Tom: F#m F#m Many years back when the old oaks were young Bm F#m D Not long after the Northmen had come A C#7 F#m A low and evil deed was done A B7 F# In the dark of the New Forest A E F#m In the dark of the New Forest F#m From the shores of Normandy King William came Bm F#m D To Albion fair, King Harold to slay A C#7 F#m With greed in his heart and his scurrilous claim A B7 F# He took the land for his own A E F#m He took the land for his own F#m Now John was a blacksmith, an honest old man Bm F#m D He raised up his children and worked with his hands A C#7 F#m At his family's forge in the patch of land A B7 F# In the dark of the New Forest A E F#m In the dark of the New Forest F#m King William rode out after his victory Bm F#m D To ravage the land in his hunger to thieve A C#7 F#m For hunting grounds in the Wessex trees A B7 F# He took the land for his own A E F#m He took the land for his own F#m7 But if you steal the land of an Englishman B7 Then you will know this curse D E Your first born son's warm blood will run F#m E F#m Upon the English earth Now King William's son was called Rufus the Red He took up the crown when his father was dead And he rode the hunting grounds in his stead In the dark of the New Forest In the dark of the New Forest But John's curse it called out and Lord Terryl fired low The arrow struck William with a sickening blow And he fell from his horse to the ground below And the land took him for its own The land took him for its own So if you steal the land of an Englishman Then you will know this curse Your first born son's warm blood will run Upon the English earth Many years back when the old oaks were young Not long after the Northmen had come A low and evil deed was done In the dark of the New Forest In the dark of the New Forest