Old mother Church disdains The vile dissenting strains, That round her ring; She keeps her dignity, And, scorning faction’s cry, Sings with sincerity, God save the King! Sedition is their creed; _Feigned sheep_, but _wolves_ indeed, How can we trust? Gunpowder Priestley would Deluge the throne with blood, And lay the great and good Low in the dust. History, thy page unfold, Did not their _sires_ of old _Murder their King_! And they would overthrow King, lords and bishops too, And, while they gave the blow, Loyally sing, “O Lord our God arise Scatter our enemies, And make them fall; Confound their politics, Frustrate their knavish tricks; On thee our hopes we fix, God save us all.” ―――― OLD PRICES. A parody of _God Save the King_ circulated in Covent Garden Theatre, on the night of October 18, 1809, during the celebrated O.P. riots. God save great Johnny Bull, Long live our noble Bull, God save John Bull. Send him victorious, Loud and uproarious, With lungs like Boreas, God save John Bull. O Johnny Bull be true, Oppose the prices new, And make them fall; Curse Kemble’s politics, Frustrate his knavish tricks, On thee our hopes we fix. Confound them all. No private boxes let Intriguing ladies get, Thy right, John Bull. From little pigeon-holes Defend us jolly souls; And we will sing, by goles, God save John Bull. _The Covent Garden Journal._ Vol. II. London, 1810. These volumes contain full accounts of the O.P. Riots in the new Covent Garden Theatre, which arose from some injudicious alterations made in the prices, and structural arrangements by John Kemble. He raised the prices partly in order to pay high salaries to Madame Catalani and other foreigners. The war cries of the rioters were “Old Prices! No Private Boxes! No Catalani! The English Drama!”, many songs and parodies were written to annoy Kemble, who had, eventually, to compromise matters, and Madame Catalani’s name was withdrawn from the bills. This lady had a fine voice, but was so ignorant of the English language that the following version of “God save the King” was prepared to assist her pronunciation when she had to sing the solo:―― Oh, Lord avar God Arais, schaeter Is enemis and Mece them fol Confond tear Politekse frosstre Their nevise trix On George avar hopes We fix. God save the Kin. ―――― HAIL! MASONRY DIVINE.