The Hangman And The Papist Chords by Strawbs

[G] _ _ [D] _ _ [C] _ _ [G] _ _
_ _ [C] _ _ [Gm] _ _ [F] _ [Gm] _
_ [F] The [Gm] _ _ _ [F] _ [Gm] _
_ _ _ [F] _ _ [Eb] _ _ _
[A] _ [D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [A] _ [Ab] _ _ [Gm] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [G] _ village square stands quiet, with [Eb] the curfew still in force.
[Cm] The streets are even clearer of dogs [Eb] and whores.
_ [G] Like some evil bird [Eb] of prey, the scaffold spreads its wings.
[Ab] The people build their fires and bolt their [Eb] doors.
_ [Ab] The mayor is [Cm] giving dinner to [F] the officers and wives.
[Cm] His eldest [Gm] son is learning [F] how to fawn.
_ [Cm] The barrack [Gm] block is hushed and [F] tense, the soldiers join lots.
_ [C] Who [Gm] will be the hangman in [F] the dawn? _ _ _
_ _ [Gm] The lot falls on a young man who [Bb] has served for but a year.
[Cm] His home is in the village [Eb] close nearby.
_ [Gm] He shivers at the thought of [Bb] what he's forced to do next day.
[Cm] He wonders who it is that [Eb] has to die.
_ _ The full moon casts a cold [F] light on the gloomy prison wall.
[Cm] The bapist [Gm] walks his sound, he [F] cannot sleep.
_ [C] He hears the [Gm] waiting gallows [F] creaking just beyond the door.
[C] He prays for [Gm] he has no more [F] tears to _ [Eb] [Fm] weep.
_ _ _ [Gm]
Day begins to break, [Bb] the muffled rocks begin to sound.
[Cm] A crowd begins to gather [Eb] in the square.
_ [Gm] The presence of the hangman [Bb] in his terrifying mask
[Cm]
weighs heavy on the minds of all [Eb] those there. _ _
The colonel reads the sentence, [F] which the bapist knows by heart.
[C] He has failed to [Gm] show allegiance [F] to the king.
_ [C] His crime is [Gm] done with God [F] himself, in his name he must hide.
[C] The bapist had [Gm] an eye, says [F] not a thing.
_ _ [Bb] _
[F] _ _ _ [Gm] The jailer bites his hands and [Bb] puts the blindfold to his eyes.
[Cm] He leads him through the door before [Eb] the crowd.
_ [Gm] The hangman sees his victim [Bb] and the blood drains from his face.
[Cm] He sees his younger brother [Eb] standing proud.
_ The hangman tries to drown them, [F] but is ordered to proceed.
[C] His trembling [Gm] hands begin to [F] take the strain.
_ [Cm] His eyes are [Bb] blind with screaming [F] tears, he cries for all to hear.
[C] Forgive me [Gm] God, we hang him [F] in thy name.
_ [C] Forgive [Gm] me God, we hang him in [F] thy name.
_ [C] Forgive [Gm] me God, we hang him in [F] thy name.
_ [Cm] Forgive me God, [Gm] we hang him in [F] thy name.
_ _ _ [Gb] _ _ _ _ _