Past Masters' Lunch

 

By tradition Past Master Fletchers gather on the anniversary of the battle of Agincourt, 25 October, which is also the feast of Saints Crispin and Crispianus. Thanks to the excellent organisation of PM Adrian Scott Knight, Master in the Agincourt 600 year, fourteen Past Masters, the current Upper Warden and Master enjoyed a lunch in the Hall on 25 October 2023.  It was great to see representatives from every decade from the 1980s onwards and also to hear news of those not able to be present in person. The Master gave a splendid battle speech though somehow we think Shakespeare got there before him!

 

A copy of the speech is presented below:

 

 

 

Warden, Past Masters.

Thank you for inviting the Upper Warden and I to this Past Masters lunch. Adrian kindly invited me to say a few words, so if you will forgive me, I borrowed a few, suitably amended, which I suspect you will recognise.

 

This day is call'd the feast of Crispian.
We that dine this day, and come safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse at the name of Crispian.
We that shall dine this day, and see old age,
Will yearly at the lunch feast our fellow Past Masters
And say "To-day is Saint Crispian."
Then will we draw our napkin, and raise our glass
And say "This lunch I had on Crispin's day."
Old age forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But we'll remember, with advantages,
What lunch we had this day.

Then shall our names, Familiar in  mouth as household words—
Andrew the Master, Shears and Curry,
Wootton and Taylor, Coward and Garnett—
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.

This story shall the good Past Master teach his Fletchers;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd—
We few, we happy few, we band of Fletchers;
For you to-day that dine with me
Shall be my Past Masters; be you ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle your condition;
And Past Masters in England now at home
Shall think themselves unfortunate they were not here,
And call their meal cheap whiles any eats
That dined with us upon Saint Crispin's day.