1905Pist. Art thou his friend?

1906King. And his Kinsman too.

1907Pist. The Figo for thee then.

1908King. I thanke you: God be with you.

1909Pist. My name is Pistol call'd. Exit.

1910King. It sorts well with your fiercenesse.

1913Gower. Captaine Fluellen.

1914Flu. 'So, in the Name of Iesu Christ, speake fewer: it

1915is the greatest admiration in the vniuersall World, when

1916the true and aunchient Prerogatifes and Lawes of the

1917Warres is not kept: if you would take the paines but to

1918examine the Warres of Pompey the Great, you shall finde,

1919I warrant you, that there is no tiddle tadle nor pibble ba-

1920ble in Pompeyes Campe: I warrant you, you shall finde

1921the Ceremonies of the Warres, and the Cares of it, and

1922the Formes of it, and the Sobrietie of it, and the Modestie

1923of it, to be otherwise.

1924Gower. Why the Enemie is lowd, you heare him all

1925Night.

1926Flu. If the Enemie is an Asse and a Foole, and a pra-

1927ting Coxcombe; is it meet, thinke you, that wee should

1928also, looke you, be an Asse and a Foole, and a prating Cox-

1929combe, in your owne conscience now?

1930Gow. I will speake lower.

1931Flu. I pray you, and beseech you, that you will. Exit.

1932King. Though it appeare a little out of fashion,

1933There is much care and valour in this Welchman.

1936Court. Brother Iohn Bates, is not that the Morning

1937which breakes yonder?

1938Bates. I thinke it be: but wee haue no great cause to

1939desire the approach of day.

1940Williams. Wee see yonder the beginning of the day,

1941but I thinke wee shall neuer see the end of it. Who goes

1942there?

1943King. A Friend.

1944Williams. Vnder what Captaine serue you?

1945King. Vnder Sir Iohn Erpingham.

1946Williams. A good old Commander, and a most kinde

1947Gentleman: I pray you, what thinkes he of our estate?

1948King. Euen as men wrackt vpon a Sand, that looke to

1949be washt off the next Tyde.

1950Bates. He hath not told his thought to the King?

1951King. No: nor it is not meet he should: for though I

1952speake it to you, I thinke the King is but a man, as I am:

1953the Violet smells to him, as it doth to me; the Element

1954shewes to him, as it doth to me; all his Sences haue but

1955humane Conditions: his Ceremonies layd by, in his Na-

1956kednesse he appeares but a man; and though his affecti-

1957ons are higher mounted then ours, yet when they stoupe,

1958they stoupe with the like wing: therefore, when he sees

1959reason of feares, as we doe; his feares, out of doubt, be of

1960the same rellish as ours are: yet in reason, no man should

1961possesse him with any appearance of feare; least hee, by

1962shewing it, should dis-hearten his Army.

1963Bates. He may shew what outward courage he will:

1964but I beleeue, as cold a Night as 'tis, hee could wish him-

1965selfe in Thames vp to the Neck; and so I would he were,

1966and I by him, at all aduentures, so we were quit here.

1967King. By my troth, I will speake my conscience of the

1968King: I thinke hee would not wish himselfe any where,

1969but where hee is.

1970Bates. Then I would he were here alone; so should he be

1971sure to be ransomed, and a many poore mens liues saued.

1972King. I dare say, you loue him not so ill, to wish him

1973here alone: howsoeuer you speake this to feele other

1974mens minds, me thinks I could not dye any where so con-

1975tented, as in the Kings company; his Cause being iust, and

1976his Quarrell honorable.

1977Williams. That's more then we know.

1978Bates. I, or more then wee should seeke after; for wee

1979know enough, if wee know wee are the Kings Subiects:

1980if his Cause be wrong, our obedience to the King wipes

1981the Cryme of it out of vs.

1982Williams. But if the Cause be not good, the King him-

1983selfe hath a heauie Reckoning to make, when all those

1984Legges, and Armes, and Heads, chopt off in a Battaile,

1985shall ioyne together at the latter day, and cry all, Wee dy-

1986ed at such a place, some swearing, some crying for a Sur-

1987gean; some vpon their Wiues, left poore behind them;

1988some vpon the Debts they owe, some vpon their Children

1989rawly left: I am afear'd, there are few dye well, that dye

1990in a Battaile: for how can they charitably dispose of any

1991thing, when Blood is their argument? Now, if these men

1992doe not dye well, it will be a black matter for the King,

1993that led them to it; who to disobey, were against all pro-

1994portion of subiection.

1995King. So, if a Sonne that is by his Father sent about

1996Merchandize, doe sinfully miscarry vpon the Sea; the im-

1997putation of his wickednesse, by your rule, should be im-

1998posed vpon his Father that sent him: or if a Seruant, vn-

1999der his Masters command, transporting a summe of Mo-

2000ney, be assayled by Robbers, and dye in many irreconcil'd

2001Iniquities; you may call the businesse of the Master the

2002author of the Seruants damnation: but this is not so:

2003The King is not bound to answer the particular endings

2004of his Souldiers, the Father of his Sonne, nor the Master

2005of his Seruant; for they purpose not their death, when

2006they purpose their seruices. Besides, there is no King, be

2007his Cause neuer so spotlesse, if it come to the arbitre-

2008ment of Swords, can trye it out with all vnspotted Soul-

2009diers: some (peraduenture) haue on them the guilt of

2010premeditated and contriued Murther; some, of begui-

2011ling Virgins with the broken Seales of Periurie; some,

2012making the Warres their Bulwarke, that haue before go-

2013red the gentle Bosome of Peace with Pillage and Robbe-

2014rie. Now, if these men haue defeated the Law, and out-

2015runne Natiue punishment; though they can out-strip

2016men, they haue no wings to flye from God. Warre is

2017his Beadle, Warre is his Vengeance: so that here men

2018are punisht, for before breach of the Kings Lawes, in

2019now the Kings Quarrell: where they feared the death,

2020they haue borne life away; and where they would bee

2021safe, they perish. Then if they dye vnprouided, no more

2022is the King guiltie of their damnation, then hee was be-

2023fore guiltie of those Impieties, for the which they are

2024now visited. Euery Subiects Dutie is the Kings, but

2025euery Subiects Soule is his owne. Therefore should

2026euery Souldier in the Warres doe as euery sicke man in

2027his Bed, wash euery Moth out of his Conscience: and

2028dying so, Death is to him aduantage; or not dying,

2029the time was blessedly lost, wherein such preparation was

2030gayned: and in him that escapes, it were not sinne to

2031thinke, that making God so free an offer, he let him out-

2032liue that day, to see his Greatnesse, and to teach others

2033how they should prepare.