
Britons, Strike Home!

Britons, Strike Home! is a British patriotic song, originally an air written for a theatrical production by Henry Purcell in 1695. It was popular during the various wars of the 18th and early 19th centuries.
Origin.
In the last year of Purcell's life, he wrote the music for an October 1695 adaptation of John Fletcher's tragedy, "Bonduca", called "Bonduca, or the British Heroine". Purcell's score has the "Z number" Z 574 and ranks amongst his finest music for the theatre, In the play, the Ancient British general, Charatach is trying to rouse the army of Queen Bonduca against the Romans. He appeals to their god "Divine Andate" and finally commands, "Now Sing, ye Druids". The Druids take up the theme with a duet, "To Arms, To Arms!" followed by a solo and Druid chorus, "Britons, Strike Home!" In 1728, the tune was used as "Air LIX" in "The Beggar's Opera" by John Gay.
Lyrics.
Lyrics composed during the Invasion Scare of 1803–1805.
There are a further five verses.