Who Would True Valour See / He Who Would Valiant Be (To Be A Pilgrim)

TUNE I: MONK'S GATE
Version 1: Original Text by John Bunyan




Version 2: Percy Dearmer










TUNE II: ST. DUNSTAN'S






ORIGINAL TEXT BY JOHN BUNYAN:

Who would true valour see,
Let him come hither;
One here will constant be,
Come wind, come weather
There’s no discouragement
Shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent
To be a pilgrim.

Whoso beset him round
With dismal stories
Do but themselves confound;
His strength the more is.
No lion can him fright,
He’ll with a giant fight,
He will have a right
To be a pilgrim.

Hobgoblin nor foul fiend
Can daunt his spirit,
He knows he at the end
Shall life inherit.
Then fancies fly away,
He’ll fear not what men say,
He’ll labor night and day
To be a pilgrim.

Text: John Bunyan (1684)


PARAPHRASE BY PERCY DEARMER:
He who would valiant be
'gainst all disaster,
let him in constancy
follow the Master.
There's no discouragement
shall make him once relent
his first avowed intent
to be a pilgrim.

Who so beset him round
with dismal stories
do but themselves confound
his strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might;
though he with giants fight,
he will make good his right
to be a pilgrim.

Since, Lord, thou dost defend
us with thy Spirit,
We know we at the end,
shall life inherit.
Then fancies flee away!
I'll fear not what men say,
I'll labor night and day
to be a pilgrim.

Background information

Text: Percy Dearmer
Tunes: MONK'S GATE (by Ralph Vaughan Williams) or ST. DUNSTAN'S (by Charles Winifred Douglas)