St. Crispin's Day

Yesterday, October 25th, was St. Crispin's Day. Shakespeare immortalized it in his great play, Henry V. Both The Hornless Rhino and I are fans of the Bard and seemingly hopeless battles. It's a shame that I'm a day late with this, and on behalf of Vinny and the Hornless Rhino, I apologize.

But here goes. Henry and his army were encamped near a small castle the French called Agincourt. He was outnumbered by the French, and according to Shakespeare, here's what he said when one of his captains, Westmoreland, audibly wished for more men:

"This day is call'd the feast of Crispian. He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd, And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.' Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.' Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember, with advantages, What feats he did that day. Then shall our names, Familiar in his mouth as household words- Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester- Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red. 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 to-day 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-a-bed Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."

Click here for an audio version of the speech from Kenneth Branagh's 1989 film version of Henry V