Britannia Sat Weeping

DESCRIPTION: Britannia weeps as pleasure is replaced by war and sailors fight for "country and king"; "John Bull has been ruin'd by pension and place." Rich and poor are brothers and we can never kindle war and still flourish with liberty in our happy home.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1867 (broadside, Bodleian 2806 c.15(294))
KEYWORDS: war England political
FOUND IN:
Roud #V7898
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, 2806 c.15(294), "Britannia Sat Weeping" ("Britannia sat weeping as pleasure pass'd by"), J. Harkness (Preston), 1840-1866; also Harding B 11(3769), Harding B 16(37c), "Britannia Sat Weeping"
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Daughter of Israel" (tune, per broadside Bodleian 2806 c.15(294))
NOTES [45 words]: Zimmermann p. 54 uses "Britannia Sat Weeping" to illustrate the popularity in the 17th and 18th centuries of a country -- Italy, France, Ireland and Britain -- as "a poor woman asking for help."
Does the reference to the king date the origin to a war before Victoria? - BS
Last updated in version 5.1
File: BrdBrSWe

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