I urge you to think on these lines as reflected here. The Wikipedia post is helpful because it adds information about the actual history of the day and even has musical aids if you wish to sing it yourself! I urge you to have a look!
Here are the words to the song (the footnotes here work and they are repeated in the Wikipedia link below):
In good King Charles's golden days,
When Loyalty no harm meant;
A Zealous 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 Loyalty no harm meant;
A Zealous 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.
When George in Pudding time15 came o'er,
And Moderate Men looked big, Sir,
My Principles I chang'd once more,
And so became a Whig, Sir.16
And thus Preferment I procur'd,
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,18
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.
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.
When George in Pudding time15 came o'er,
And Moderate Men looked big, Sir,
My Principles I chang'd once more,
And so became a Whig, Sir.16
And thus Preferment I procur'd,
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,18
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.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vicar_of_Bray_(song)
And for a special treat, here is a link to the incomparable Richard Dyer Bennett singing "The Vicar of Bray."
Richard Dyer Bennett sings The Vicar of Bray
(Here is the same link to give to others!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IxjI-gdwjY
And here is another You Tube rendition of this delightful and currently relevant song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viw5JXopin0
Listen, learn and ask yourself: who is the Vicar or Bray for our time?
