sword,
Yet screams are the prayers of war,
High mass shall be sung by our foemen,
We shall be wounded for those who pray,
We of the third estate.
This night I keep watch while the rain chills my bones,
I know weariness, hunger, am far from my home,
Yet there is no company I could love more,
Than those men who would live by the sword,
Than those men who would die by the sword,
For the wine of true living is war,
From its cup, my fellows, drink deeply,
We shall give battle like true men this day,
We of the third estate.