A Voice in the Wilderness

“Wildernesses are good places, I notice, for voices. 

They tend to get to a reverberation which is often lost in the more crowded places.”

1994 : 

Me and You against The Universe, Old Girl...

1996 :

Athanasius Contra Mundum

March 2005 :

"The Desert had Become a City."

Saint Athanasius of Alexandria

 Athanasius Contra Mundum
("Athanasius Against the World")

Enter a Post

WARWICK

What news, my friend?

Post

That Edward is escaped from your brother,

And fled, as he hears since, to Burgundy.

WARWICK

Unsavoury news! but how made he escape?

Post

He was convey'd by Richard Duke of Gloucester

And the Lord Hastings, who attended him

In secret ambush on the forest side

And from the bishop's huntsmen rescued him;

For hunting was his daily exercise.

WARWICK

My brother was too careless of his charge.

But let us hence, my sovereign, to provide

A salve for any sore that may betide.

Exeunt all but SOMERSET, HENRY OF RICHMOND, and OXFORD

SOMERSET

My lord, I like not of this flight of Edward's;

For doubtless Burgundy will yield him help,

And we shall have more wars before 't be long.

As Henry's late presaging prophecy

Did glad my heart with hope of this young Richmond,

So doth my heart misgive me, in these conflicts

What may befall him, to his harm and ours:

Therefore, Lord Oxford, to prevent the worst,

Forthwith we'll send him hence to Brittany,

Till storms be past of civil enmity.

OXFORD

Ay, for if Edward repossess the crown,

'Tis like that Richmond with the rest shall down.

SOMERSET

It shall be so; he shall to Brittany.

Come, therefore, let's about it speedily.

Exeunt

Come hither, England's hope. 

If secret powers
Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts, This pretty lad will prove our country's bliss. His looks are full of peaceful majesty,
His head by nature framed to wear a crown, His hand to wield a sceptre, and himself Likely in time to bless a regal throne.
Make much of him, my lords, for this is he Must help you more than you are hurt by me.

Come hither, England's hope. 

Why, then 'tis time to arm and give direction.

More than I have said, loving countrymen,

The leisure and enforcement of the time

Forbids to dwell upon: yet remember this,

God and our good cause fight upon our side;

The prayers of holy saints and wronged souls, Like high-rear'd bulwarks, stand before our faces; Richard except, those whom we fight against Had rather have us win than him they follow:

For what is he they follow? truly, gentlemen,

A bloody tyrant and a homicide;

One raised in blood, and one in blood establish'd;

One that made means to come by what he hath,

And slaughter'd those that were the means to help him; Abase foul stone, made precious by the foil

Of England's chair, where he is falsely set; One that hath ever been God's enemy: Then, if you fight against God's enemy, God will in justice ward you as his soldiers; If you do sweat to put a tyrant down,

You sleep in peace, the tyrant being slain;

If you do fight against your country's foes,

Your country's fat shall pay your pains the hire;

If you do fight in safeguard of your wives,

Your wives shall welcome home the conquerors;

If you do free your children from the sword,

Your children's children quit it in your age.

Then, in the name of God and all these rights, Advance your standards, draw your willing swords. For me, the ransom of my bold attempt

Shall be this cold corpse on the earth's cold face; But if I thrive, the gain of my attempt

The least of you shall share his part thereof.

Sound drums and trumpets boldly and cheerfully; 

God and Saint George! 

Richmond and Victory!