On the Eve of War: The Feast of Crispian
Mink Deadly
Good afternoon, and welcome to this issue of Neovison Vison.
IN THIS ISSUE
--A THOUGHT ON WAR
All articles in this issue of Neovison Vison are written by Mink Deadly.
Volume I, Issue iv. 10 July 2009.
A THOUGHT ON WAR
My fellow eAmericans,
We are at the brink of a great war; the signs of such are in our faces. And while our opponents move their pieces into place to meet ours, and I, your humble author, meet my first true conflict, I think upon the words of Henry V, a history by William Shakespeare, where Henry and his fellow officers (nobles all) are reflecting upon the soon-coming Battle of Agincourt in the Hundred Years' War. Henry was indeed outnumbered by roughly 3,000 troops; the French brought a formidable force to Agincourt. Westmoreland opines for 'one ten thousand of those men in England who do no work to-day'.
Upon the eve of war, I take solace in Henry's response:
What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
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.
Close of the issue. 10 July 2009, 6:07 PM.
Comments
It is no small irony that it is the cowardice and complicity of the Brits in ceding Scotland that has brought us to this day. Still, no one should go into battle without having read the St. Crispian's Day speech.
Amen, Ronin!
Yeah, I've always had a special respect for the UK. Most of my ancestors came from various parts of Great Britain (mainly Wales and Scotland). This is the land that gave us King Arthur and Robin Hood. This is the land where William the Conqueror and Henry V ruled. This the land that gave birth to William Wallace, Winston Churchill, and the Magna Carta. It sucks to see them lay down their weapons before the fight has even begun.
Whatever differences they may have had with Sweden, Poland, and Romania, I thought they would stand with the US and Canada when push came to shove. I actually saw one of them laughing at the fact that we thought they were our friends. Oh well, "The fewer the men, the greater share of honour...And gentlemen in England now-a-bed shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here..."
AMERIMAXX! We shall reap the rewards of victory soon! yay!
You are quite the history buff, eh?
Standing by, ready to face the enemy, face-to-face~!!
Inspiring, Mink 😃
I hope everyone's already stocked up on weapons and ready to go!