''Caleno custure me'' (also spelled ''Calin o custure me'') is the title of a song mentioned in
Shakespeare's
Henry V Henry V may refer to:
People
* Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026)
* Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125)
* Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161)
* Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227)
* Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...
(IV,4). The context is on a
Hundred years war
The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of England and France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French throne between the English House of Plantagen ...
battlefield, where an English soldier cannot understand his French captive and intending to answer in similar gibberish pronounces the title of the song.
:''French Soldier''
:Je pense que vous etes gentilhomme de bonne qualite.
:''PISTOL''
:Qualtitie calmie custure me! Art thou a gentleman?
:what is thy name? discuss.
:''French Soldier''
:O Seigneur Dieu!
The song as preserved has English lyrics, with this single line of mock-Latin as its Chorus. The origin of the line is not Latin, however, but is most commonly believed to refer to the
Irish-language song
Cailín Óg a Stór
Cailín Óg a Stór (Irish for "O Darling Young Girl") is a traditional Irish melody, originally accepted for publication in March 1582. It may be the source of Pistol's cryptic line in Henry V, '' Caleno custure me''.
It is part of a broadside co ...
. It has also been claimed to be from the
Irish ''Cailín ó Chois tSiúre mé'', "I am a girl from the
Suir-side" from the 17th century Irish poem ''Mealltar bean le beagán téad''.
Dánta Grádha (Love Poems)
/ref>
See also
* Macaronic
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Caleno Custure Me
Irish songs
Year of song unknown
Songwriter unknown