Britons, Strike Home

tycho · **Posted:** Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:00 am

There is frequent mention in contemporary records of all sorts of people – sailors and civilians in Nelson's time - singing two songs in particular ‘Rule, Britannia’ and ‘Britons, Strike Home’.

Well, we all know ‘Rule Britannia’ but whatever happened to the other one? I have never heard it sung or quoted.

A little Googling revealed a confused history. The tune was composed by Henry Purcell for his opera ‘Bunduca’– and I’ve found an unarranged version and picked it out on the piano, a simple tune over six notes in D, but the words are all about Druids. There are, apparently, other words by John Gay, but I can’t find them.

A further version I found is a ballad about a young girl who dresses as a boy to join her lover at sea:

www.contemplator.com/sea/bstrike.html

The chorus is rousing but the tale itself is rather wistful. Was this the version Nelson's sailors sang? If not what happened to ‘Britons, Strike Home? Does anyone know?

I suppose I should have put this on the poetry thread but just in case anyone who might be able to help doesn't look there, I put it here instead.

Devenish · **Posted:** Thu Dec 11, 2008 11:27 am

Tyco,

What a beautiful little tune and such expressive words! I would guess, since it is about the sea, that this is the version that was known. As for wistful, well seamen were usually quite sentimental - perhaps not so surprising when they were far from home.

As you say it is rather strange that it isn't better known, especially since it was one of the three tunes, 'Rule Britannia' and 'Heart of Oak' being the other two, that were played by the ship's bands as they approached the combined fleet at Trafalgar. Perhaps it dropped out of favour since it wasn't so pompous as the other two and was a ballad. In shanty terms it would have probably been called a 'forebitter', since it was very likely sung by seamen gathered round the forbitts during an offwatch period.

Perhaps we should try for a revival, perhaps pursuade the powers that be to include it as an addendum to the Sea Songs at the last Night of the Proms?

Tony · **Posted:** Thu Dec 11, 2008 7:09 pm

There seem to be a few versions to choose from.

In 1923 W G Perrin wrote a series of articles in the Mariner's Mirror on the development of bands in the Royal Navy. He comments that neither the words nor the music of Purcell's song were particularly inspired, but that they seemed to have caught on. In 1739, during the Spanish War, Edward Phillips produced a nautical farce titled "Britons Strike Home, or the Sailor's Rehearsal", containing an allusion to it. Purcell's song was revived again in the American and Napoleonic wars, "no doubt on account of its striking sentiment". He reports that it was played in 1801 when the Caesar sailed out of Gibraltar before the action of Algeciras, and that it was played by the bands of several of the ships when sailing into action at Trafalgar. he then says that it seems to have fallen into oblivion after that, but refers to the other song you found, saying "There is a popular nautical song with this title which Chappell, in his 'Popular Music of the Olden Time', includes among 'Traditional Tunes of an uncertain date' as an old sea-song. He adds: 'It is one I remember well in the playground at Fulham about forty years ago (i.e. circa 1820), sometimes half-a-dozen boys would chant it in unison, using most emphatic action at the words 'strike home'." [however he records the words as only the one verse "Our ship carried over nine hundred men..."]

Another song appears in ‘English Caricature And Satire On Napoleon I’, by John Ashton, 1884:

Quote:

AT this time [1803] much use was made of the phrase ‘Britons, strike home!’ which first appears in an adaptation of Beaumont and Fletcher's play of ' Bonduca,' or Boadicea which was set to music by Henry Purcell in 1695. The few words are not in the original drama, but are interpolated with other songs, and form a solo and chorus:

Britons, strike home,
Revenge, revenge your country’s wrongs.
Fight, fight and record, fight and record yourselves in Druids’ songs,
Fight, fight and record,
Fight, fight and record, record yourselves in Druids’ songs.

But these simple words would hardly suit the times so a brand new patriotic song was evolved, embodying the title

BRITONS, STRIKE HOME !
A New Song.

Should Frenchmen e'er pollute Britannia's strand,
Or press with hostile hoof this sacred land ;
The daring deed should every Briton arm,
To save his native land from dire alarm ;
Her free born Sons should instant take the field,
The Altar and the Throne at once to shield.

Britons, strike home ! avenge your Country's cause,
Protect your King, your Liberties, and Laws !

Repel the Foe, that, desperate, dares invade
The land protected by great Sydney's shade ;
And in the cause for which your Hampden bled,
Should ev'ry Briton's blood be freely shed ;
A cause no less than Liberty and Life,
The poor Man's Home, his Children and his Wife.

Britons, strike home ! &c.

The base Usurper comes his troops advance,
And line, with threat'ning front, the shores of France ;
Already has the Despot given the word ;
Already has he drawn his blood stain'd sword ;
While Jaffa's plains attest th' Assassin's skill,
Poison and blood the dagger and the pill.

Britons, strike home ! &c.

No common war we wage, our native land
Is menac'd by a murderous, ruthless band ;
The Throne and Altar by their Chief o'erturn'd,
And at his feet one half the prostrate world !
* Plunder and Rape and Death ' 's the hostile cry,
' Fire to your towns to Britons slavery ! '

Britons, strike home ! &c.

Come, Bonaparte, come ! we are prepar'd ;
No British heart a foreign foe e'er fear'd.
What ! tho' an abject world in arms should rise,
In England^ cause, a Briton death defies ;
If to herself she prove but firm and true,
Gaul, and her frantic Chief, she'll make to rue.
Britons, strike home ! &c.

Plung'd in the deep, her navy we'll confound,
Or with French blood manure our British ground ;
Drive backward to the sea the Gallic slaves,
And whelm their host, like Pharaoh's, in the waves ;
Restore lost Peace and Plenty to our isle,
And make the land again with gladness smile.
Britons, strike home ! &c.

In 1803, Charles Dibdin also produced "Britons Strike Home ! a Table Entertainment", first performed 17th September, 1803. This included the verse

Quote:

When Dryden wrote and Purcell sung
Britons, strike home,
The patriot-sounds re-echoing rung
The vaulted dome.

(References elsewhere also suggest Dryden may have provided the words for Purcell's music.)

Dibdin also wrote a song titled 'Britons, Strike Home':

Quote:

BRITONS STRIKE HOME!

(Charles Dibdin)

Cheerly, my hearts of courage true,
The hour's at hand to try your worth,
A glorious peril waits for you,
And valour pants to lead you forth.
Mark where the enemy's colours fly boys,
There some must conquer some must die boys,
But that appals not you nor me,
For our watch-word it shall be,
"Britons strike home! revenge your country's wrongs.'

When rolling mists their march shall hide,
At dead of night a chosen band,
List'ning to the dashing tide,
With silent step shall print the sand.
Then where the enemy's colours fly, boys,
We'll scale the walls or bravely die, boys.
For we are Briton's bold and free, .
And our watch-word it shall be,
“Britons strike home! revenge your country's wrongs."

The cruel enemy, then too late,
Dismayed shall mourn the avenging blow;
Yet vanquish'd meet the milder fate
Which mercy grants to fallen foe.
Thus shall the British banners fly, boys,
On yon proud turrets, rais'd on high, boys;.
And while the gallant flag we see,
We'll swear the watch-word still shall be,
"Britons strike home! revenge your country's wrongs.”

(from “The Norwich Minstrel, Containing Several Hundred of the Most Admired and Approved Songs, Interspersed With Select And Original Poetry”, by J. S. Wells, 1831)

I think John Gay used Purcell's tune attached to one line in 'the Beggar's Opera'.

tycho · **Posted:** Thu Dec 11, 2008 8:27 pm

Many thanks, Tony and Devenish (sorry – how could I forget ‘Heart of Oak’?)

Well: what a puzzle. We seem to have any number of songs with little in common save the line ‘Britons, strike home’!

I have now found Purcell’s score and melody which you can listen to here:

www.ingeb.org/songs/britonss.html

(This is the same as the score I found when I first looked and which I played on the piano – only the title was given, no composer)

But Purcell’s tune isn’t the same as the one played in the link in my first post.

Dibdin’s rousing words and tune must be different again – and I suspect this was the version that was sung during the Napoleonic wars – the sentiments seem appropriate to the times. That version is listed in the British Library as is another song entitled ‘Britons, strike home’ by J. Ginger.

Devenish · **Posted:** Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:50 pm

Tycho,

As you say this is getting a little confusing, both as to the words and the tune of 'Briton's Strike Home' played before Trafalgar. I would also seem to be a little out as to the sentiments expressed in the first song you highlighted, and its tune, being the one used on that occasion. Why would seamen sing a homely ballad going into battle? It doesn't quite fit with 'Rule Britannia. or 'Heart of Oak', though it does sound the sort of song they might sing off watch.

I am wondering now about the version that Tony mentioned, under 'Britons strike Home - a new song' and as appearing in 'English Caricature and Satire on Napoleon 1', by John Ashton. It would seem rather more appropriate and robust for such a purpose. One can perhaps liken it to that scene in Zulu, where the Welsh regiment sing 'Men of Harlech' to keep their spirits up against the thousands of Zulus, who also of course were singing similar taunting songs. In the case of 'Britons Strike Home' of course, the words have rather more venom!

I am also wondering if this was the version used, if it dropped out of favour because of its anti-French sentiment during the Victorian period and later, when the 'entente cordial' came into being with the old enemy. The 'political correctness' of its day maybe!

tycho · **Posted:** Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:51 am

Kester:

Your mention of suggesting that the BBC should include ‘Britons, Strike Home’ at the Last Night of the Proms will fall on deaf ears, I think. Did you notice that they cut out Henry Wood’s ‘Fantasia on British Sea Songs’ last year? I missed it, especially the very moving ‘Tom Bowling’with its lovely slow introduction on the cello. ‘Tom Bowling’ was, of course, also written by Charles Dibdin.

I Googled ‘Tom Bowling’ out of interest and found the background to the song – it was written by Dibdin in memory of his brother, a sailor, which makes it doubly touching. There is also a note that Dibdin was commissioned by the government to write his rousing songs against the French – hence ‘Britons, Strike Home.’

You can read the details and hear the melody of 'Tom Bowling' here – a bit rum-ti-tum, with none of the poignancy of the orchestral version.

www.contemplator.com/sea/tbowling.html

It seems pretty likely that it was Dibdin’s version of 'Britons, Strike Home’ that was sung post-1803, perhaps along with the single verse about ‘Nine hundred men’ that Tony quotes above, and omitting the rest of the tale. Purcell’s song was sung throughout the 18th century, by soldiers too; it was sung at the Battle of Dettingen. But it seems a mimsy little tune to me - no wonder the government wanted something more rousing.

You're probably right in your suggestion that Dibdin's version faded out because of its specifically anti-French feeling - perhaps a bit unsporting to sing it after Waterloo and the end of the French threat?

I can’t find a musical rendition or score of Dibdin’s 1803 version, but it’s in the BL – another trail to follow when next I venture to the capital.

Devenish · **Posted:** Sun Dec 14, 2008 3:33 pm

Tycho.

They did what? I am (to use the word from an old ministerial sit-com) 'appalled!' But then I have not seen the Last Night of the Proms for some years now, as we can't get it Sweden. Just as well then! We used to get it some years ago, along with all those other traditional British events such as Trooping the Colour, the Festival of Rememberance and Cenotaph Service, the Christmas Morning Service etc. The BBC offering you get over here and in other parts of the world is a special channel, just recently renamed BBC Entertainment - for natives and those of us who supposedly just can't take those traditional programmes any more! As the channel name suggests, it is wall to wall 'entertainment' programmes, oft repeated, although I have to admit there are one or two good ones!

Nelson & His World

Britons, Strike Home

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