Rule, Britannia!

Partituur

Rule, Britannia! is een onofficieel volkslied van de Britten.

Het gedicht 'Rule, Britannia' werd geschreven door James Thomson (1700-1748) en rond 1740 getoondicht door Thomas Arne (1710-1778).

Het toondicht werd geschreven ter gelegenheid van de verjaardag van de troonsbestijging van het Huis van Hannover in Engeland. Het besloot de masque Alfred.

Tekst van het lied

When Britain first at Heav'n's command,

Arose from out the azure main;

This was the charter of the land,

And guardian angels sang this strain;

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Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves;

Britons never shall be slaves.

The nations not so blest as thee,

Shall in their turns to tyrants fall;

While thou shalt flourish great and free,

The dread and envy of them all.

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Still more majestic shalt thou rise,

More dreadful from each foreign stroke;

As the loud blast that tears the skies,

Serves but to root thy native oak.

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Thee haughty tyrants ne'er shall tame,

All their attempts to bend thee down;

Will but arouse thy generous flame,

But work their woe, and thy renown.

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To thee belongs the rural reign,

They cities shall with commerce shine;

All thine shall be the subject main,

And every shore it circles thine.

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The Muses, still with freedom found,

Shall to thy happy coast repair;

Blest Isle! With matchless beauty crowned,

And manly hearts to guide the fair.

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