[Lyric] James Thomson’s “Rule Britannia” (Mr. Tress)

When Britain first, at heaven’s command

Arose from out the azure main

Arose, arose, arose from out the azure main

This was the charter, the charter of the land

And guardian angels sang the strain


Rule Britannia!

Britannia rule the waves

Britons never, never, never shall be slaves


The nations not so blest as thee

Must in their turn to tyrants fall
Must in their turn, must in their turn

To tyrants fall

While thou shall flourish

Shall 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, more dreadful

From each foreign stroke

As the loud 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, all their attempts

To bend thee down

Will but 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 cities shall, thy cities shall
With commerce shine

All thine 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

Thy happy coasts repair

Best isle of beauty

With matchless beauty crowned

And manly hearts to guard the fair


Chorus