Lyrics When Princes Meet - Live At the Marquee Club, London - Tom Paxton

When princes meet
The poor little men must tremble
In judgment seat

They speak of their wars
While great armies assemble
Their armor shines
To shame the sun

They move like gods
They do resemble
All bow their necks
To iron feet when princes meet

When castles rise
The poor little men must build them
To charm the skies

They throw up the turrets
Where the great lords will them
They dig the dungeons
From the earth

And their brothers
Wives and children fill them
All those below cast down
Their eyes when castles rise

God save the king
For he grants us leave to serve him
His praises sing
And grant that we may deserve him

Who counts the cost?
The cattle and men to be lost?
'Tis no small thing to serve a king

When kings make war
The poor little men must fight them
They must do more

They hold out their necks
For great lord's swords to bite them
The sons of the lords cleave
Through their ranks

In the hopes some warrior king
Might knight them
It's what the poor little men are for
When kings make war

Hide your cattle in the woods, Francois
The lord is looking your way
Hide your women and your goods, Francois
They're coming around to make you pay

Hide if you can, poor little man
Think of a prayer to say
Hide if you can, poor little man
Think of a prayer to say

God save the king
For he grants us leave to serve him
His praises sing
And grant that we may deserve him

Who counts the cost?
The cattle and men to be lost?
'Tis no small thing to serve a king