Today is Saint Crispin's Day. Saint Crispin and his brother Crispinian were Christians who were martyred during the persecution by the Emperor Maximian in Rome. They preached to people during the day and made shoes at night in order to earn their living.
It was in 1415 that England’s King Henry V distinguished this old Christian feast day when against all odds his beleaguered army defeated the overwhelming force of French on the field of Agincourt.
The events of that day inspired Shakespeare’s famous monologue:
“If we are marked to die, we are enough to do our country loss; and if to live, the fewer the men, the greater share of honor. God’s will, I pray thee, wish not one man more. This story shall the good man teach his son, and Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by from this day to the ending of the world but we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition. And gentlemen in England now abed shall think themselves accursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks that fought with us on St. Crispin’s Day.”
3 comments:
I have to tell you that I lost a bet with the kids yesterday because I thought for sure you would mention this in the sermon but instead you concentrated on the reformers. I was happy to sing A Mighty Fortress but Non Nobis Domine would have gone over nicely also and I would have gotten a latte. Still that MF was the best ever.
One of your 12 year-old remote Gileskirk co-op students delivers the speech at his Boy Scout Court of Honor this past summer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO4C5z392M4
Remarkable recitation by this young man. Great job!
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