Rule Britannia/Married to Mermaid (6) (James Thompson (1700-1748)/The air was written by Dr. Thomas Arne) There was a gay young farmer, Who liv'd on Salisbury plain; He lov'd a rich Knight's daughter dear! And she lov'd him again. The Knight he was distressed, That they should sweethearts be. So he had the farmer soon pressed, And sent him off to sea. CHO: Singing Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves Britons never, never, never shall be slaves... 'Twas on the deep Atlantic, Midst Equinoctial gales; This young farmer fell overboard Among the sharks and whales; He disappeared so quickly, So headlong down went he, that he went out of sight Like a streak of light to the bottom of the deep blue sea. We lowered a boat to find him, We thought to see his corse, When up to the top he came with a bang, And sang in a voice so hoarse, 'My comrades and my messmates, Oh, do not weep for me, For I'm married to a mermaid, At the bottom of the deep blue sea.' He said that as he went down, Great fishes he did see; They seemed to think as he did wink, That he was rather free. But down he went so quickly, Saying, ''Tis all up with me,' When he met a lovely mermaid At the bottom of the deep blue sea. She came at once unto him, And gave him her white band, Saying, 'I have waited long, my dear, To welcome you to land. Go to your ship and tell them, You'll leave them all for me; For you're married to a mermaid At the bottom of the deep blue sea.' The wind was fair, the sails set, The ship was running free; When we all went to the captain bold, And told what we did see. He went unto the ship's side, And loudly bellowed he, 'Be happy as you can, my man, At the bottom of the deep blue sea.' Here are the words to Rule Britannia: When Britain first, at Heaven's command Arose from out the azure main; Arose from out the azure main; This was the charter, the charter of the land, And guardian angels sang this strain: Chorus Rule Britannia! Britannia rules the waves Britons never, never, never shall be slaves. The nations, not so blest as thee Must, in their turns to tyrants fall Must, in their turns to tyrants fall While thou shalt flourish, shalt flourish great and free The dread and envy of them all. (Chorus) Still more majestic shalt thou rise More dreadful from each foreign stroke More dreadful from each foreign stroke As the loud blast, the blast that tears the skies Serves but to root thy native oak. (Chorus) Thee haughty tyrants ne'er shall tame All their attempts to bend thee down All their attempts to bend thee down Will but arouse, arouse thy generous flame But work their woe, and thy renown. (Chorus) To thee belongs the rural reign Thy cities shall with commerce shine Thy ci-ties shall with commerce shine All thine shall be, shall be the subject main And every shore it circles thine. (Chorus) The Muses, still with freedom found Shall to thy happy coast repair Shall to thy happy coast repair Blest isle with matchless, with matchless beauty crowned And manly hearts to guard the fair. (Chorus) LN apr00
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!