The Highwayman's Son

Boy, fetch my blade now
And make right my steed
Clean out my pistols right
Or you shall bleed
All must be polished bright
All must have a shine
For by this clear starry night
Gold shall be mine

Now some lonely highwaymen
Who practice my trade
They take more than money
Aye their lust must be paid
But hell has a special place
Carved out for when
Every last one of those dogs
Meets his dark end

I see you now eyeing
My sword of fine steel
A rapier deadly
With a well-balanced feel
She stays in her scabbard
More often than not
For if she sees moonlight my boy,
Then sin I have bought

But stealing’s a sin you say
Stealing’s a crime
As sure as you stand there
I say it’s a lie
For noble men high upon
Gilded cart fine
They take more than money, aye
On poor men they dine

And so I take that
Which so drives them to sin
This strange shiny metal
I’ll take with a grin
And if it buys food for us
It’s all the same
And if it should get me hanged high
I’ll go without shame

And now as we set out
On dark winding road
You think me a brave man
You think me quite bold
But each day I wake
With bright fear in my throat
And each night I sleep away joy
And dream away hope

So choose now my boy
If you’ll follow my lead
You’ll be poor of comp'ny
Should you follow my creed
But I’ll show you
Fighting skill, shooting and stealth
And we'll both drink deep of the cup
Of the noble man’s wealth

But mind you your honor, boy
Mind you your faith
Should you fall prey to darkness
Or give in to hate
I shall be there
On a clear starry night
And you shall know fear and know pain
As I set your path right