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- 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 called the feast of Crispian:
- He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
- Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
- 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 remember'd.
- 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 remember'd;
- 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 accursed they were not here,
- And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
- That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
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