THE VICAR OF BRAY

Set in a time when religious affiliation could seriously damage your health (and get you seriously char-grilled!).

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In good King Charles's golden days,

When loyalty no harm meant;

A furious High-Church man I was,

And so I gain'd preferment.

Unto my flock I daily preach'd,

Kings are by God appointed,

And damn'd are those who dare resist,

Or touch the Lord's anointed.

And this is law, I will maintain

Unto my dying day, sir,

That whatsoever king shall reign,

I will be Vicar of Bray, sir!

When Royal James possess'd the crown,

And popery grew in fashion;

The penal law I houted down,

And read the declaration:

The Church of Rome, I found would fit,

Full well my constitution,

And I had been a Jesuit,

But for the Revolution.

And this is law, I will maintain

Unto my dying day, sir,

That whatsoer king shall reign,

I will be Vicar of Bray, sir!

When William our deliverer came,

To heal the nation's grievance,

I turned the cat in pan again,

And swore to him allegiance:

Old principles I did revoke,

Set conscience at a distance,

Passive obedience is a joke,

A jest is non-resistance.

And this is law, I will maintain

Unto my dying day, sir,

That whatsoer king shall reign,

I will be Vicar of Bray, sir!

When glorious 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 damn'd, and moderation,

And thought the Church in danger was,

From such prevarication.

And this is law, I will maintain

Unto my dying day, sir,

That whatsoer king shall reign,

I will be Vicar of Bray, sir!

When George in pudding time came o'er,

And moderate men looked big, sir,

My principles I chang'd once more,

And so became a Whig, sir:

And thus preferment I procur'd,

From our faith's great defender,

And almost every day abjur'd

The Pope, and the Pretender.

And this is law, I will maintain

Unto my dying day, sir,

That whatsoer king shall reign,

I will be Vicar of Bray, sir!

The illustrious House of Hanover,

And Protestant succession,

To these I lustily will swear,

Whilst they can keep possession:

For in my faith, and loyalty,

I never once will falter,

George, my lawful king shall be,

Except the times should alter.

And this is law, I will maintain

Unto my dying day, sir,

That whatsoer king shall reign,

I will be Vicar of Bray, sir!

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