King Henry VI Part 2 is a history play by William Shakespeare, originally known as The First Part of the Contention betwixt the Two Famous Houses of York and Lancaster. It was probably written ca. 1590-91 as the second part of the trilogy on Henry VI of England and is often grouped together with Richard III as a tetralogy on The Wars of the Roses, the success of which established Shakespeare's reputation as a playwright.
Act I
- O Lord, that lends me life,
Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness!- King Henry, scene i
- Main chance.
- Warwick, scene i
- Put forth thy hand, reach at the glorious Gold.
- Duchess, scene ii
- Is this the fashion in the court of England?
Is this the government of Britain's isle,
And this the royalty of Albion's king?- Queen Margaret, scene iii
- She bears a duke's revenues on her back,
And in her heart she scorns our poverty.- Queen Margaret, scene iii
- Could I come near your beauty with my nails,
I’d set my ten commandments in your face.- Duchess, scene iii
Act II
- How irksome is this music to my heart! When such strings jar, what hope of harmony?
- King Henry, scene i
- God shall be my hope,
My stay, my guide, and lantern to my feet.- King Henry, scene iii
Act III
- Smooth runs the water, where the brook is deep;
And in his simple show he harbours treason.- Suffolk, scene i
- The fox barks not, when he would steal the lamb.
- Suffolk, scene i
- The commons, like an angry hive of bees,
That want their leader, scatter up and down,
And care not who they sting in his revenge.- Warwick, scene ii
- What stronger breast-plate than a heart untainted!
Thrice is he arm'd, that hath his quarrel just;
And he but naked, though lock'd up in steel,
Whose conscience with injustice is corrupted.- King Henry, scene ii
- He dies, and makes no sign.
- King Henry, scene iii
- Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all.
Close up his eyes, and draw the curtain close;
And let us all to meditation.- King Henry, scene iii
Act IV
- The gaudy, blabbing, and remorseful day
Is crept into the bosom of the sea.- Captain, scene i
- Small things make base men proud.
- Suffolk, scene i
- True nobility is exempt from fear:—
More can I bear, than you dare execute.- Suffolk, scene i
- I say it was never merry world in England since gentlemen came up.
- Second rebel, scene ii
- There shall be, in England, seven half-penny loaves sold for a penny: the three-hoop'd pot shall have ten hoops; and I will make it felony, to drink small beer.
- Cade, scene ii
- The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.
- Dick the butcher, scene ii
- Is not this a lamentable thing, that of the skin of an innocent lamb should be made parchment? that parchment, being scribbled o’er, should undo a man?
- Cade, scene ii
- And Adam was a gardener.
- Cade, scene ii
- Sir, he made a chimney in my father’s house, and the bricks are alive at this day to testify it.
- Smith the weaver, scene ii
- Thou hast most traitorously corrupted the youth of the realm in erecting a grammar-school; and whereas, before, our forefathers had no other books but the score and the tally, thou hast caused printing to be used; and, contrary to the king, his crown, and dignity, thou hast built a paper-mill. It will be proved to thy face, that thou hast men about thee, that usually talk of a noun, and a verb; and such abominable words, as no Christian ear can endure to hear.
- Cade, scene vii
- Away with him, away with him! he speaks Latin.
- Cade, scene vii
- And seeing ignorance is the curse of God,
Knowledge the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.- Saye, scene vii
Act V
- It is great sin, to swear unto a sin;
But greater sin, to keep a sinful oath.- Salisbury, scene i
- Can we outrun the heavens?
- King Henry, scene ii
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