Rule Britannia by James Thomson (poet) Lyrics

[Verse 1]
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

[Chorus]
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves

[Verse 2]
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]
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves

[Verse 3]
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]
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves

[Verse 4]
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]
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves

[Verse 5]
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]
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves

[Verse 6]
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]
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves