England's Triumph facts for kids

England's Triumph is a special kind of song from 1689. It's called a broadside ballad, which means it was printed on a single sheet of paper and sold cheaply. This song celebrates a very important event: the crowning of King William III and Queen Mary II in England.

The song focuses on their coronation, which happened in February 1689. The ballad itself says 1688, but that was probably a small mistake when it was printed. William and Mary becoming king and queen together was a big deal. It marked the end of a time called the Glorious Revolution and the rule of King James II.

Their rule also changed England's main religion. Before, under King James II, England was mostly Roman Catholic. But "England's Triumph" talks about how "vile pop'ry" (meaning Catholicism) was replaced. It celebrates the return of Protestant freedom. You can find old copies of this song at Magdalene College, Cambridge in the Pepys Library. You can also find copies of it online to read.

What is "England's Triumph"?

This song is set to the tune of another popular song called "Hark the Thundering Cannons Roar." It starts by praising King William III. The song says, "Now the Royal deed is done, / King William’s seated on the Throne, / and we his Subjects justly own, / He was our preservation." This means the people felt he saved them.

A New Religious Start

The ballad then explains what King William III's rule means for England's religion. It says, "The Glories of our Court are clear, / Now Rome’s dark Clouds all disappear / And shall no more o’re-cast us here, / nor send their priests to fool us." This part shows how happy people were that the country was becoming Protestant again. It suggests that the previous Catholic rule was seen as a dark time.

Praising the New Rulers

Like many songs written to honor someone, "England's Triumph" ends with lots of praise. It wishes the new King and Queen well. The song says, "May they all delights obtain, / Prove happy in a prosp’rous Reign, / And e’ery thing they wish for gain, / and prove to them a blessing." This means the people hoped William and Mary would have a successful and happy time ruling England.

How the Song is Written

"England's Triumph" is made up of eight sections, called octets. Each octet has eight lines. The way the lines rhyme changes throughout the song. For example, the first section has an AA BB CCC B rhyme scheme. This means the first two lines rhyme, then the next two, then three lines rhyme, and finally the last line rhymes with the fourth line. The second section has a slightly different pattern: AAA B CCC B.