THE FATE OF COWARDS

The British didn't mess around. When Admiral Byng failed to destroy a French fleet he was tried and shot, despite being acquitted of the charge of cowardice.

Walpole: "He desired to be shot on the quarterdeck, not where common malefactors are; came out at twelve, sat down in a chair, for he would not kneel, and refused to have his face covered, that his countenance might show whether he feared death; but being told it might frighten his executioners, he submitted, gave the signal at once, received one shot through the head, another through the heart, and fell. Do cowards live or die thus? Can that man want spirit who only fears to terrify his executioners?"

Here are the 1749 articles of war. There are 36 of them. The word "death" appears 24 times in this document, by my count.