Of an unbounded stomach, ever ranking
Himself with princes; one, that by suggestion
Ty'd all the kingdom: simony was fair play;
His own opinion was his law: I' th' presence
He would say untruths; and be ever double,
Both in his words and meaning: He was never,
But where he meant to ruin, pitiful:
His promises were, as he then was, mighty;
But his performance, as he is now, nothing.
Marriage is a matter of more worth,
Than to be dealt in by attorneyship.
For what is wedlock forced, but a hell,
age of discord and continual strife? Whereas the contrary bringeth forth bliss, And is a pattern of celestial peace.
But earthlier happy is the rose distill'd,
Than that, which, withering on the virgin-thorn,
Grows, lives, and dies, in single blessedness.
That die unmarried, ere they can behold
Bright Phoebus in his strength, a malady
Most incident to maids.
The instances, that second marriage move!
Are base respects of thrift, but none of love.
Mistress know yourself; down on your knees,
And thank heaven, fasting, for a good man's love :
Fór I must tell you friendly in your ear,-
Sell when you can; you are not for all markets.
Her gentle spirit
Commits itself to yours to be directed,
As from her lord, her governor, her king.
But that I love the gentle Desdemona,
I would not my unhoused free condition
Put into circumscription and confine
For the sea's worth.
O curse of marriage,
That we can call these delicate creatures ours,
And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad,
And live upon the vapour of a dungeon,
Than keep a corner in the thing I love,
Shall furnish me to those Indian fields,
Where noble fellows strike: Wars are no strife
To the dark house, and detested wife.
No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall
To make this contract grow; but barren hate,
Sour-ey'd disdain, and discord, shall bestrew,
The union of your bed with weeds so loathly,
That you shall hate it both: therefore, take heed.
Which done, God take king Edward to his mercy,
And leave the world for me to bustle in!
For then I'll marry Warwick's youngest daughter:
What though I kill'd her husband, and her father?
The readiest way to make the wench amends,
Is to become her husband, and her father:
The which will I.
Should ask-if Catherine should be his wife,
Ay, by gogs-wouns, quoth he; and swore so loud,
That, all amaz'd, the priest let fall the book;
And, as he stoop'd again to take it up,
This mad-brain'd bridegroom took him such a cuff,
That down fell priest and book, and book and priest;
Now take them up, quoth he, if any list.
It gives me wonder great as my content,
To see you here before me.
As a long parted mother with her child
Plays fondly with her tears, and smiles in meeting!
So weeping, smiling, greet I thee, my earth,
And do thee favour with my royal hands.
O thou day o' the world,
Chain mine arm'd neck; leap thou, attire and all,
Through proof of harness to my heart, and there
Ride on the parts triumphing.
Ah, Juliet, if the measure of thy joy
Be heap'd like mine, and that thy skill be more
To blazon it, then sweeten with thy breath
This neighbour air, and let rich music's tongue
Unfold the imagin'd happiness that both
Receive in either by this dear encounter.
A hundred thousand welcomes: I could weep,
And I could laugh; I am light, and heavy: welcome:
A curse begin at very root of his heart,
That is not glad to see thee!
Sir,
you are very welcome to our house :
It must appear in other ways than words,
Therefore I scant this breathing courtesy.
By the simplicity of Venus' doves!
By that which knitteth souls, and prospers loves!
In that same place thou hast appointed me,
To-morrow truly will I meet with thee.
The quality of mercy is not strain'd;
It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless'd;
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
No, ceremony that to great ones' longs,
Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword,
The marshal's truncheon, nor the judge's robe,
Become them with one half so good a grace,
As mercy does.
Wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods?
Draw near them then in being merciful:
Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge.
Earthly power doth then shew likest God's,
When mercy seasons justice.
Mercy is not itself, that oft looks so;
Pardon is still the nurse of second woe.
If little faults, proceeding on distemper,
Shall not be wink'd at, how shall we stretch our eye, When capital crimes, chew'd, swallow'd, and digested, Appear before us?
Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt,
Split'st the unwedgeable and gnarled oak,
I am an humble suitor to your virtues;
For pity is the virtue of the law,
And none but tyrants use it cruelly.
Say-pardon, King; let pity teach thee how :
The word is short, but not so short as sweet;
No word like, pardon, for king's mouths so meet.
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,-
That in the course of justice, none of us,
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy.
How would you be
If he, which is the top of judgment, should
But judge as you do? O, think on that;
And mercy then will breathe within your lips,
Like man new made.
The mercy, that was quick in us but late,
By your own counsel is suppress'd and kill'd :
You must not dare, for shame, to talk of mercy;
For your own reasons turn into your bosoms,
As dogs upon their masters, worrying them.
'Tis well known, that whiles I was protector,
Pity was all the fault that was in me;
For I should melt at an offender's tears,
And lowly words were ransom for their fault.
Press not a falling man too far; 'tis virtue:
His faults lie open to the laws; let them,
Not you, correct him.
Who shall go about
To cozen fortune and be honourable
Without the stamp of merit! Let none presume
To wear an undeserved dignity.
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