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
death they have borne life away, and where they
would be safe they perish. Then, if they die 185
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
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 193
dying, the time was blessedly lost wherein such
preparation was gained: and in him that es-
capes, it were not sin to think, that making God
so free an offer, he let him outlive that day to
see his greatness, and to teach others how they
should prepare. 199
Will. 'Tis certain, every man that dies ill, the
ill upon his own head: the king is not to answer
it.
Bates. I do not desire he should answer for
me; and yet I determine to fight lustily for him.
K. Hen. I myself heard the king say he would
not be ransomed. 200
Will. Ay, he said so, to make us fight cheer-
fully; but when our throats are cut he may be
ransomed, and we ne'er the wiser.
K. Hen. If I live to see it, I will never trust
his word after. 211
Will. You pay him then. That's a perilous
180 beadle: minor police officer
186 unprovided: unprepared
212 pay: punish
