K. Hen. Even as men wrecked upon a sand, that look
to be washed off the next tide.95
Bates. He hath not told his thought to the king?
K. Hen. No; nor it is not meet he should. For, though[5058]
I speak it to you, I think the king is but a man, as I am: the
violet smells to him as it doth to me; the element shows to
him as it doth to me; all his senses have but human conditions;100
his ceremonies laid by, in his nakedness he appears
but a man; and though his affections are higher mounted
than ours, yet, when they stoop, they stoop with the like
wing. Therefore when he sees reason of fears, as we do, his
fears, out of doubt, be of the same relish as ours are: yet, in105
reason, no man should possess him with any appearance
of fear, lest he, by showing it, should dishearten his army.
Bates. He may show what outward courage he will; but
I believe, as cold a night as 'tis, he could wish himself in
Thames up to the neck; and so I would he were, and I by[5059]110
him, at all adventures, so we were quit here.
K. Hen. By my troth, I will speak my conscience of
the king: I think he would not wish himself any where but
where he is.
Bates. Then I would he were here alone; so should he[5060]115
be sure to be ransomed, and a many poor men's lives saved.[5061]
K. Hen. I dare say you love him not so ill, to wish him
here alone, howsoever you speak this to feel other men's
minds: methinks I could not die any where so contented as
in the king's company; his cause being just and his quarrel120
honourable.
Will. That's more than we know.
Bates. Ay, or more than we should seek after; for we[5062]
know enough, if we know we are the king's subjects: if his
cause be wrong, our obedience to the king wipes the crime125
of it out of us.
Will. 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[5063]
at the latter day and cry all 'We died at such a place;' some130
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 am afeard there are
few die well that die in a battle; for how can they charitably[5064]
dispose of any thing, when blood is their argument?135
Now, if these men do not die well, it will be a black matter
for the king that led them to it; whom to disobey were[5065]
against all proportion of subjection.