Sunday 31 August 2003

The Secret Verse In The "National" Anthem

It is a popular fact that there used to be a verse in the "U"K's national anthem about "rebellious Scots". What is not widely known is that this is an adaptation of an older verse originally written by Chaucer which goes as follows

God creant þæt Cyning Ælfred
Mægen be þy meahtig aid, (In the 10th century, /aid/ and /ed/ rhymed).
Triomfen gebring,
Mægen he sedicioun husce,
and lyke an bygbrok rysce,
Traditor Dænes to crusce
God gesalven þe Cyning.

We the people of Mercia demand an apology for the use of this verse over the centuries, as well as an apology for the slur 'Danes', who we are no more related to than other conquerers such as Wessexers.