| Lyrics: | The Vicar of Bray
In good King Charles' golden days, when loyalty no harm meant,
A
zealous high churchman was I, and so I gained preferment.
To teach my flock, I never
missed
Kings are by God appointed
And damned be he who dare resist or touch the
Lord's annointed.
cho: And this be law, I shall maintain
Until my dying day,
sir
That whatsoever king may reign,
Still I'll be the Vicar of Bray,
sir.
When royal James usurped the throne, and popery came in fashion,
The penal laws
I hooted down, and read the Declaration.
The Church of Rome, I found, did fit
Full well my constitution
And I had been a Jesuit, but for the
Revolution.
cho:
When William was our King declared, to ease the nation's
grievance,
With this new wind about I steered, and swore to him allegiance.
Old
principles I did revoke
Set conscience at a distance,
Passive obedience was a joke, a
jest was non-resistance.
cho:
When Royal Anne became our queen, the Church of
England's glory,
Another face of things was seen, and I became a Tory.
Occasional
conformists base
I blamed their moderation;
And thought the Church in danger was from
such prevarication.
cho:
When George in pudding time came o'er, and moderate
men looked big, sir
My principles I changed once more, and I became a Whig, sir.
And
thus preferment I procured
From our new Faith's Defender,
And almost every day
abjured the Pope and the Pretender.
cho:
The illustrious house of Hanover and
Protestant succession
To these I do allegiance swear --- while they can hold possession.
For in my faith and loyalty
I never more will falter,
And George my lawful king
shall be --- until the times do alter.
cho:
Recorded by
Dyer-Bennett
@church @politics @England
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