Re: Great Britain

["Iain Laird" <iain@iain-laird.co.uk>]

Another reference to Great Britain, with a gentle reminder on St George's
Day that "English" is not a substitute for British!
http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/home/scotland/britain.html

http://www.heraldica.org/topics/britain/royalarm.htm - references also to
dropping France from the title


Iain

----- Original Message -----
From: "Iain Laird" <iain@iain-laird.co.uk>
To: <sinclair@matrix.net>
Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2001 8:54 PM
Subject: Great Britain


> While James VI and I was titled King of Great Britain, the nations of
> Scotland and England were not truly "United" until the Union of
Parliaments
> in 1707.  The song "Parcel of Rogues" which was written in response to the
> Act of Union reflected an anxiety about the loss of Scotland as a name:
>
> "Fareweel to all our Scottish fame
> fareweel our ancient glory
> fareweel even tae our Scottish Name
> sae famed in martial story
> Now sack runs o'er the Solway Sand
> Tweed runs tae the ocean
> tae mark where England's province stands
> such a parcel of rogues in the Nation
>
> What force or guile could not subdue
> through many warlike ages
> is rocked now by the coward few
> for hireling trade or wages
> the English steel we could disdain
> secure in valour stationned
> but English gold has been our bane
> such a parcel of rogues in the Nation
>
> Oh would or I had seen the day
> that treason thus could sell us
> my old grey heid had lain in clay
> wi' Bruce and loyal Wallace
> but pith and power till my last hour
> I'll mak' this declaration
> we are bought and sold for English gold
> such a parcel of rogues in the Nation"
>
> There was an attempt to refer to the whole Kingdom as Great Britain, and
> Scotland was referred to as North Britain. (Until relatively recently the
> hotel on Princes Street in Edinburg was "The North British".  Now we tend
to
> refer to our country as the "United Kingdom" or "UK", but still call
> ourselves British.  "GB" is now largely confined to car stickers when we
> travel abroad.
>
> Now we have a Scottish Parliament, a Welsh Assembly, and Northern Ireland
> has always had its own chamber.  It is becoming more common to refer to
> ourselves as Scots, English, Welsh or Irish.  The Union Flag has too often
> been associated with negative elements such as soccer hooligans, and it is
> becoming more common to see the Saltire and Cross of St George used on
their
> own.  (The cross of St Patrick is rarely seen).  The Union Flag is coming
> apart.
>
> How far we have come in 400 years!
> Yours aye
>
> Iain
>
> www.iain-laird.co.uk
>
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