Richard Dyer-Bennet's sleeve note about The Vicar of Bray said:

"A 19th Century English political broadside ballad. A Canadian music critic, in reviewing one of my concerts, spoke of this song as a 'delightfully witty satire on organized religion'. It is, of course, nothing of the sort, but rather a satire on political opportunism. That the opportunist happens to be a vicar is regrettable."

(Quote from Reprints from Sing Out, Volume 4, 1962)

I might add "... is regrettable, but not surprising".

Phil