October 25th - Feast of St. Crispin & St. Crispinian

There are two stories concerning St. Crispin & St. Crispinian.

The first states that Sts. Crispin and Crispinian were Roman noble brothers, possibly twins, martyred ca. 286 after fleeing to Soissons, Gaul and preaching the gospel.  They worked as cobblers to support themselves and care for the poor not unlike St. Paul who mended net. While in Gaul Rictus Varus governor of Belgic Gual had them tortured and thrown into the river with millstones round their necks.  

The second story indicates that they were Romans living in Caterbury, England after their father was murdered for annoying the emperor.  They were sent to London, but stopped in Faversham where they took up the cobbler trade.  

St. Crispin's Day is most famous for the three battles which happened to take place on that day; 1) Agincourt 1415, 2) Battle of Balaclava 1854 and 3) Battle of Leyte Gulf 1944.



Shakespeare immortalized the day in his play Henry V when King Henry gives his speech to inspire his army at Agincourt during the Hundred Years's War in 1415.

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, wich 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 em 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 Cripin'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 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 upon Saint Crispin's day.

The Battle of Balaclava occurred during the Crimean War during the Siege of Sevatopol in 1854.  It too is immortalized in English poetry by Alfred, Lord Tennyson in his Charge of the Light Brigade.