Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1599 (Annals) history · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T50 Fleets, armies and generals: war by sea · 519 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T50: sea, honour, general, soldiers, men, ship, fight, soldier, king, vittori.
But if the Cause be not good, the King himself hath a heavy Reckoning to make, when all those Legs, and 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 own, some upon their Children rawly left: I am afeared, there are few dye 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 dye well, it will be a black matter for the King, that led them to it; who to disobey, were against all proportion of subjection. 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 his Master's command, transporting a sum of Money, be assailed by Robbers, and dye in many irreconcil'd 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 end of 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) have on them the guilt of premeditated and contrived-murther; 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 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 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 Kings, 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 Moth 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 escapes, 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. 'Tis certain, every man that dies ill, the ill upon his own head, the King is not to answer it.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
But if the Cauſe be not good, the King himſelfe hath a heauie Reckoning to make, when all thoſe Legges, and Armes, and Heads, chopt off in a Battaile, ſhall ioyne together at the latter day, and cry all, Wee dyed at ſuch a place, ſome ſwearing, ſome crying for a Surgean; ſome vpon their Wiues, left poore behind them; ſome vpon the Debts they owe, ſome vpon their Children rawly left: I am afear'd, there are few dye well, that dye in a Battaile: for how can they charitably diſpoſe of any thing, when Blood is their argument? Now, if theſe men doe not dye well, it will be a black matter for the King, that led them to it; who to diſobey, were againſt all proportion of ſubiection. So, if a Sonne that is by his Father ſent about Merchandize, doe ſinfully miſcarry vpon the Sea; the imputation of his wickedneſſe, by your rule, ſhould be impoſed vpon his Father that ſent him: or if a Seruant, vnder his Maſters command, tranſporting a ſumme of Money, be aſſayled by Robbers, and dye in many irreconcil'd Iniquities; you may call the buſineſſe of the Maſter the author of the Seruants damnation: but this is not ſo: The King is not bound to anſwer the particular endings of his Souldiers, the Father of his Sonne, nor the Maſter of his Seruant; for they purpoſe not their death, when they purpoſe their ſeruices. Beſides, there is no King, be his Cauſe neuer ſo ſpotleſſe, if it come to the arbitrement of Swords, can trye it out with all vnſpotted Souldiers: ſome (peraduenture) haue on them the guilt of premeditated and contriued-Murther; ſome, of beguiling Virgins with the broken Seales of Periurie; ſome, making the Warres their Bulwarke, that haue before gored the gentle Boſome of Peace with Pillage and Robberie. Now, if theſe men haue defeated the Law, and outrunne Natiue puniſhment; though they can out-ſtrip men, they haue no wings to flye from God. Warre is his Beadle, Warre is his Vengeance: ſo that here men are puniſht, for before breach of the Kings Lawes▪ in now the Kings Quarrell: where they feared the death, they haue borne life away; and where they would bee ſafe, they periſh. Then if they dye vnprouided, no more is the King guiltie of their damnation, then hee was before guiltie of thoſe Impieties, for the which they are now viſited. Euery Subiects Dutie is the Kings, but euery Subiects Soule is his owne. Therefore ſhould euery Souldier in the Warres doe as euery ſicke man in his Bed, waſh euery Moth out of his Conſcience: and dying ſo, Death is to him aduantage; or not dying, the time was bleſſedly loſt, wherein ſuch preparation was gayned: and in him that eſcapes, it were not ſinne to thinke, that making God ſo free an offer, he let him outliue that day, to ſee his Greatneſſe, and to teach others how they ſhould prepare. 'Tis certaine, euery man that dyes ill, the ill vpon his owne head, the King is not to anſwer it.