Upon St Crispin's Day

Etched into modern memory by Shakespeare, this inspirational martyr became the subject of a rousing battle speech by chance, discovers Ian Morton

- Ian Morton

HE is the most famous saint of whom you have heard, but probably know little or nothing. His name is irrevocably associated with English triumph on the field of battle. Shakespeare is the culprit, of course, to whose essential contribution we must add the historical reality of Henry V and some uplifting theatrical and film interpretations. It’s pure histrionics, but when we listen to that call to arms on St Crispin’s Day we cannot but stand a little taller.

St Crispin, whose saint’s day is on October 25, may be little more than illuminated briefly by the halo of heroism, for the timing of his inspiration was a coincidence. An English army, weary and short of food, had been plodding for two and a half weeks through Normandy with the objective of returning home via Calais. They were confronted near the village of Azincourt by a larger French force—a battle was inevitable. Both armies bedded down for the night. According to contemporary reports, Henry V decreed his men should spend it in silence on pain of having an ear cut off, but Shakespeare had him moving among the watchfires, addressing his men as ‘brothers, friends and country-men’ and encouraging them ‘with cheerful semblance and sweet majesty’. It was a proper prelude to the rousing speech imagined by the Bard as some 8,000 English men faced double their number on St Crispin’s Day 1415.