One of our elders and I were discussing the church situation here after the hurricane and all that we have been through and are now facing in the future late into the night last night. He reminded me of King Henry V's famous speech to Westmoreland before the Battle at Agincourt. We looked it up and read it together. And I wanted to share it with you this morning.
You remember the scene in the English camp: the Dukes of Gloucester, Bedford, and Exeter, and the Earls of Salisbury and Westmoreland, were discussing how they were outnumbered five to one and were growing discouraged, when Westmoreland says to the king, "O that we now had here but one ten thousand of those men in England that do no work to-day!"
The king's response?
"What's he that wishes so? My cousin Westmoreland? 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, 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 edning 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."
The outcome of the battle?
The English won; ten thousand French were killed.
King Henry's response to the victory?
"O God, thy arm was here! And not to us, but to thy arm alone, ascribe we all. . . . Let there be sung 'Non nobis' [i.e., Psalm 115:1, "Not unto us O Lord but unto your name be all glory"] and 'Te Deum' [i.e., Te Deum laudamus, which means, we praise you O God]."
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