"Some people reckoned
up all King Harald's (King of Norway) great achievements, and said that
nothing would be too difficult for him. But there were others who said
that England would be very hard to conquer. It was very populous and the
warriors who were known as the king's Housecarls were so valiant, that
any one of them was worth two of the best in King Harald's army".
(Referring to King Harold of
Norway's forthcoming invasion of England - His Viking army was destroyed
by Harold Godwinsson, King of England, at Stamford Bridge)
ralph waldo emerson (1803-1882) - american
philosopher & poet
"I feel in regard to this aged England,
that she see a little better on a cloudy day and that, in a storm of battle
and calamity, she has a secret vigour and a pulse like a cannon".
emmanuel van meteren - dutch merchant
"The people are bold, courageous, ardent
and cruel in war. But very inconstant, rash, vainglorious, light and deceiving.
And very suspicious, especially of foreigners, whom they despise".
general smuts - south african leader (1940)
"We must choose our friends for the future.
I choose the country under which we suffered 40 to 50 years ago but who,
when we were at their mercy, treated us as a Christian people".
sir winston churchill (1874-1965)
"There is a forgotten, nay almost forbidden
word, which means more to me than any other. That word is England".
unknown german author
"The inhabitants are
extremely proud and overbearing. They care little for foreigners, but
scoff and laugh at them".
(Describing visit to England
by Frederick, Duke of Wurttemberg in 1592)
king harold II (1022-1066)
"I will give him seven
feet of English ground, or as much more as he may be taller than other
men".
(When asked, before the Battle
of Stamford Bridge, what he would offer the invading Norwegian King)
bill burford - author of "among the thugs"
"Someone shouted that
we were all English. Why are we running? The English don't run. And so
it went on. Having fled in panic, some of the supporters would then remember
that they were English and this was important, and they would remind the
others that they too were English, and this was important, and with renewed
sense of national identity, they would come abruptly to a halt, turn around,
and charge the Italian police".
(upon witnessing English football
hooligans fighting a pitched battle with the Italian police, Sardinia
1990)
jean froissart (1333-1410) - french poet
"The more blood they
shed, the crueller and more ruthless they become. They're fiery and furious,
they quickly grow angry and take a long time to calm down".
(Witnessing the character of
English troops as they advanced through France in the 15th century)
