THORNS

ARIEL

Tooth’d briers, sharp furzes, pricking goss,

and THORNS,

Which entered their frail shins.

—Tempest [Act IV, sc. 1]

HELENA

When briers shall have leaves

as well as THORNS,

And be as sweet as sharp.

—All’s Well That Ends Well [Act IV, sc. 4]

QUINCE

One must come in with a bush of THORNS

and a lanthorn, and say he comes in to disfigure,

or to present, the person of Moonshine.

—A Midsummer Night’s Dream [Act III, sc. 1]

PUCK

For briers and THORNS

at their apparel snatch.

—A Midsummer Night’s Dream [Act III, sc. 2]

PROLOGUE/PETER QUINCE

This man with lanthorn, dog,

and bush of THORN,

Presenteth Moonshine.

—A Midsummer Night’s Dream [Act V, sc. 1]

MOONSHINE/STARVELING

All that I have to say, is to tell you that the lanthorn

is the moon; I, the man in the moon; this THORN-

BUSH my THORN-BUSH; and this dog my dog.

—A Midsummer Night’s Dream [Act V, sc. 1]

DUMAIN

But, alack, my hand is sworn

Ne’er to pluck thee from thy THORN.

—Love’s Labour’s Lost [Act IV, sc. 3]

BISHOP OF CARLISLE

The woe’s to come; the children yet unborn

Shall feel this day as sharp to them as THORN.

—Richard II [Act IV, sc. 1]

HENRY VI

The care you have of us,

To mow down THORNS

that would annoy our foot,

Is worthy praise.

—Henry VI, Pt. 2 [Act III, sc. 1]

GLOUCESTER

And I—like one lost in a THORNY wood,

That rends the THORNS

and is rent with the THORNS,

Seeking a way, and straying from the way.

—Henry VI, Pt. 3 [Act III, sc. 2]

EDWARD IV

Brave followers, yonder stands

the THORNY wood.

—Henry VI, Pt. 3 [Act V, sc. 4]

EDWARD IV

What! can so young a THORN begin to prick.

—Henry VI, Pt. 3 [Act V, sc. 5]

ROMEO

Is love a tender thing? It is too rough,

Too rude, too boisterous,

and it pricks like THORN.

—Romeo and Juliet [Act I, sc. 4]

BOULT

A THORNIER piece of ground.

—Pericles [Act IV, sc. 6]

LEONTES

Which being spotted

Is goads, THORNS, nettles, tails of wasps.

—Winter’s Tale [Act I, sc. 2]

FLORIZEL

But O, the THORNS we stand upon!

—Winter’s Tale [Act IV, sc. 4]

OPHELIA

Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,

Shew me the steep

and THORNY path to Heaven.

—Hamlet [Act I, sc. 3]

GHOST

Leave her to Heaven,

And to those THORNS that in her bosom lodge,

To prick and sting her.

—Hamlet [Act I, sc. 5]

BASTARD

I am amazed, methinks, and lose my way

Among the THORNS and dangers of this world.

—King John [Act IV, sc. 3]

COUNTESS OF ROUSILLION

This THORN

Doth to our rose of youth rightly belong.

—All’s Well That Ends Well [Act I, sc. 3]

DIANA

You barely leave our THORNS to prick ourselves

And mock us with our bareness.

—All’s Well That Ends Well [Act IV, sc. 2]

And whiles against a THORN

thou bear’st thy part

To keep thy sharp woes waking, wretched I . . .

—Lucrece