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  • Title: Henry VI, Part 2 (Quarto 1, 1594)

    • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Henry VI, Part 2 (Quarto 1, 1594)

    The first part of the contention of the two famous
    Fie womanish man, canst thou not curse thy enemies?
    Suffolke. A plague vpon them, wherefore should I curse them?
    2025Could curses kill as do the Mandrakes groanes,
    I would inuent as many bitter termes
    Deliuered strongly through my fixed teeth,
    With twise so many signes of deadly hate,
    2030As leaue fast enuy in her loathsome caue,
    My toong should stumble in mine earnest words,
    Mine eyes should sparkle like the beaten flint,
    My haire be fixt on end, as one distraught,
    And euery ioynt should seeme to curse and ban,
    2035And now me-thinks my burthened hart would breake,
    Should I not curse them. Poison be their drinke,
    Gall worse then gall, the daintiest thing they taste.
    Their sweetest shade a groue of sypris trees.
    2040Their softest tuch as smart as lyzards stings.
    Their musicke frightfull, like the serpents hys.
    And boding scrike-oules make the consort full.
    All the foule terrors in darke seated hell.
    Queene. Inough sweete Suffolke, thou torments thy (selfe.
    Suffolke. You bad me ban, and will you bid me sease?
    Now by this ground that I am banisht from,
    Well could I curse away a winters night,
    And standing naked on a mountaine top,
    Where byting cold would neuer let grasse grow,
    And thinke it but a minute spent in sport.
    Queene. No more. Sweete Suffolke hie thee hence to France,
    2054.1Or liue where thou wilt vvithin this vvorldes globe,
    Ile haue an Irish that shall finde thee out,
    And long thou shalt not staie, but ile haue thee repelde,
    2065Or venture to be banished my selfe.
    Oh let this kisse be printed in thy hand,
    2069.1That when thou seest it, thou maist thinke on me.
    Avvay, I say, that I may feele my griefe,
    For it is nothing vvhilst thou standest here.
    Suffolke. Thus is poore Suffolke ten times banished,
    Once by the King, but three times thrise by thee.
    Enter Vawse.
    Queene.
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