ROYAL pride subsequently kept St George in the public consciousness, especially as the prejudices of the clergy had banished the rest. His emblem, a red cross on a white background,* became part of the Royal Standard and in 1606, three years after James VI of Scotland was crowned James I of England, a new national flag was unfurled: a red cross of St George representing England and Wales, superimposed on a white-and-blue saltire* of St Andrew for Scotland. The red saltire of St Patrick was added in 1801, after Ireland joined the Union.
St George’s military connections and the legend of his victory over a dragon have made him a popular choice for war memorials. He does not stand there to glorify war; St George did not fall in battle for pagan Rome, but died defying an Imperial order to harass, beat and murder his Christian countrymen. He stands there for another kind of victory, and for the most noble kind of patriotism:* that greater love which makes a man lay down his life for his friends.*
See the White Ensigns flying from the Admiralty building in London as shown on our ‘About’ page.
A saltire is a cross in the shape of an X. The word derives from an Old French word for a stile. According to ancient tradition St Andrew, brother of St Peter, was crucified on an X-shaped cross. See also St Andrew, Patron of Scotland.
‘Patriotism, a healthy, lively, intelligent interest in everything which concerns the nation to which we belong, and an unselfish devotedness to the public service, — these are the qualities which make a people great and happy; these are the virtues which ought to be most sedulously cultivated in all classes of the community.’ In ‘Reasons for the Enfranchisement of Women’, by Barbara Bodichon (later co-founder of Girton College, Cambridge), October 6th, 1866.
See John 15:13: ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’
Précis
Shortly after Scotsman became James I of England in 1603, he proclaimed his dual heritage with a new flag combining the Scottish saltire with the cross of St George, a flag that evolved into the Union Jack in 1801. St George became England’s national patron, and thanks to his military background may be found on war memorials across the country. (60 / 60 words)
Shortly after Scotsman became James I of England in 1603, he proclaimed his dual heritage with a new flag combining the Scottish saltire with the cross of St George, a flag that evolved into the Union Jack in 1801. St George became England’s national patron, and thanks to his military background may be found on war memorials across the country.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, although, must, ought, since, whereas, whether, who.
Archive
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Invader. Murder. Represent.
2 Add. Make. Reformer.
3 Great. Imagery. Ordinary.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
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