VIVA VICTORIA.
Rouse ye lovers of peace and order,
Of true freedom, with honour united,
Rally round the old banner of union,
And its glory shall never be blighted.
We have bold hearts in British dominions,
Who dare all a freeman should dare,
But the Throne and the Queen be our watchword,
And let traitors and foemen beware.
Viva Victoria! Viva Victoria!
Strength to the throne! health to the Queen!
Viva Victoria!
We’ll have peace, but it must be with honour,
We have no need of new names in story,
But if war sounds the tocsin, then Britain,
Still has heroes enough for her glory.
Shame the Brawlers, who trade in sedition,
Misleaders, who traffic in lies,
And beware, lest those self-seeking martyrs,
Would-be-lions, prove wolves in disguise.
Viva Victoria! etc.
By the head, or the hand, if it toileth,
May the honest man live by his labour,
But the drone who can work and won’t work,
Shall not rest on the strength of his neighbour.
To the Throne, as the safeguard of freedom,
By our birthright allegiance we swear,
For the Queen is the Monarch of Freedom,
To the King of all be our prayer.
Viva Victoria! etc.
QUEEN VICTORIA.[49]
Welcome now, Victoria!
Welcome to the throne!
May all the trades begin to stir,
Now you are Queen of England;
For your most gracious Majesty,
May see what wretched poverty,
Is to be found on England’s ground,
Now you are Queen of England.
While o’er the country you preside,
Providence will be your guide,
The people then will never chide
Victoria, Queen of England.
She doth declare it her intent
To extend reform in Parliament,
On doing good she’s firmly bent,
While she is Queen of England.
Says she, I’ll try my utmost skill,
That the poor may have their fill;
Forsake them!—no, I never will,
When I am Queen of England.
For oft my mother said to me,
Let this your study always be,
To see the people blest and free,
Should you be Queen of England.
And now, my daughter, you do reign,
Much opposition to sustain,
You’ll surely have, before you gain
The blessings of Old England.
O yes, dear mother, that is true,
I know my sorrows won’t be few,
Poor people shall have work to do,
When I am Queen of England.
I will encourage every trade,
For their labour must be paid,
In this free country then she said,
Victoria, Queen of England;
That poor-law bill, with many more,
Shall be trampled on the floor—
The rich must keep the helpless poor,
While I am Queen of England.
The Royal Queen of Britain’s isle
Soon will make the people smile,
Her heart none can the least defile,
Victoria, Queen of England.
Although she is of early years,
She is possess’d of tender cares,
To wipe away the orphan’s tears,
While she is Queen of England.
With joy each Briton doth exclaim,
Both far and near across the main,
Victoria we now proclaim
The Royal Queen of England;
Long may she live, and happy be,
Adorn’d with robes of Royalty,
With blessings from her subjects free,
While she is Queen of England.
In every town and village gay,
The bells shall ring, and music play,
Upon her Coronation-day,
Victoria, Queen of England.
While her affections we do win,
And every day fresh blessings bring,
Ladies, help me for to sing,
Victoria, Queen of England.
THE QUEEN’S MARRIAGE.[50]
A subject I want for a song, do you see,
So Her Majesty, look you, my subject shall be;
Nay there I am wrong, so my Muse here avers,
My “subject” she can’t be, because I am hers!
Forgive me, I beg, if with words I do play,
And hear a plain man in his own queer plain way,
And still to my errors in mercy pray lean,
While the wedding I sing of our glorious Queen!