William McCarty, comp. The American National Song Book. 1842.
A Song of Other Days: When Britain first at Heavens command“W
Arose from out the azure main,
This was the charter of the land,
And guardian angels sung the strain—
Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves,
For Britons never shall be slaves.”
E’er Freedom’s sacred home was known,
That, ardent with their country’s love,
And claiming ocean as their own,
They sung, Rule Britannia, Britannia, rule the waves,
For Britons never shall be slaves.
Why grasp the wide-extended sea?
Must all the world beside be slaves,
That only Britons may be free?
Hence, then, Britannia no more shall rule the waves,
Nor see the nations round her slaves.
The bounteous sea her treasure spreads,
To countless millions wafts her store,
Nor tribute pays to crowned heads;
Hence then, Britannia, no longer rule the waves,
Nor seek to make thy equals slaves.
Firm, independent, bold, and free;
They too shall seize the glorious prize,
And share the empire of the sea;
Hence then, let freemen, let freemen rule the waves,
And those who yield them still be slaves.
Illustrious in the book of fame;
This day, revolving, still shall give
A kindling spark of Freedom’s flame,
And we as freemen, will we not rule the waves,
Nor own a power to make us slaves?
Like friends and brethren let us join;
In concert tune the festive lay
Sacred to Liberty divine;
Which still will guard us, on land as on the waves,
Determined never to be slaves.
To celebrate each hero slain,
With patriot tears their fates bewail,
Who died our freedom to obtain;
Which may we cherish, on land as on the waves,
Nor change from freemen to be slaves.
Led us to liberty and peace,
On whom America still smiles
With gratitude which ne’er shall cease;
Long may the hero live who still his country saves,
Nor ever let him see us slaves.