[MR] Battle of Crecy Anniversary

[Vels inn Viggladi]

> I beg a comment in the Tavern:
> 
> Oh, for heaven's sake [insert medieval equivalent here]  ! We archers are no threat to the superiority or position of you knights here in the sca or anywhre else, nor do we presume to any rank but peasantry. So why the urgent need to put archers in their place? Let us have our day of limelight, 664 years later. I'm going out to dinner!
> 
> Nuala of Needwood Forest, proud member of the Needwood Forest Company of Archers

Strike The Drum
Words and Music: Mathurin Kerbusso/Rex Deaver Copyright 2004

Source:  http://mediablog.mail2web.com/Mathurin/portal/




Chorus

Strike the drum for Crecy,

And once for Agincourt!

Strike the Drum for Halidon,

And Poitier, and more!

Strike the drum for every man

who's ever bent a bow!

Strike the drum for every man

an archer's stricken low!

Now the yew it is the strong right arm

Of ev'ry English king.

And flax it is the harpstring

That makes the bow to sing.

Grey goose is the feather that

Doth make the foe to fly.

Ash and Iron the talon that

Doth make the foe to die.

Chorus

Now at Halidon the wild Scots

Came charging up the hill.

We killed them as they came

Till King Edward had his fill.

At Poitier we taught the French

To darken out the sky.

We taught them, but the only thing

They learned was how to die.

Chorus

Now at Crecy then we faced the boys

>From Old Genoa Town.

We beat them fair and square but

The Frenchmen rode them down

At Agincourt we fought in mud

Up to the horses' knees and

The Frenchmen paid the butcher's bill

For the Genoese.

Chorus

Now a yeoman's life is hard as hell

On this we can agree.

The world cares not a jot for

The likes of you and me.

The high born and the powerful

They keep us down and low.

But they tremble in their stirrups when

An archer bends his bow.

Chorus

Final Chorus

Strike the drum for Crecy,

And once for Agincourt!

Strike the Drum for Kadesh,

And Taginae, and more!

Strike for every mother's son

who's ever bent a bow!

Strike for every mother's son

an archer's stricken low! 


If you'd like, we can get this song taught to you rather easily - it's a simple tune with only a few verses. However, taking a grade school simplification of history is not the best way to revel in your re-creation. 
One arm of force did not win that battle. What Crecy, Agincourt, Courtrai and Stirling Bridge did show was that disciplined infantry using a variety of combat arms in mutual support could defeat fully armored Cavalry.

Your bow and back are needed yeoman, quit whining like a fencer. <grin>


Vels