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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

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

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.

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.

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.

Will. You pay him then. That's a perilous

 180 beadle: minor police officer

186 unprovided: unprepared

212 pay: punish 