Dismantle My Bed

From Bolingbroke, Richard II

KING: Uncle, even in the glasses of thine eyes I see thy grieved heart. Thy sad aspect Hath from the number of his banished years plucked four away. Six frozen winters spent, return with welcome home from banishment.

BOLINGBROKE: How long a time lies in one little word! Four lagging winters and four wanton springs end in a word: such is the breath of kings.

GAUNT: I thank my liege that in regard of me he shortens four years of my son’s exile.

From Prince Hamlet, Hamlet

POLONIUS: What do you read, my lord?
HAMLET: Words, words, words.
POLONIUS: What is the matter, my lord?
HAMLET: Between who?
POLONIUS: I mean the matter you read,my lord.
HAMLET: Slanders, sir.

From Mamillius, The Winter’s Tale

FIRST LADY:Shall I be your play-fellow?

MAMILLIUS: No, I’ll none of you.

FIRST LADY: Why, my sweet lord?

MAMILLIUS: You’ll kiss me hard, and speak to me as if I were a baby still. I love you better.

SECOND LADY: And why so, my lord?

MAMILLIUS: Not for because
Your brows are blacker (yet black brows, they say,
Become some women best, so that there be not
Too much hair there, but in a semi circle
Or a half-moon, made with a pen).

From Olivia, Twelfth Night.

VIOLA: [disguised as Cesario]: Lady you are the cruell’st she alive
If you will lead these graces to the grave
And leave the world no copy.

OLIVIA: O sir, I will not be so hard-hearted. I will give out divers schedules of my beauty. It shall be inventoried and every particle and utensil labelled to my will, as “Item: two lips, indifferent red. Iten: two grey eyes, with lids on them. Item: one neck, one chin” and so forth. Were you sent hither to praise me?

VIOLA: I see what you are. You are too proud.

From Prince Hamlet, Hamlet

HAMLET: Wilt thou know
Th’ effect of what I wrote?

HORATIO: Ay, good my lord.

HAMLET: An earnest conjuration from the King,
As England was his faithful tributary,
As love between them like the palm should flourish,
As peace should still be her wheaten garland wear
And stand a comma ‘tween their amities,
And many such like “as”es of great charge,
That on the view and know of these contents
Without debatement further more or less
He should the bearers put to sudden death.