Heart of Oak - New Lyrics

New Lyrics

A new version was presented on 16 April 1809 and published in the Spirit of the public Journals, vol. XIII, p. 75 by Reverend Rylance.

When Alfred, our King, drove the Dane from this land,
He planted an oak with his own royal hand;
And he pray'd for Heaven's blessing to hallow the tree,
As a sceptre for England, the queen of the sea.

Chorus:

Hearts of oak are our ships,

Hearts of oak are our men,

We always are ready, steady boys, steady,

To charge and to conquer again and again.

The sapling shot up and stuck firm to the ground;
It defied every tempest that bellow'd around;
And still was it seen with fresh vigour to shoot,
When the blood of our martyrs had moisten'd its root.

(Chorus)

But the worms of corruption had eaten their way
Through its bark; till a Wardle has swept them away,
He has sworn, no such reptiles our tree shall infest,
And our patriots soon shall extirpate the nest.

(Chorus)

Yon tyrant, whose rule abject Europe bemoans —
Yon brood of usurpers who sit on her thrones —
Shall look on our country, and tremble with awe,
Where a son of the Monarch has bow'd to the law,

(Chorus)

Now long live the Briton, who dar'd to revive
The spirit which Britons scarce felt was alive;
His name shall be carv'd, while of freedom we sing,
On the oak that was planted by Alfred our King.

(Chorus)