William Shakespeare, All's Well That Ends Well (1602-03):
Clo. O madam, yonder's my lord your son with a patch of velvet on's face: whether there be a scar under't or no, the velvet knows; but 'tis a goodly patch of velvet: his left cheek is a cheek of two pile and a half, but his right cheek is worn bare.
Laf. A scar nobly got, or a noble scar, is a good livery of honour; so belike is that. (4.5.94-100)
William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (1595):
Rom. He jests at scars, that never felt a wound. (2.2.1)
William Shakespeare, Coriolanus (1607-08):
[Men.] Is he not wounded? he was wont to come home wounded.
Vir. O, no, no, no.
Vol. O, he is wounded; I thank the gods for't.
Men. So do I too, if it be not too much: brings a' victory in his pocket? the wounds become him….
Men. Where is he wounded? [To the Tribunes.] God save your good worships! Marcius is coming home: he has more cause to be proud. Where
is he wounded? Vol. I' the shoulder and i' the left arm there will be large cicatrices to show the people, when he shall stand for his place. He received in the repulse of Tarquin seven hurts i' the body.
Men. One i' the neck, and two i' the thigh – there's nine that I know.
Vol. He had, before this last expedition, twenty-five wounds upon him.
Men. Now it's twenty-seven: every gash was an enemy's grave. (2.1.118-56)
Brut. I heard him swear,
Were he to stand for consul, never would he
Appear i' the market-place nor on him put
The napless vesture of humility;
Nor showing, as the manner is, his wounds
To the people, beg their stinking breaths. (2.1.231-36)
William Shakespeare, Henry V (1599):
[K. Hen.] He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin's day.’ (4.3.44-47)
[Pist.] From my weary limbs
Honour is cudgelled. Well, bawd I'll turn,
And something lean to cutpurse of quick hand.
To England will I steal, and there I'll steal:
And patches will I get unto these cudgell'd scars,
And swear I got them in the Gallia wars. (5.1.84-89)
William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus (1593-94):
[Luc.] My scars can witness, dumb although they are,
That my report is just and full of truth. (5.3.114-15)
William Shakespeare, 2 Henry VI (1590-91):
[York.] Show me one scar character'd on thy skin:
Men's flesh preserved so whole do seldom win. (3.1.300-01)
William Shakespeare, Richard III (1592-93):
[Anne.] O, gentlemen, see, see! dead Henry's wounds
Open their congeal'd mouths and bleed afresh!
Blush, Blush, thou lump of foul deformity;
For 'tis thy presence that exhales this blood
From cold and empty veins, where no blood dwells;
Thy deed, inhuman and unnatural,
Provokes this deluge most unnatural.
O God, which this blood madest, revenge his death!
O earth, which this blood drink'st revenge his death! (1.2.55-64)
[Buck.] This noble isle doth want her proper limbs;
Her face defaced with scars of infamy,
Her royal stock graft with ignoble plants,
And almost shoulder'd in the swallowing gulf
Of blind forgetfulness and dark oblivion. (3.7.125-29)
K. Rich. Give me another horse! Bind up my wounds! (5.3.177)
William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar (1599):
[Ant.] Over thy wounds now do I prophesy,—
Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips,
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue—
A curse shall light upon the limbs of men. (3.1.259-62)
[Ant.] Show you sweet Caesar's wounds, poor poor dumb mouths,
And bid them speak for me. (3.2.225-26)
William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra (1607-08):
[Ant.] Enter the city, clip your wives, your friends,
Tell them your feats; whilst they with joyful tears
Wash the congealment from your wounds, and kiss
The honour'd gashes whole. (4.8.8-11)
William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida (1601-03):
Tro. O, sir, to such as boasting show their scars
A mock is due. (4.5.290-91)
William Shakespeare, Macbeth (1606):
Dun. So well thy words become thee as thy wounds;
They smack of honour both. (1.2.43-44)
William Shakespeare, Venus and Adonis (1592-93):
Upon his hurt she looks so steadfastly,
That her sight dazzling makes the wound seem three;
And then she reprehends her mangling eye,
That makes more gashes where no breach should be:
His face seems twain, each several limb is doubled;
For oft the eye mistakes, the brain being troubled. (1063-68)