Sunday 19 March 2017

Non Nobis

Non nobis Domine, Domine, 
Non nobis Domine,
Sed nomine,
Sed nomine,
Tuo da gloriam.

This old Latin hymn of thanksgiving, originally associated with the Knights Templar, was according to legend ordered by Henry to be sung after victory at the Battle of Agincourt:

Do we all holy rites.
Let there be sung Non Nobis and Te Deum,
The dead with charity enclos'd in clay,
And then to Calais, and to England then,
Where ne'er from France arriv'd more happy men.
~ Henry V IV.8.117-21.

Get thee hence down to the Pop-up Globe for a rousing performance of this and indeed of the whole play. Blood! Mud!! Canon!!! Flaming arrows!!!! Sword fights in full armour!!!!! Glorious poetry!!!!!

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