Once more into the breach dear friends once more
Or close the wall up with our English dead
in peace there’s nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility
But when the blast of war blows in our ears
Then imitate the tiger, stiffen the sinews summon up the blood
Disguise fair nature with hard favoured rage: Then lend the eye the terrible aspect
Let pry through the portage of the head , like the brass cannon let the brow overwhelm it.
As fearfully as doth a galled rock, overhang and jutty his confounded base. Swilled with the wild and wasteful ocean
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide , hold hard the breath and bend every spirit to his full height. On, on you noblest English ( and Scots Irish Dutch and swede) Whose blood is fet from the fathers of warproof
Fathers that , like so many Alexander’s have in these parts morn till even fought
And sheath their swords for lack of argument
Dishonour not your mothers , now attest that those whom you called fathers did beget you .
Be copy now of men to grosser blood and teach them how to war . And you good yeoman whose limbs were made in England ( Scotland Ireland Holland and Sweden ) show us here .
That you are worth the breeding which I doubt not . For there is none of you se mean and base , that hath not noble lustre in your eyes .
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips straining at the start . The games afoot follow your spirit and upon this charge cry
God for Jimmy , John , George Adi and Mark