On Parole / The Bishop (Live)

Freedom is mine The earth is still I feel the wind I breathe again And the sky clears The world is waking Drink from the pool, how clean the taste Never forget the years, the waste Nor forgive them for what they've done They are the guilty, everyone The day begins, and now let's see What this new world will do for me You'll have to go, I'll pay you off for the day Collect your bits and pieces there and be on your way You have given me half what the other men get This handful of tin wouldn't buy my sweat You broke the law, it's there for people to see Why should you get the same as honest men like me? And now I know how freedom feels, the jailer always at your heels, it is the law This piece of paper in my hand that makes me cursed throughout the land, it is the law Like a cur, I walk the street The dirt beneath their feet Come in, Sir, for you are weary And the night is cold out there Though our lives are very humble What we have, we have to share There is wine here to revive you There is bread to make you strong There's a bed to rest 'til morning Rest from pain and rest from wrong He let me eat my fill, I had the lion's share The silver in my hand cost twice what I had earned In all those 19 years, that lifetime of despair And yet he trusted me The old fool trusted me, he'd done his bit of good I played the grateful serf and thanked him like I should But when the house was still, I got up in the night Took the silver, took my flight Tell His Reverence your story Let us see if he's impressed You were lodging here last night You were the honest Bishop's guest And then, out of Christian goodness When he learned about your plight You maintain he made a present of this silver That is right But, my friend, you left so early Surely something slipped your mind You forgot I gave these also Would you leave the best behind? So, Messieurs, you may release him For this man has spoken true I commend you for your duty And God's blessing go with you But remember this, my brother See in this some higher plan You must use this precious silver To become an honest man By the witness of the martyrs By the Passion and the Blood God has raised you out of darkness I have bought your soul for God