The Crown has found out about the America Ground and pursues its claim for the land. They convening a makeshift courtroom above a pub called The George, in the village of Battle, several miles from Hastings. Battle is specifically chosen to be out of reach for the poorer inhabitants of the America Ground itself.
Aside from the Crown there are four petitioners for a stake in the land: Lord Chichester (who owns the castle), Lord Cornwallis (who owns a large acreage of farmland), Sir Godfrey (I can’t remember what he owns) and Hastings Corporation, which controls the land the other side of the Priory stream.
The Crown is judge and jury, so of course finds in favour of itself. The people of the Ground will asked to become leaseholders (only three will ever comply with this, including the Breeds brothers) and then evicted six years later in 1835.
lyrics
Eight Acres (6th December, 1827)
Am, 4/4, 70bpm, solo vocal, piano or solo accompanying instrument
if there are characters, this is the voice of power / the voice of the Crown (gentle but menacing)
1
Today
Let it be known
An enquiry
Held by the Crown
For eight acres
And who will own
That same land
On which you settled down
Was held in Battle,
Above the George
Far too far to go, for you
To plead your cause
2
Besides the Crown
Four parties called it theirs
We say it’s Royal land
They claim a share
One holds the castle (/ Lord Chichester)
One holds the farm (/ Lord Cornwallis)
Hastings Corporation is a third
And then Sir Godfrey chanced his arm
Two hundred buildings
A thousand souls
But in that room above the George
We took control
We are the judge and jury
We are the law
We find in favour
Of ourselves, of course, who we award
CHORUS
And so now you
Are squatters, all
So now you
Are squatters, all
So now you
Are squatters, all
3
Today
Let it be known
If none can prove
Claims of your own
We will display
Broad arrow symbols here
On these buildings
On these walls and windows til you disappear
4
We are not cruel
We’ll give you time
Until midsummer’s day
Of 1835
5
You may be rebel
You may be none
You may stand beside the men
They call Americans
Beside the dirty flag men
Beside the scum
Once we heard the stories
Your time was done
CHORUS
Now you will pay your toll
And then begone
Now you will pay your toll
And then begone
Now you will pay your toll
The Crown has won.
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