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|]The Battle of Agincourt (25 October 1415) The English numbered 900 men-at-arms and 5,000 archers. The French outnumbered the English four to one - 30,000 - 15,000 were men-at-arms. The English underdog defeated the French, killing between 7-10ooo. It has been said more than 1000 French nobles perished. In the end the English lost 400, Henry's superior tactics and the choice of freshly plowed fields contributed to the success.
Crispin Crispian shall neer go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers
Crispin and Crispinian are the patron saints of shoemakers, saddlers, and tanners.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,732 posts)[link:http://
|RockRaven
(14,972 posts)attmpeting to flee back to Calais and hopefully also on to England (*sad trombone*), and b) when you add in the bit about prisoner executions which were dishonorable then and still dishonorable now (to put it mildly).
Their "victory" primarily prevented Henry V from becoming the English version of John the Good (John II of France). That bar is more suited to limbo than high jump, never mind pole vault.
Nevertheless, the Battle of Agincourt *IS* interesting all around, and good drama, and good fodder for The Bard.
rusty quoin
(6,133 posts)I would love a good movie about The War of the Roses, and not the one with Danny Devito. It should be 4 hours long.
CaliforniaPeggy
(149,632 posts)and the way the music ties in.......
Goosebumps and tears, every time.
Thank you, Historic NY, for this clip.
appalachiablue
(41,144 posts)Olivier's performance in the film helped lift morale in Britain during WWII.
- ST. CRISPIN'S DAY SPEECH -
WESTMORLAND. O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!
KING. What's he that wishes so?
My cousin, Westmorland? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark'd to die, we are enough
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, Westmorland, 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 Crispin'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 rememberèd
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.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Crispin%27s_Day_Speech
Hamlette
(15,412 posts)coeur_de_lion
(3,680 posts)My favorite Shakespearean speech also.