Page 1684 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

WILLIAMS

But if the cause be not good, the King himself hath a heavy reckoning to
make, when all those legs and [130] arms and heads, chopped off in a battle,
shall join together at the latter day, and cry all, “We died at such a place”;

some swearing, some crying for a surgeon, some upon their wives left poor
behind them, some upon the debts they owe, some upon their children rawly
left. I [135] am afeard there are few die well that die in a battle; for how can
they charitably dispose of any thing when blood is their argument? Now, if
these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the King that led them

to it, who to disobey were against all proportion of subjection. [140]

KING HENRY
So, if a son that is by his father sent about merchandise do sinfully miscarry
upon the sea, the imputation of his wickedness, by your rule, should be
imposed upon his father that sent him; or if a servant, under [145] his

master’s command transporting a sum of money, be assailed by robbers and
die in many irreconciled iniquities, you may call the business of the master
the author of the servant’s damnation. But this is not so: the King is not
bound to answer the particular endings of [150] his soldiers, the father of his

son, nor the master of his servant; for they purpose not their death when
they purpose their services. Besides there is no king, be his cause never so
spotless, if it come to the arbitrement of swords, can try it out with all
unspotted soldiers. Some, peradventure, [155] have on them the guilt of

premeditated and contrived murder; some, of beguiling virgins with the
broken seals of perjury; some, making the wars their bulwark, that have
before gored the gentle bosom of peace with pillage and robbery. Now, if
these men have [160] defeated the law and outrun native punishment,

though they can outstrip men, they have no wings to fly from God: war is His
beadle, war is His vengeance; so that here men are punished for before-
breach of the King’s laws in now the King’s quarrel: where they feared the
[165] death they have borne life away, and where they would be safe they

perish. Then, if they die unprovided, no more is the King guilty of their
damnation than he was before guilty of those impieties for the which they are
now visited. Every subject’s duty is the King’s, but every [170] subject’s soul
is his own. Therefore should every soldier in the wars do as every sick man in

his bed, wash every mote out of his conscience; and dying so, death is to him
advantage; or not dying, the time was blessedly lost wherein such
preparation was gained: and in him that [175] escapes, it were not sin to