What is an Englishman?

Pubs are the worthless habitation of fools. I prefer beer at home.

But while thinking of ought to say, what does an Englishman take for an emblem? There was once as Irishman who asked me what an Englishman was, for he thought there was no such thing. He was the landlord of the Lamb and Flag here up at Oxford, attached to and owned by St John's College. By his own confession, not prized from him  by any, he volunteered to say that they, St John's, considered him to be the worst landlord they had employed since 1380, I'm not sure of the date but neither I suppose was he when he told me so.

But what is an Englishman? For an emblem we have three lions, which have nought all to do with England, for these are the lions of the Plantagenats, who ruled England as they did other realms, so held and acquired by descent and gain since the Norman conquest. And what do I see blazoned on an English rugby shirt? A Tudor rose? Oh spare me, this is more to do with the Welsh.

The Irishman who spake thus to me may be right, for if we can not sort an emblem for ourselves, then we must be unsure of our identity, unless you consider our flag, which has the substance of a fairy tale about a fabled goodly valiant  night who slew a dragon.

Just for a laugh Hermit

An Englishman is someone who drives a German car to an Irish pub for a Belgian beer then on the way home grabs an Indian curry or a Turkish kebab, sits on a Swedish sofa to watch USA shows on a Japanese TV and most of all is suspicious of anything foreign!

It's is only me who is viewing the thread steph, wondering if I have written a load of old carp again.

Absolutely Brilliant

and very very true and in a kind of way very sad BUT STILL great Stephanie LOL

Glad you like it Ron and Shaun - and Cathy!- wasn't me though, it came through on a text just as I was reading the thread would you believe!

Hermit - you haven't written a load of old carp at all - it is great to see you back here with your interesting threads.

I think the problem is that people do not know the answer. I think a true Englishman is a Welshman! After all the original Brits fled there after all the invasions. As I have said before in other threads we are a multicultural society made up of all diiferent people from different countries - but hey - so are are friends in the USA! I am still proud to be English though!

You can ask this of any country Steph. I consider myself a proud and true Englishman but my ancestors came from Troy, settled in Florence, Italy, heped to found the House of Hanover (Germany) setled in Normandy, raised an army with William the Conquorer , as a reward he gave them the land on which they built Windsor castle, they held custody  of that a couple of hundred years before inheriting Penbroke Castle in Wales. Their (my ancestors) offspring devided, moved over to Ireland were they held important roles and back to north Cheshire/Lancashire were they held important roles, were Royalists in the wars of the roses and Civil wars.  They being Catholic gentry, were very much involved with the Kings and Queens of England and Scotland at that time when it was not always good to be a catholic. Even William Shakespear was educated in one of our houses in his 'missing' teanage years he was tought at Hoghton Towers near Preston under his fathers name of Shakshafte.

My ancestors were are mentioned in the bonfire plot (though not directly involed) and some of my relatives from Brynn in Lancashire traveled with the Pilgrim Fathers were they owned lands in Maryland (marybeing named after Mary Queen of Scots). If you research Maryland you will find that that was the cradle and birthplace of modern America and the Catholic faith there.

So you can see what makes an 'Englishman'?  My family crest has the rampant lion and the Flag bearing the cross of St George which dates back to southern Europe is my National rallying point (Colours) I live in the red rose county of Lancashire which sports the Tudor rose as the county emblem. I am an Englishman.