BABBLER (See also Talker). Fie, what a spendthrift he is of his tongue! T. ii. 1.
Tut, tut, my lord, we will not stand to prate ,Talkers are no good doers, be assur'd : We go to use our hands, and not our tongues.
R.III. i. 3.
BACKING. Call you that backing your friends ? a plague upon such backing! give me them that will face me. H. IV. pt. I. ii. 4.
BACKWARDNESS (See also Friends Cooling). Cousin, thou wast not wont to be so dull. R. III. iv. 2.
BADNESS. Damnable, both sides rogue. A. W. iv. 3.
Abhorred slave ; Which any print of goodness will not take Being capable of all ill. T. i. 2.
God keep the prince from all the pack of you ! A knot you are of damned blood-suckers. R. III. iii. 3.
BALLADS. I love a ballad but even too well ; if it be doleful matter merrily set down ; or a very pleasant thing indeed, and sung lamentably W.T. iv. 3.
Traduc'd by odious ballads. A. W. ii. 1.
An I have not ballads made on you all, and sung to filthy tunes, let a cup of sack be my poison H. IV. pt. II. ii. 2.
I love a ballad in print a' life ; for then we are sure they are true. W. T. iv. 3.
BALLAD-MONGERS (See also Poetry, Rhymsters). I had rather be a kitten, and cry, — mew, Than one of these same metre ballad-mongers : I had rather hear a brazen can'stick turn'd, Or a dry wheel grate on an axletree ; And that would set my teeth nothing on edge, Nothing so much as mincing poetry ; 'Tie like the forc'd gait of a shuffling nag. H. VI. pt. I. iii. 1.
BALLAD-SINGER, Itinerant. O master, if you did but hear the pedlar at the door, you would never dance again after a tabor and pipe ; no, the bag-pipe could not move you : he sings several tunes, faster than you'll tell money ; he utters them as he had eaten ballads, and all men's ears grow to their tunes. W..T. iv. 3.
BANISHMENT. Banish'd, is banish'd from the world, And world's exile is death:. then banish'd Is death misterm'd : calling death, — banishment, Thou cut'st my head off with a golden axe, And smil'st upon the stroke that murders me. R. J. iii. 3.
Then England's ground, farewell ; sweet soil, adieu ; My mother, and my nurse, that bears me yet ! Where'er I wander, boast of this I can, — Though banish'd, yet a true-born Englishman. R. II. i. 3.
Banished? O friar, the damned use that word in hell ; Howlings attend it. R. J. iii. 3.
I've stoopt my neck under your injuries, And sigh'd my English breath in foreign clouds, Eating the bitter bread of banishmen
R. II. iii. 1.
Banish me? Banish your dotage ; banish usury, That makes the senate ugly, T. A. iii. 5.
BANTERING. With that, all laugh'd, and clapp'd him on the shoulder ; Making the bold wag, by their praises, bolder : One rubb'd his elbow, thus ; and fleer'd, and swore, A better speech was never heard before. L. L. v. 2.
Close, in the name of jesting ! T.N. ii. 5.
Girls. The tongues of mocking wenches are as keen As is the razor's edge invisible, Cutting a smaller hair than may be seen ; Above the sense of sense : so sensible Seemeth their conference ; their conceits have wings, Fleeter than arrows, bullets, wind, thought, swifter things. L.L. v. 2.
BASENESS. Base and unlustrious as the smoky light That's fed with stinking tallow. Cym. i. 7.
You shall mark Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave, That, doting on his own obsequious bondage, Wears out his time, much like
his master's ass, For nought but provender, and, when he's old, cashier'd ; Whip me such honest knaves. 0. i. 1.
Some kinds of baseness Are nobly undergone ; and most poor matters Point to rich ends. T. iii. 1.
BASTARD. Bastard instructed, bastard in mind, bastard in valour ; in every thing illegitimate. T. C. v. 8.
Why bastard ! wherefore base? When my dimensions are as well compact, My mind as generous, and my shape as true, As honest madam's issue? K. L. i. 2.
Ha ! Fie, these filthy vices ! It were as good To pardon him that hath from nature stolen A man already made, as to remit Their saucy sweetness, that do coin heaven's image In stamps that are forbid : 'tis all as easy Falsely to take away a life true made, As to put
mettle in restrained means, To make a false one. M. M. ii. 4.
Fine word, — legitimate ! Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed, And my invention thrive, Edmund the base Shall top the legitimate.
I grow : I prosper : — Now, gods, stand up for bastards. K.L. i. 2.
BATCHELOR. Because I will not do them the wrong to mistrust any, I will do myself the right to trust none ; and the fine is, for the
which I may go the finer, I will live a batchelor. M. A. i. 1.
Shall I never see a batchelor of three score again? M.A. i. 1.
-'s Recantation. -. When I said I would die a batchelor, I did not think I should live till I were married. M . A. ii. 3.
BATTLE (See also War). With boisterous untun'd drums, And harsh resounding trumpets' dreadful bray, And grating shock of
wrathful iron arms. R. II. i. 3.
Being mounted, and both roused in their seats, Their neighing coursers daring of the spur, Their armed staves in charge, their beavers down, Their eyes of fire sparkling through sights of steel, And the loud trumpet blowing them together. H.IV. pt. II. iv. 1.
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more ; Or close the wall up with our English dead ! In peace, there's nothing so
becomes a man, As modest stillness and humility : But when the blast of war blows in our ears, Then imitate the action of the tyger ; Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, Disguise fair nature with hard- favour 'd rage; Then lend the eye a terrible aspect : Let it pry through the portals of the head, Like the brass cannon let the brow overwhelm it, As fearfully as doth the galled rock O'er-hang and jutty his confounded base, Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean. Now set the teeth and stretch the nostrils wide, Hold hard the breath, and bead up every spirit To his full height ! On, on, you noble English. H. V. ii. 1.
A thousand hearts are great within my bosom : Advance our standards ; set upon our foes ! Our ancient word of courage, fair
St. George, Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons ! Upon them! R. III. v. 3.
Fight, gentlemen of England ; fight, boldly, yeomen : Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head. Spur your proud horses hard, and
ride in blood : Amaze the welkin with your broken staves. R. III. v. 3.
This battle fares like to the morning's war, When dying clouds contend with growing light ; What time the shepherd blowing of his nails, Can neither call it perfect day, or night. Now sways it this way like a mighty sea, Forc'd by the tide to combat with the wind ; Now
sways it that way, like the self- same sea, Forc'd to retire by fury of the wind : Sometimes the flood prevails ; and then the wind : Now,
one the better ; then, another best ; Both tugging to be victors, breast to breast, Yet neither conqueror nor conquered : So is the equal poize of the fell war. H. VI. pt. III. ii. 5.
My uncles both are slain in rescuing me ; And all my followers to the eager foe Turn back, and fly, like ships before the wind, Or lambs pursued by hunger- starved wolves. My sons, — God knows, — what hath bechanced them : But this I know, — they have demean'd themselves Like men born to renown, by life, or death. Three times did Richard make a lane to me ; And thrice cried, — Courage,
father ! Fight it out I And full as oft came Edward to my side With purple faulchion, painted to the hilt In blood of those that had encountered him. And when the hardest warriors did retire, Richard cried, — Charge! and give no foot of ground t And cried,
— A crown, or else a glorious tomb ! A sceptre ! or an earthly sepulchre ! With this, we charg'd again. H. VI. pt. III. i. 4.
Never did captive with a freer heart Cast off his chains of bondage, and embrace . His golden uncontroll'd enfranchisement, More
than my dancing soul doth celebrate This feast of battle with mine adversary. R. II. i. 3.
Let each man do his best : and here draw I A sword, whose temper I intend to stain With the best blood that I can meet withal, In the adventure of this perilous day. Now, — Esperance ! Percy ! — and set on. Sound all the lofty instruments of war, And by that music
let us all embrace : For heaven to earth, some of us never shall A second time do such a courtesy. H. IV. pt. I. v. 2.
Heaven in thy good cause make thee prosperous ! Be swift like lightning in the execution ; And let thy blows, doubly redoubled,
Fall like amazing thunder on the casque Of thy amaz'd pernicious enemy. R. II. i. 3.
In single opposition, hand to hand, He did confound the best part of an hour In changing hardiment with great Glendower : Three times they breath'd and three times did they drink, Upon agreement, of swift Severn's flood ; Who then affrighted with their bloody looks, Ran fearfully among the trembling reeds. And crisp head in the hollow bank, Blood-stained with these valiant combatants.
H. IV. pt. I. i. 3.
Prepare you, generals : The enemy comes on in gallant show ; Their bloody sign of battle is hung out, And something to be done immediately. J. C. v. 1.
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers ; For he, to-day, that sheds his blood with me, Shall be my brother ; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition ; And gentlemen in England now abed Shall think themselves accurs'd, they were not here ; And hold
their manhoods cheap, while any speaks, That fought with us upon St. Crispin's day H. V. iv. 3.
For the love of all the gods, Let's leave the hermit pity with our mothers ; And when we have our armours buckled on, The venom'd vengeance ride upon our swords. T. C. v. 3.
Let's whip these stragglers o'er the seas again ; Lash hence these over-weening rags of France, These famish'd beggars, weary of their lives ; Who, but for dreaming on this fond exploit, For want of means, poor rats, had hang'd themselves. R. III. v. 3.
I'll lean upon one crutch, and fight with the other, Ere stay behind this business. C. i. 1.
BATTLE of Agincourt, Preparations for the. Now entertain conjecture of a time, When creeping murmur and the poring dark, Fill the wide vessel of the universe. From camp to camp, through the foul womb of night, The hum of either army stilly sounds, That the fixed sentinels almost receive The secret whispers of each other's watch ; Fire answers fire ; and through their paly flames, Each battle sees
the other's umbered face : Steed threatens steed in high and boastful neighs, Piercing the night's dull ear ; and from the tents, The armourers accomplishing the knights, With busy hammers closing rivets up, Give dreadful note of preparation. The country cocks do
crow ; the clocks do toll, And the third hour of drowsy morning name. Proud of their numbers, and secure in soul, The confident and over-lusty French Do the low-rated English play at dice ; And chide the cripple tardy-gaited night, Who, like a foul and ugly witch, doth limp So tediously away. The poor condemned English, Like sacrifices by their watchful fires Sit patiently, and inly ruminate The morning's
danger ; and their gestures sad, Investing lank-lean cheeks, and war-worn coats, Presenteth them unto the gazing moon So many horrid ghosts. H.V. iv. chor.
BEARD. He that hath a beard is more than a youth : and he that hath none, is less than a man. M. A. ii. 1.
Now Jove, in his next commodity of hair, send thee a beard ! T.N. iii. 1.
BEAU. This gallant pins the wenches on his sleeve ; Had he been Adam he had tempted Eve : He can carve too, and lisp : Why this is he, That kiss'd away his hand in courtesy ; This is the ape of form, monsieur the nice, That when he plays at tables, chides the dice In honourable terms. L.L. v. 2.
BEAUX. Scented. Like many of these lisping hawthorn buds, that come like women in men's apparel, and smell like Bucklersbury in simple-time. M. W. iii. 3.
BEAUTY. Beauty is but a vain and doubtful good, A shining gloss that vadeth suddainly, A flower that dies when first it 'gins to bud,
A brittle glass that's broken presently. A doubtful good, a gloss, a glass, a flower, Lost, vaded, broken, dead, within an hour, Poems.
By Jupiter, an angel ! or, if not, An earthly paragon ! Cym. iii. 6.
A wither'd hermit, five score winters worn, Might shake off fifty looking in her eye. L. L. iv. 3.
The most peerless piece of earth, I think, That e'er the sun shone bright on. W.T. v. 1.
'Tis beauty truly blent, whose red and white Nature's own sweet and cunning hand laid on : Lady, you are the cruellest she alive, If you will lead these graces to the grave, And leave the world no copy. T. N. i. 5.
There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple. T. i. 2.
Her sunny locks Hang on her temples like a golden fleece. M. V. i. 1.
As plays the sun upon the glassy streams ; Twinkling another counterfeited beam, So seems this gorgeous beauty to mine eyes.
H. VI. pt. I. v. 3.
This is such a creature, Would she begin a sect, might quench the zeal Of all professors else ; make proselytes Of who she but bid follow. W.T. v. 1.
I saw her once Hop forty paces through the public street And having lost her breath, she spoke, and panted, That she did make defect perfection, And, breathless, power breathe forth. A.C. ii. 2.
All hearts in love use their own tongues ; Let every eye negociate for itself, And trust no agent ; for beauty is a witch, Against whose
charms faith melteth into blood. M. A. ii. 1.
She speaks : — O speak again, bright angel ! for thou art As glorious to this night, being o'er; my head, As is a winged messenger of heaven Unto the white-upturned wond'ring eyes Of mortals, that fall back to gaze on him, When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds,
And sails upon the bosom of the air. R. J. ii. 2.
O She doth teach the torches to burn bright ! Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear ; Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear. R. J. i. 5. .
Beauty is bought by judgment of the eye, Not utter'd by base sale of chapmen's tongues. L. L. ii. 1.
She's a most exquisite lady. 0. ii. 3.
She's beautiful ; and therefore to be woo'd : She is a woman ; therefore to be won. H. VI. pt. I. v. 3.
It shall be inventoried ; and every particle, and utensil, labelled to my will ; as, item, two lips, indifferent red ; item, two grey eyes, with lids
to them ; item, one neck, one chin, and so forth. T. N. i. 4.
I know a wench of excellent discourse, Pretty, and witty ; wild, and yet, too, gentle. C. E. iii. 1.
Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold. A. Y. i. 3.
There was never yet fair woman but she made mouths in a glass. K. L. iii. 2.
When in the chronicle of wasted time, I see descriptions of the fairest wights, And beauty making beautiful old rime, In praise of ladies dead, and lovely knights, Then in the blazon of sweet beauty's best, Of hand, of foot, of lip, of eye, of brow, I see their antique pen would have expressed Even such a beauty as you master now. Poem.
.and Deceit. O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face! Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave ? Beautiful tyrant ! fiend angelical ! Dove-feather'd raven ! wolvish-ravening lamb ! Despised substance of divinest show ! Just opposite to what thou justly seem'st, A damned
saint, an honourable villain ! — 0, nature ! — what had'st thou to do in hell, When thou didst bower the spirit of a fiend In mortal paradise
of such sweet flesh ? Was ever book, containing such vile matter, So fairly bound ? 0, that deceit should dwell In such a gorgeous
palace ! R. J. iii. 2.
O beauty ! where's thy faith ! T.C. v. 2.
and Honesty. Honesty coupled to beauty, is to have honey sauce to sugar. A.V. iii. 3.
BEDLAM Beggars. The country gives me proof and precedent Of Bedlam beggars, who, with roaring voices, Strike in their numb'd and mortified bare arms, Pins, wooden pricks, nails, sprigs of rosemary ; And with this horrible object, from low farms, Poor pelting villages, sheep cotes, and mills, Sometimes with lunatic bans, sometimes with prayers, Inforce their charity. K. L. ii. 3.
Bees. So work the honey bees ; Creatures, that by a rule in nature teach The art of order to a peopled kingdom. They have a king, and officers of sorts ; "Where some, like magistrates, correct at home ; Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad ; Others, like soldiers, armed in their stings, Make boot upon the summer's velvet buds ; Which pillage they with merry march bring home, To the tent-royal of
their emperor ; Who, busied in his majesty, surveys The singing masons building roofs of gold ; The civil citizens kneading up the honey ; The poor mechanic porters crowding in Their heavy burdens at his narrow gate ; The sad-ey'd justice, with his surly hum, Delivering o'er
to executors pale The lazy yawning drone. H. V. i. 2.
BEGGARS. The adage must be verified, That beggars mounted, run their horse to death. H. VI. pt. III. i. 4.
Well, whiles I am a beggar, I will rail, And say, — there is no sin, but to be rich ; And being rich, my virtue then shall be, To say,
— there is no vice but beggary. K. J. ii. 2.
What ! a young knave, and beg ! Is there not wars ? is there not employment? Doth not the king lack subjects? Do not the rebels need soldiers ? Though it be a shame to be on any side but one, it is worse shame to beg than to be on the worst side, were it worse than the name of rebellion can tell how to make it. H. IV. pt. II. i. 2.
Speak with me, pity me, open the door, A beggar begs that never begg'd before. R. II. v. 3.
You taught me first to beg ; and now, methinks, You teach me how a beggar should be answer'd. M.V. iv. 1.
BEGONE. Rogues, hence, avaunt ! vanish like hailstones, go ! Trudge, plod, away, o' th' hoof ; seek shelter, pack ! M.W. i. 3 .
Hag-seed, hence ! T. i. 2.
BENEDICTION (See also Salutation). The benediction of these covering heavens Fall on their heads like dew ! Cym. v. 5.
May he live ! Longer than I have time to tell his years ! Ever belov'd, and loving may his rule be ! And when old Time shall lead him to his end, Goodness and he fill up one monument ! H. VIII. ii. 1.
Bless thy five wits. K. L. iii. 4.
Parental. And make me die a good old man ! That is the butt end of a mother's blessing ; I marvel that her grace did leave it out.
R. III. ii. 2.
Military. Now the fair goddess, Fortune, Fall deep in love with thee ; and her great charms Misguide thy opposers' swords ! Bold gentleman, Prosperity be thy page ! C. i. 5.
All the gods go with you ! upon your sword Sit laurell'd victory ! and smooth success Be strew'd before your feet. A.C. i. 3.
Mars dote on you for his novices. A. W. ii. 1.
BEWAILINGS (See also Lamentation). Where thou didst vent thy groans As fast as mill-wheels strike. T. i. 2.
BILLOWS. What care these roarers for the. name of king ? T. i. 1.
BIOGRAPHY. I long To hear the story of your life, which must Take the ear strangely. T. v. 1.
BIRDS, Encaged. Such a pleasure as incaged birds Conceive, when, after many moody thoughts, At last, by notes of household harmony, They quite forget their loss of liberty. H. VI. pt. III. iv. 6.
BLACK. Black, forsooth, coal black as jet. H.VI. pt.II. ii. 1.
Coal black is better than another hue, In that it scorns to bear another hue. Tit. And. iv. 2.
All the water in the ocean Can never turn a swan's black legs to white, Although she lave them hourly in the flood. Tit. And. iv. 2.
Black is the badge of hell, The hue of dungeons, and the scowl of night. L. L. iv. 3.
BLAMEABLE. You shall not sin, If you do say, we think him over proud, And under honest. T. C. ii. 3.
BLEMISHES. In nature, there's no blemish but the mind ; None can be called deformed but the unkind : Virtue is beauty ; but the beauteous-evil Are empty trunks, o'er-flourished by the devil. T. N. iii. 4.
Read not my blemishes in the world's report : I have not kept my square ; but that to come Shall all be done by the rule. A. C. ii. 3.
BLOT (See also Stain). Mark'd with a blot, damn'd in the book of heaven. R.II. iv. 1.
BLUNTNESS. This is some fellow, "Who, having been prais'd for bluntness, doth affect A saucy roughness ; and constrains the garb Quite from his nature. He can't flatter, he ! — An honest man and plain, — he must speak truth : An they will take it, so ; if not, he's plain. This kind of knaves I know, which in this plainness, Harbour more craft, and more corrupter ends Than twenty silly ducking observants,
That stretch their duties nicely. K. L. ii. 2.
I am no orator as Brutus is : But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man, That love my friend ; and that they know full well That gave me
public leave to speak of him. For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech, To stir men's blood : I only speak right on. J. C. iii. 2.
BLUSHES. The heart's meteors tilting in the face. C. E. iv. 2.
Now, if you can blush, and cry guilty, cardinal, You'll show a little honesty. H. VIII. iii. 2.
And bid the cheek be ready with a blush, Modest as morning when she coldly eyes The youthful Phoebus. T.G. i. 3.
Come, quench your blushes ; and present yourself that which you are, the mistress of the feast. W.T. iv. 3.
BOASTING. And topping all others in boasting. C. ii. 1.
0, Sir, to such as boasting show their scars, A mock is due. T. C. iv. 5.
Why, Valentine, what Braggardism is this ! T. G. ii. 4.
BOLDNESS. What I think, I utter ; and spend my malice in my breath. C. ii. 1.
Think' st thou that duty shall have dread to speak, When power to flattery bows ? To plainness honour's bound, When majesty stoops to folly. K. L. i. 1.
BOLD EXTERIOR. We'll have a swashing and a martial outside ; As many other mannish cowards have, That do outface it with their semblances. A.Y. i. 3.
BOMBAST. These signs have mark'd me extraordinary, And all the courses of my life do show I am not in the roll of common men.
H. IV. pt. I. iii. 1.
BONDS (See also Inflexibility). I'll have my bond ; speak not against my bond :I have sworn an oath, that I will have my bond
M.V.iii. 3.
BONES. Human. Chapless, and knock'd about the mazzard with a sexton's spade : Here's a fine revolution, an' we had the trick to
see't ! H. v. 1.
BOOBY. Thou art bought and sold, among those of any wit, like a Barbarian slave. T. C. ii. 1.
BOOKS. Consolation of. Come, and take choice of all my library And so beguile thy sorrow. Tit. And. iv. 1.
BOOK-COVERS. That book, in many's eyes doth share the glory, That in gold clasps, locks in the golden story. R.J. i. 3.
BOOK-WORMS. Small have continual plodders ever won Save base authority from others' books. L. L. i. 1.
BORROWING. Timon is shrunk indeed ; And he, that's once denied, will hardly speed. T. A. iii. 2.
I can get no remedy against this consumption of the purse ; borrowing only lingers and lingers it out, but the disease is incurable.
H.IV. pt. II. i. 2.
BOUNTY. 'Tis pity bounty had not eyes behind ; That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind. T. A. i. 2.
Magic of bounty ! all these spirits thy power Hath conjur'd to attend. T. A. i. 1.
For his bounty, There was no winter in't ; an autumn 'twas, That grew the more by reaping. A. C. v. 2.
No villainous bounty yet hath pass'd my heart ; Unwisely, not ignobly, have I given. T. A. ii. 2.
Ill-requited. Even so ; As with a man by his own alms empoison'd, And with his charity slain. C. v. 5.
BRAGGARTS. A mad-cap ruffian, and a swearing Jack, That thinks with oaths to face the matter out. T. S. ii. 1.
I know them, yea, And what they weigh, even to the utmost scruple ; Scambling, out-facing, fashion-mong'ring boys, That lie, and cog,
and flout, deprave, and slander, Go anticly, and show an outward hideousness, And speak off half a dozen dangerous words, How they might hurt their enemies if they durst ; And this is all. M. A. v. 1.
He speaks plain cannon, fire, and smoke, and bounce ; He gives the bastinado with his tongue ; Our ears are cudgell'd ; not a word of
his, But buffets better than a fist of France ; Zounds I I was never so bethump'd with words. K. J. ii. 2.
Who knows himself a braggart, Let him fear this ; for it will come to pass That every braggart shall be found an ass. A. W. iv. 3.
What cracker is this same, which deafs our ears With this abundance of superfluous breath ? K. J. ii. 1.
Here's a large mouth, indeed, That spits forth death, and mountains, rocks and seas ; Talks as familiarly of roaring lions, As maids of thirteen do of puppy dogs. K. J. ii. 2.
What art thou ? Have not I An arm as big as thine ? a heart as big ? Thy words, I grant, are bigger ; for I wear not My dagger in my mouth. Cym. iv. 2.
BRAINS. Not Hercules Could have knock'd out his brains, for he had none. Cym. iv. 2.
Hector shall have a great catch, if he knock out either of your brains ; a' were as good crack a fusty nut with no kernel. T. C. ii. 1.
BRAWLS. Swords out, and tilting one at other's breast, In opposition bloody. 0. ii. 3.
I pray you to serve Got, and keep you out of prawls and prabbles, and quarrels, and dissentions, and, I warrant you, it is the petter for you. H. V. iv. 8.
What's the matter, That you unlace your reputation thus, And spend your rich opinion for the name Of a night brawler ? 0. ii 3.
Help, masters ! — Here's a goodly watch, indeed. 0. ii. 3.
BREEDING. Highly fed, and lowly taught. A. W. ii. 1.
BREVITY. Therefore, — since brevity is the soul of wit, And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes, I will be brief. H. ii. 2.
BRIBERY. Shall we now Contaminate our fingers with base bribes ? And sell the mighty space of our large honours, For so much trash as may be grasped thus ? I had rather be a dog and bay the moon, Than such a Roman. J. C. iv. 3.
You yourself Are much condemn' d to have an itching palm ; To sell and mart your offices for gold, To undeservers. J. C. iv. 3.
BRITAIN (See also England). Britain is A world by itself; and we will nothing pay For wearing our own noses. Cym. iii. 1.
Which stands As Neptune's park, ribbed and paled in With rocks unscaleable, and roaring waters. Cym. iii. 1.
I' the world's volume, Our Britain is as of it, but not in it ; In a great pool, a swan's nest. Cym. iii. 4.
BROILS. Domestic. Wars are no strife To the dark house, and the detested wife. A. W. ii. 3.
BRUTUS. This was the noblest Roman of them all ; All the conspirators, save only he, Did that they did in envy of great Caesar ;
He, only, in a general honest thought, And common good to all, made one of them. His life was gentle ; and the elements So mix'd in
him, that Nature might stand up And say to all the world : This was a man ! J. C. v. 5.
BUBBLES. The earth hath bubbles, as the water hath, And these are of them. M. i. 3.
On my life, my lord, a bubble. A. W. iii. 6.
BUTTON-HOLDER. Sometimes he angers me, With telling me of the mold-warp, and the ant, Of the dreamer Merlin, and his prophecies ; And of a dragon and a finless fish, A clip-wing'd griffin, and a moulten raven, A couching lion, and a rampant cat, And
such a deal of skimble-skamble stuff As puts me from my faith. I'll tell you what, — He held me, but last night, at least nine hours, In reckoning up the several devils' names, That were his lackeys: I cried — humph, — and well — go to— . But mark'd him not a word. O, he's as tedious As is a tired horse, a railing wife ; Worse than a smoky house : I had rather live With cheese and garlick, in a
windmill, far, Than feed on cates, and have him talk to me, In any summer-house in Christendom. H. IV. pt. I. iii. 1.
BUT YET. I do not like but yet, it does allay The good precedence ; fie upon but yet ; But yet is as a jailer to bring forth Some monstrous malefactor. Pr'ythee, friend, Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear, The good and bad together. A. C. ii. 5.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.