King. Why so you may say, if a man send his seruant
As Factor into another Countrey,65
And he by any meanes miscarry,
You may say the businesse of the maister,
Was the author of his seruants misfortune.
Or if a sonne be imployd by his father,
And he fall into any leaud action, you may say the father70
Was the author of his sonnes damnation.
But the master is not to answere for his seruants,
The father for his sonne, nor the king for his subiects:
For they purpose not their deaths, whē they craue their seruices:
Some there are that haue the gift of premeditated75
Murder on them:
Others the broken scale of Forgery, in beguiling maydens.
Now if these outstrip the lawe,
Yet they cannot escape Gods punishment.
War is Gods Beadel. War is Gods vengeance:80
Euery mans seruice is the kings:
But euery mans soule is his owne.
Therfore I would haue euery souldier examine himselfe,
And wash euery moath out of his conscience:
That in so doing, he may be the readier for death:85
Or not dying, why the time was well spent,
Wherein such preparation was made.
3. Lord. Yfaith he saies true:[5524]
Euery mans fault on his owne head,[5525]
I would not haue the king answere for me.90
Yet I intend to fight lustily for him.
King. Well, I heard the king, he wold not be ransomde.[5526]
2. L. I he said so, to make vs fight:[5527]
But when our throates be cut, he may be ransomde,
And we neuer the wiser.95
King. If I liue to see that, Ile neuer trust his word againe.
2. Sol. Mas youle pay him then, tis a great displeasure
That an elder gun, can do against a cannon,
Or a subiect against a monarke.
Youle nere take his word again, your a nasse goe.[5528]100
King. Your reproofe is somewhat too bitter:
Were it not at this time I could be angry.
2. Sol. Why let it be a quarrell if thou wilt.
King. How shall I know thee?
2. Sol. Here is my gloue, which if euer I see in thy hat,[5529]105
Ile challenge thee, and strike thee.