Listen to the track:
đ” “The Serjeant of Wembury” đ”
The story of Sir John Hele: his rise, fall, and what he left behind in Wembury.
Verse 1
Born a sixth son, far from fame
Down in Devon, no grand name
But he rose with law and pen
Spoke the Queen’s will among great men
Wembury called, and there he built
Stone on stone with gold and guilt
Chorus
He stood for crown, he judged the land
Held power firm in steady hand
But gold has teeth, and friends can flee
Still he carved his name by the Wembury sea
Now he lies beneath church stone
But the echo of his house lives on
Verse 2
He faced the court in Raleigh’s trial
In stiff black robe with steady style
But whispers flew of debts and pride
And Star Court turned the rising tide
From gilded hall to prison wall
He bore the rise, he bore the fall
Chorus
He stood for crown, he judged the land
Held power firm in steady hand
But gold has teeth, and friends can flee
Still he carved his name by the Wembury sea
Now he lies beneath church stone
But the echo of his house lives on
Bridge
A boys’ house built with coin and care
A manor lost to wind and wear
His sons rose high, his name ran wide
Then vanished with the turning tide
Verse 3
Jane Hele wed with wealth and grace
But squandered gold leaves not a trace
Wembury House has gone to ground
Yet in the church his tales are found
Stone-carved prayer, a marble face
A lawyer’s sleep in sacred place
Final Chorus
He stood for crown, he judged the land
Held power firm in steady hand
Though pride may burn and fortune stray
The stones still speak where children play
And by the sea in sun or rain
Sir John Hele walks his land again