X:547
T:The vicar of Bray
C:anon.
O:England
R:Ballad
Z:Transcribed by Frank Nordberg - http://www.musicaviva.com
F:http://abc.musicaviva.com/tunes/england/vicar-of-bray/vicar-of-bray.abc
%Posted Nov 19th 1999 at ABC-users by Frank Nordberg with an request
%for the title. The tune was identified by
%Anahata - http://www.freereed.demon.co.uk and Ivan Bradley provided
%the lyrics as well as ABC for the slightly similar tune
%"English country garden".
M:C|
L:1/4
K:A
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ag/f/ef|decd|eAdc|B2Ae|
afge|a/g/a/g/fe|fg/a/ba/g/|f2ee|
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W:
W:In good King Charles' golden days, when loyalty no harm meant,
W:A zealous high churchman was I, and so I gained preferment.
W:  To teach my flock, I never missed
W:  Kings are by God appointed
W:And damned be he who dare resist or touch the Lord's annointed.
W:
W:cho:
W:  And this be law, I shall maintain
W:  Until my dying day, sir
W:  That whatsoever king may reign,
W:  Still I'll be the Vicar of Bray, sir.
W:
W:When royal James usurped the throne, and popery came in fashion,
W:The penal laws I hooted down, and read the Declaration.
W:  The Church of Rome, I found, did fit
W:  Full well my constitution
W:And I had been a Jesuit, but for the Revolution.
W:
W:cho:
W:
W:When William was our King declared, to ease the nation's grievance,
W:With this new wind about I steered, and swore to him allegiance.
W:  Old principles I did revoke
W:  Set conscience at a distance,
W:Passive obedience was a joke, a jest was non-resistance.
W:
W:cho:
W:
W:When Royal Anne became our queen, the Church of England's glory,
W:Another face of things was seen, and I became a Tory.
W:  Occasional conformists base
W:  I blamed their moderation;
W:And thought the Church in danger was from such prevarication.
W:
W:cho:
W:
W:When George in pudding time came o'er, and moderate men looked big, sir
W:My principles I changed once more, and I became a Whig, sir.
W:  And thus preferment I procured
W:  From our new Faith's Defender,
W:And almost every day abjured the Pope and the Pretender.
W:
W:cho:
W:
W:The illustrious house of Hanover and Protestant succession
W:To these I do allegiance swear - while they can hold possession.
W:  For in my faith and loyalty
W:  I never more will falter,
W:And George my lawful king shall be - until the times do alter.
W:
W:cho:
W:
W:
W:  From Musica Viva - http://www.musicaviva.com
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