In commemoration of Saint David's Day, March 1st, I share some quotes from Henry V. Some I think you will like, some simply commemorate the day (more or less...)

Mostly because it was only by watching Branaugh's Henry V movie that I eventually learned of St David's Day.

"Base is the slave that pays."
-Henry V, 2. 1

"Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin
As self-neglecting."
-Henry V, 2. 4

"Though it appear a little out of fashion,
There is much care and valour in this Welshman."
-Henry V, 4. 1

"I am afeard there are few die well that die in a battle; for how can they charitably dispose of any thing when blood is their argument?"
-Henry V, 4. 1

"Every subject's duty is the king's; but every subject's soul is his own."
-Henry V, 4. 1

"But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive." (4.3.31)


FLUELLEN
"Your Majesty says very true. If your Majesties is remembered of it, the Welshmen did good service in a garden where leeks did grow, wearing leeks in their Monmouth caps, which, your Majesty know, to this hour is an honorable badge of the service. And I do believe your Majesty takes no scorn to wear the leek upon Saint Tavy’s day. "

KING HENRY
"I wear it for a memorable honor,
For I am Welsh, you know, good countryman."

FLUELLEN
"All the water in Wye cannot wash your Majesty’s Welsh plood out of your pody, I can tell you that: God pless it and preserve it as long as it pleases his Grace and his Majesty too. "

FLUELLEN
"By Jeshu, I am your Majesty’s countryman, I care not who know it. I will confess it to all the 'orld. I need not to be ashamed of your Majesty, praised be God, so long as your Majesty is an honest man. "

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzR_-WAPt...


And now, to commemorate the day, as I failed to purchase a leek last night, I will watch a marathon of the movie "Zulu".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOoCrCeHx...
Ironically, there were more Englishmen than Welshmen taking part in the battle at Rorke's Drift. That's okay. I've some of them in my family tree, too.

Men of Harlech (as sung in the movie)....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL0F71...

The song is older than the battle portrayed in the movie, and commemorates a seven-year-long English siege of the Welsh castle "Harlech" in the 15th century.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men_of_Har...

"Rick Rescorla, Chief of Security for Morgan Stanley's World Trade Center office, sang a Cornish adaptation of "Men of Harlech" with a bullhorn, along with other anthems, to keep employee spirits high while they evacuated during the September 11 attacks. After helping save over 2,700 employees he returned to the towers to evacuate others until the towers collapsed on him."

When I was young, to combat weariness and keep working when the heat and dirt and exhaustion had me beat, I would sing "Men of Harlech". The final lines would ring loudly across the the jobsite:
WELSHMEN WILL NOT YIELD!

It was enough.


Hey, we have Cinco de Mayo and constant bombardment around here of Mexican heritage, constant advertisement of Native American heritage, Black history month, St Patrick's Day is coming up... I think one lousy message commemorating a little-known heritage is not too much to ask.