Fugitive Poetry. 1600–1878/The Vicar of Bray
The Vicar of Bray.
The village of Bray, in Berkshire, was celebrated for the vacillation of principles displayed by one of its incumbents, and "The Vicar of Bray" has now become a proverbial expression for a man who can alter his opinions and views so as to suit the times. According to Thomas Fuller, the Vicar of Bray retained his living under Henry VIII., Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth, being first a Papist, then a Protestant, then a Papist, then a Protestant again. This song is supposed to have been written by a soldier in Colonel Fuller's troop of dragoons, in the reign of George I.
In good King Charles's golden days,
When loyalty no harm meant,
A zealous high Churchman I was,
And so I got preferment:
To teach my flocks I never missed,
Kings are by God appointed;
Ami damned are those that do resist,
Or touch the Lord's anointed.
And this is law I will maintain
Until my dying day, sir,
That whatsoever king shall reign,
I'll be the Vicar of Bray, sir.
When loyalty no harm meant,
A zealous high Churchman I was,
And so I got preferment:
To teach my flocks I never missed,
Kings are by God appointed;
Ami damned are those that do resist,
Or touch the Lord's anointed.
And this is law I will maintain
Until my dying day, sir,
That whatsoever king shall reign,
I'll be the Vicar of Bray, sir.
When royal James obtained the crown,
And Popery came in fashion,
The penal laws I hooted down,
And read the Declaration;
The Church of Rome I found would fit
Full well my constitution:
And had become a Jesuit
But for the Revolution,
And this is law, &c.
And Popery came in fashion,
The penal laws I hooted down,
And read the Declaration;
The Church of Rome I found would fit
Full well my constitution:
And had become a Jesuit
But for the Revolution,
And this is law, &c.
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, &c.
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, &c.
When gracious 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 damned their moderation,
Although the Church in danger was
By such prevarication.
And this is law, &c.
The Church of England's glory,
Another face of things was seen,
And I became a Tory:
Occasional conformists base,
I damned their moderation,
Although the Church in danger was
By such prevarication.
And this is law, &c.
When George in pudding-time came o'er,
And moderate men looked big, sir,
I turned a cat-in-pan 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, &c.
And moderate men looked big, sir,
I turned a cat-in-pan 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, &c.
Th' 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.
And this is law, &c.
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.
And this is law, &c.