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| The Vicar of Bray (a small village in Berkshire) is a ballad describing how a vicar managed to hold his position from the days of Charles II until the accession of George I of the House of Hanover. |
In good King Charles's golden time 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 are those who dare resist Or touch the Lord's annointed. And this is law that I'll maintain Until my dying day, Sir. That whatsoever king may reign Still I'll be the Vicar of Bray, Sir! When Royal James possessed the crown 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. And this is law that I'll maintain Until my dying day, Sir. That whatsoever king may reign Still I'll be the Vicar of Bray, Sir! 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. And this is law that I'll maintain Until my dying day, Sir. That whatsoever king may reign Still I'll be the Vicar of Bray, Sir! When Royal Anne became our Queen Then 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 By such prevarication. And this is law that I'll maintain Until my dying day, Sir. That whatsoever king may reign Still I'll be the Vicar of Bray, Sir! When George in pudding time came o'er And moderate men looked big, Sir. My principles I changed once more And so 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. And this is law that I'll maintain Until my dying day, Sir. That whatsoever king may reign Still I'll be the Vicar of Bray, Sir! The illustrious house of Hanover And Protestant succession To these I do allegiance swear While they can keep possession For in my faith and loyalty I never more will falter And George my lawful king shall be Until the times do alter. |
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