"He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght"

I am obliged to the University of Virginia website for the original middle English version of this well-known phrase which describes accurately, I think, the late 'Jack' Profumo except, of course, that he was never a knight, only a CBE.  It is hard times that test a man and provide onlookers with a glimpse of his true worth.  Most of us sidle through this vale of tears hoping not to be noticed and when we die friends and family gather round to proclaim our virtues.  On 'the other side' , of course, we're leaning against the ovens of hell, wiping our brow and wondering how we never got found out!

Well, 'Jack' Profumo was found out in the biggest possible way by, and please try not laugh at this, telling a lie in parliament!  Yes, mes enfants, there was a time when being caught out telling porkies in parliament meant instant resignation and disgrace.  Nowadays, of course, under the regime of 'Tony' ("Hey, I'm a pretty straight sort of a guy") Blair, ministers cling like limpets, lying through their teeth until the 'Daily Vomit' produces the last piece of incontrovertible truth that prizes their fingers off the ministerial red boxes.  But only for a month or so, and then they are invited back or given a millionaire life-style in Brussells.

Profumo was of a different generation and was made of sterner stuff.  He had served with distinction in the war, earning a Mention, and landed in Normandy with an armoured brigade which later took part in the murderous Operation Goodwood outside Caen.  When caught out in his misdemeanor, he resigned and went to work for a charity.  No grand-standing at pop concerts for him, however.  According to the chief of the Toynbee Hall society, Profumo started work for them by insisting on cleaning the lavatories.  There he continued until the directors insisted that he move to something better suited to his talents.  Profumo never sold his confessions to the prints, never went on the 'telly', never sought the public gaze and, I like to believe, would have shot himself before going on Celebrity Big Brother. 

It was interesting to see, last night, that the politician they wheeled out to offer his thoughts on Profumo's death, was Lord Carrington, another 'gent' of the old school.  He did nothing positively wrong in his political career, but suffered the unfortunate circumstance of being Minister of Defence when the 'Argies' invaded the Falklands.  As far as I know, no-one ever blamed him directly for anything but he took the view that an egregious error had occurred on his watch and therefor he had to go.

Two very admirable men and, my God, how they show up this current collection of  shoddy creeps, liars, perverts and thieves who inhabit the open prison known more familiarly as Westminster.

Comments

[Steve Hayes]

I'd be interested in knowing more of his life after Keeler.

The media don't seem to have thought that was worth more than a passing mention.

[Paul Cossins]

Lord Carrington was Foreign Secretary at Falklands time. Minister of Defence was Mr. John Nott, who did something positively very wrong: he authored a plan to decimate the Royal Navy on the very eve of the Falklands invasion.

[David Duff]

Paul, of course, you're quite right and thanks for the correction. My memory! Now, where did I put it ...! However, the moral of my story remains.

[genghis]

David,

re: " current collection of shoddy creeps, liars, perverts and thieves who inhabit the open prison known more familiarly as Westminster."

I wish to protest most strongly at your description of the inmates of the House of Commons (and some of the Lords)at Westminster; as true shoddy creeps, liars, perverts and thieves don't deserve to be parcelled up together with the larcenous, licentious and morally-bankrupted crew within the Commons!

[David Duff]

Quite right, 'Ghenghis', time for some impaling, I think. Although, God help us, some of them might quite enjoy it!

[educated anon]

wouldn't it have beeen better to name check Chaucer for the "well known phrase" rather than an American university? He did after all write the Canterbury Tales.

[David Duff]

Wouldn't it have been better if you had started with a capital letter and then followed up by using some more punctuation if you are, indeed, as 'educated' as you claim to be?!

[Educated anon]

Ooooh touchy. Think you'll find the apostrophe, question mark and inverted commas qualify as punctuation. Deep apologies for the initial typo though, must have rendered the post virtually incomprehensible. So that's Chaucer name-checked then?