The Vicar of Bray (song)

The generally known form of the song appears to have been based on an earlier version, "The Religious Turncoat; Or, the Trimming Parson". The text for "The Religious Turncoat" was published in 1706 in a book by the satirical writer Ned Ward. The expression "The Vicar of Bray, will be the Vicar of Bray still" was mentioned in 1662 by the English churchman Thomas Fuller in his book The History of the Worthies of England. The melody is taken from the 17th-century folk melody "Country Gardens" which in turn was used in ''The Quaker's Opera'', first printed in London in 1728, a three-act farce based on the story of Jack Sheppard which was performed at Bartholomew Fair. A parody of this parody song, "The American Vicar of Bray", with the same chorus, was published in the 30 June 1779 edition of Rivington's Royal Gazette, mocking the shifting loyalties of some American colonists during the American Revolutionary War. "The Vicar of Bray" is also referenced in the song "Parlour Songs" in the Stephen Sondheim musical, Sweeney Todd, although the song has been removed from more recent performances of that musical. == Text and melody ==

\header { tagline = ##f } %\paper { line-width = 190\mm } \layout { indent = 0 \context { \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" } } global = { \key d \major \time 4/4 \partial 4 } introC = \chordmode { \transpose c c, { s4 | d1\pp | a2:7 d | d g | a:7 d4 } } chordNames = \chordmode { \global \override ChordName.font-size = #-1 \set midiInstrument = "acoustic guitar (nylon)" \repeat volta 2 { \introC } \transpose c c, { s4 | b2:m a | b:m fis:m | b:m a | e:7 a4 } } outtroC = \chordmode { \transpose c c, { { s4 | b2:m a | b:m fis:m | b:m a | e:7 a | d1 | a2:7 d | d g | a:7 d4 \bar "|." } } } introM = \relative c'' { a4 | d cis8 (b) a4 b | g a fis g | a d, g fis | e2 d4 ^\markup { "al" \musicglyph "scripts.coda" } %\break } melody = \relative c'' { \global \set midiInstrument = "clarinet" \repeat volta 2 { \introM } a4 | d b cis a | d cis8 (b) cis4 a | d cis8 (d) e4 d8 (cis) | b2 a4 ^\tweak self-alignment-X #CENTER ^\markup { "D.C. al" \musicglyph "scripts.coda" } \bar "||" } outtroM = \relative c'' { \mark \markup { \musicglyph "scripts.coda" "Refrain" } a4 | d cis8 (b) cis4 a | d cis8 (b) cis4 a | d cis8 (d) e4 d8 (cis) | b2 a4 a4 | d cis8 (b) a4 b | g a fis g | a \autoBeamOff d,8 d g g fis4 | e2 d4 } verse = \lyricmode { > Un -- to my flock I dai -- ly preach'd, kings are by God ap -- poin -- ted, And this is law, I will main -- tain un -- to my dy -- ing day, Sir, that what -- so -- e -- ver King may reign, I will be the Vi -- car of Bray, Sir! \bar "|." } verseR = \lyricmode { \set stanza = "D.C." and damn'd are those who dare res -- ist, or touch the Lord's a -- noin -- ted. } \score { > \layout { } } \score { \unfoldRepeats { > > > } \midi { \tempo 4=144 \context { \Score midiChannelMapping = #'instrument } \context { \Staff \remove "Staff_performer" } \context { \Voice \consists "Staff_performer" } } } In good King Charles's golden days, When Loyalty no harm meant; A Furious High-Church Man I was,1 And so I gain'd Preferment.2 Unto my Flock I daily Preach'd, Kings are by God appointed, And Damn'd are those who dare resist,3 Or touch the Lord's Anointed.4 :And this is law,5 I will maintain :Unto my Dying Day, Sir. :That whatsoever King may reign, :I will be the Vicar of Bray, Sir! When Royal James possest the crown, And popery6 grew in fashion; The Penal Law I shouted down, And read the Declaration:7 The Church of Rome I found would fit Full well my Constitution, And I had been a Jesuit,8 But for the Revolution.9 :And this is law, &c. When William our Deliverer came, To heal the Nation's Grievance, I turn'd the Cat in Pan10 again, And swore to him Allegiance:11 Old Principles I did revoke, Set conscience at a distance, Passive Obedience is a Joke, A Jest is12 non-resistance.13 :And this is law, &c. When Royal Anne became our Queen, Then Church of England's Glory, Another face of things was seen, And I became a Tory:14 Occasional Conformists base I Damn'd, and Moderation, And thought the Church in danger was, From such Prevarication. :And this is law, &c. And Moderate Men looked big, Sir, My Principles I chang'd once more, And so became a Whig, Sir.16 And thus Preferment I , From our Faith's great Defender17 And almost every day abjur'd The Pope, and the Pretender. :And this is law, &c. 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 faulter, But George, my lawful king shall be, Except the Times shou'd alter. :And this is law, &c. Source for the version of the song given here is The British Musical Miscellany, Volume I, 1734, as found in R. S. Crane, A Collection of English Poems 1660–1800, New York: Harper & Row, 1932. ==Notes==

The parish referred to in the song is Bray in Berkshire, which lies close to several sites of political and religious significance, including Hampton Court Palace and Windsor Castle. Several people have been proposed as the model for the song. Simon Symonds was vicar of Bray in 1522–1551, during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI. The candidate favoured by church historian Thomas Fuller and dramatist Richard Brome was Simon Aleyn, vicar of Bray in 1557–1565, during the reigns of Mary I and Elizabeth I. Although the song alludes to events of the 17th and 18th centuries, it could be that Bray had already developed a tradition of clerical 'realpolitik' and religious pliability as defence against the turbulence of Tudor religious upheavals. The candidate whose lifespan and career clearly correspond with the well-known lyrics is Francis Carswell, vicar of Bray for 42 years, 1667–1709, during the reigns of Charles II, James II, William III and Mary II and Anne. Carswell "was of like easy conscience" to his antecedents and remained vicar of Bray until his "dying day", through most of the events described, except the accession of the first Hanoverian king George I alluded to in the final verse. It would not be surprising if, as the song grew in popularity, an additional verse was appended to make it relevant during the mid-18th-century and beyond. Thomas Barlow has also been suggested as an inspiration for the song, but this may just be because he had a prominent clerical and academic career spanning the vicissitudes alluded to. His career did not extend into the reigns of Queen Anne or George I as implied by the lyrics. == References ==