| Play | Key Line | Modern Text | Original Text |
| All's Well That Ends Well | AW I.iii.214.3 | Wherefore? tell true. | Wherefore? tell true. |
| All's Well That Ends Well | AW II.iii.286 | And wherefore I am fled; write to the King | And wherefore I am fled: Write to the King |
| All's Well That Ends Well | AW IV.i.39 | give. Wherefore, what's the instance? Tongue, I must | giue, wherefore what's the instance. Tongue, I must |
| All's Well That Ends Well | AW V.iii.286 | Wherefore hast thou accused him all this while? | Wherefore hast thou accusde him al this while. |
| Antony and Cleopatra | AC II.vi.11 | Wherefore my father should revengers want, | Wherefore my Father should reuengers want, |
| Antony and Cleopatra | AC III.xiii.122.2 | Wherefore is this? | Wherefore is this? |
| Antony and Cleopatra | AC V.i.4 | Wherefore is that? And what art thou that dar'st | Wherefore is that? And what art thou that dar'st |
| As You Like It | AYL II.i.56 | 'Tis just the fashion! Wherefore do you look | 'Tis iust the fashion; wherefore doe you looke |
| As You Like It | AYL II.iii.6 | And wherefore are you gentle, strong, and valiant? | And wherefore are you gentle, strong, and valiant? |
| As You Like It | AYL III.v.49 | You foolish shepherd, wherefore do you follow her, | You foolish Shepheard, wherefore do you follow her |
| The Comedy of Errors | CE II.ii.44 | Ay, sir, and wherefore; for they | I sir, and wherefore; for they |
| The Comedy of Errors | CE II.ii.45 | say every why hath a wherefore. | say, euery why hath a wherefore. |
| The Comedy of Errors | CE II.ii.46 | Why, first: for flouting me; and then wherefore: | Why first for flowting me, and then wherefore, |
| The Comedy of Errors | CE II.ii.49 | When in the why and the wherefore is neither rhyme nor reason? | when in the why and the wherefore, is neither rime nor reason. |
| The Comedy of Errors | CE III.i.39 | Right, sir, I'll tell you when an you'll tell me wherefore. | Right sir, Ile tell you when, and you'll tell me wherefore. |
| The Comedy of Errors | CE III.i.40 | Wherefore? For my dinner. I have not dined today. | Wherefore? for my dinner: I haue not din'd to day. |
| The Comedy of Errors | CE IV.iv.93 | Say, wherefore didst thou lock me forth today, | Say wherefore didst thou locke me forth to day, |
| The Comedy of Errors | CE IV.iv.124 | Out on thee, villain! Wherefore dost thou mad me? | Out on thee Villaine, wherefore dost thou mad mee? |
| The Comedy of Errors | CE V.i.38 | Be quiet, people. Wherefore throng you hither? | Be quiet people, wherefore throng you hither? |
| Coriolanus | Cor II.ii.10 | wherefore. So that, if they love they know not why, they | wherefore: so that if they loue they know not why, they |
| Coriolanus | Cor IV.v.182 | Wherefore? Wherefore? | Wherefore? Wherefore? |
| Cymbeline | Cym I.vi.7 | My conscience bids me ask – wherefore you have | (My Conscience bids me aske) wherefore you haue |
| Cymbeline | Cym III.ii.1 | How? Of adultery? Wherefore write you not | How? of Adultery? Wherefore write you not |
| Cymbeline | Cym III.iv.5 | That makes thee stare thus? Wherefore breaks that sigh | That makes thee stare thus? Wherefore breaks that sigh |
| Cymbeline | Cym III.iv.103.2 | Wherefore then | Wherefore then |
| Cymbeline | Cym V.iv.58 | With marriage wherefore was he mocked | With Marriage wherefore was he mockt |
| Cymbeline | Cym V.v.95 | And art mine own. I know not why, wherefore, | And art mine owne. I know not why, wherefore, |
| Cymbeline | Cym V.v.114.2 | Wherefore ey'st him so? | Wherefore ey'st him so? |
| Hamlet | Ham I.iv.57 | Say, why is this? Wherefore? What should we do? | Say, why is this? wherefore? what should we doe? |
| Hamlet | Ham II.i.36.1 | Wherefore should you do this? | Wherefore should you doe this? |
| Hamlet | Ham II.ii.295 | and Queen moult no feather. I have of late – but wherefore | and Queene: moult no feather, I haue of late, but wherefore |
| Henry IV Part 1 | 1H4 III.ii.121 | But wherefore do I tell these news to thee? | But wherefore doe I tell these Newes to thee? |
| Henry IV Part 2 | 2H4 II.i.66 | Stand from him, fellow; wherefore hangest thou upon him? | Stand from him Fellow; wherefore hang'st vpon him? |
| Henry IV Part 2 | 2H4 II.ii.72 | fool, must you be blushing? Wherefore blush you now? | Foole, must you be blushing? Wherefore blush you now? |
| Henry IV Part 2 | 2H4 IV.i.47 | Wherefore do you so ill translate yourself | Wherefore doe you so ill translate your selfe, |
| Henry IV Part 2 | 2H4 IV.i.53 | Wherefore do I this? So the question stands. | Wherefore doe I this? so the Question stands. |
| Henry IV Part 2 | 2H4 IV.ii.98 | Now, cousin, wherefore stands our army still? | Now Cousin, wherefore stands our Army still? |
| Henry IV Part 2 | 2H4 IV.iv.102 | And wherefore should these good news make me sick? | And wherefore should these good newes / Make me sicke? |
| Henry IV Part 2 | 2H4 IV.v.89 | But wherefore did he take away the crown? | But wherefore did hee take away the Crowne? |
| Henry V | H5 IV.vii.8 | all that was in the King's tent, wherefore the King most | all that was in the Kings Tent, wherefore the King most |
| Henry V | H5 IV.viii.69 | you to mend your shoes. Come, wherefore should you | you to mend your shooes: come, wherefore should you |
| Henry V | H5 V.i.3 | There is occasions and causes why and wherefore | There is occasions and causes why and wherefore |
| Henry V | H5 V.ii.1 | Peace to this meeting, wherefore we are met! | Peace to this meeting, wherefore we are met; |
| Henry VI Part 1 | 1H6 I.iv.53 | Wherefore a guard of chosen shot I had | Wherefore a guard of chosen Shot I had, |
| Henry VI Part 1 | 1H6 II.i.54 | Wherefore is Charles impatient with his friend? | Wherefore is Charles impatient with his friend? |
| Henry VI Part 1 | 1H6 IV.i.84 | And wherefore crave you combat, or with whom? | And wherefore craue you Combate? Or with whom? |
| Henry VI Part 1 | 1H6 V.iii.108 | Lady, wherefore talk you so? | Lady, wherefore talke you so? |
| Henry VI Part 2 | 2H6 I.i.113 | But wherefore weeps Warwick, my valiant son? | But wherefore weepes Warwicke, my valiant sonne? |
| Henry VI Part 2 | 2H6 III.ii.309 | A plague upon them! Wherefore should I curse them? | A plague vpon them: wherefore should I cursse them? |
| Henry VI Part 2 | 2H6 III.ii.381 | But wherefore grieve I at an hour's poor loss, | But wherefore greeue I at an houres poore losse, |
| Henry VI Part 2 | 2H6 IV.x.6 | I could stay no longer. Wherefore, on a brick wall have | I could stay no longer. Wherefore on a Bricke wall haue |
| Henry VI Part 2 | 2H6 V.i.172 | Or wherefore dost abuse it, if thou hast it? | Or wherefore doest abuse it, if thou hast it? |
| Henry VI Part 3 | 3H6 IV.iii.21 | Ay, wherefore else guard we his royal tent, | I: wherefore else guard we his Royall Tent, |
| Henry VI Part 3 | 3H6 IV.v.24 | But wherefore stay we? 'Tis no time to talk. | But wherefore stay we? 'tis no time to talke. |
| Henry VI Part 3 | 3H6 IV.vii.58 | Why, brother, wherefore stand you on nice points? | Why Brother, wherefore stand you on nice points? |
| Henry VI Part 3 | 3H6 V.vi.29 | But wherefore dost thou come? Is't for my life? | But wherefore dost thou come? Is't for my Life? |
| Henry VIII | H8 II.iv.53 | Who deemed our marriage lawful. Wherefore I humbly | Who deem'd our Marriage lawful. Wherefore I humbly |
| Henry VIII | H8 V.i.87.2 | I am fearful – wherefore frowns he thus? | I am fearefull: Wherefore frownes he thus? |
| Henry VIII | H8 V.i.90.1 | Wherefore I sent for you. | wherefore / I sent for you. |
| Julius Caesar | JC I.i.27 | But wherefore art not in thy shop today? | But wherefore art not in thy Shop to day? |
| Julius Caesar | JC I.i.32 | Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home? | Wherefore reioyce? / What Conquest brings he home? |
| Julius Caesar | JC I.ii.83 | But wherefore do you hold me here so long? | But wherefore do you hold me heere so long? |
| Julius Caesar | JC I.iii.53 | But wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens? | But wherefore did you so much tempt the Heauens? |
| Julius Caesar | JC II.i.234 | Portia! What mean you? Wherefore rise you now? | Portia: What meane you? wherfore rise you now? |
| Julius Caesar | JC V.i.8 | Wherefore they do it. They could be content | Wherefore they do it: They could be content |
| King Edward III | E3 I.i.55 | Say, Duke of Lorraine, wherefore art thou come? | Say Duke of Lorrayne wherefore art thou come. |
| King Edward III | E3 I.i.121 | But wherefore comes Sir William Montague? | Moun. But wherefore comes Sir william Mountague? |
| King Edward III | E3 II.i.139 | Then wherefore talk'st thou of a period | Then wherefore talkest thou of a period, |
| King Edward III | E3 III.ii.2 | And wherefore are ye laden thus with stuff? | And wherefore are ye laden thus with stuffe: |
| King John | KJ III.iv.69 | Yes, that I will; and wherefore will I do it? | Yes that I will: and wherefore will I do it? |
| King John | KJ IV.ii.153 | Thou idle dreamer, wherefore didst thou so? | Thou idle Dreamer, wherefore didst thou so? |
| King John | KJ V.i.44 | But wherefore do you droop? Why look you sad? | But wherefore doe you droope? why looke you sad? |
| King John | KJ V.ii.6 | May know wherefore we took the sacrament, | May know wherefore we tooke the Sacrament, |
| King Lear | KL I.ii.2 | My services are bound. Wherefore should I | My seruices are bound, wherefore should I |
| King Lear | KL I.ii.6 | Lag of a brother? Why bastard? Wherefore base? | Lag of a Brother? Why Bastard? Wherefore base? |
| King Lear | KL II.iv.107 | For the sound man. – Death on my state! wherefore | For the sound man. Death on my state: wherefore |
| King Lear | KL III.vii.51 | Wherefore to Dover? Wast thou not charged at peril – | Wherefore to Douer? Was't thou not charg'd at perill. |
| King Lear | KL III.vii.52 | Wherefore to Dover? Let him answer that. | Wherefore to Douer? Let him answer that. |
| King Lear | KL III.vii.54 | Wherefore to Dover? | Wherefore to Douer? |
| King Lear | KL IV.vi.231.2 | Wherefore, bold peasant, | Wherefore, bold Pezant, |
| Love's Labour's Lost | LLL I.ii.22 | Little pretty, because little. Wherefore apt? | Little pretty, because little: wherefore apt? |
| Love's Labour's Lost | LLL II.i.205.2 | And wherefore not ‘ ships ’? | And wherefore not Ships? |
| Macbeth | Mac II.ii.31 | But wherefore could not I pronounce ‘ Amen ’? | But wherefore could not I pronounce Amen? |
| Macbeth | Mac II.iii.104.2 | Wherefore did you so? | Wherefore did you so? |
| Macbeth | Mac V.v.15.2 | Wherefore was that cry? | Wherefore was that cry? |
| The Merchant of Venice | MV II.v.12 | There are my keys. But wherefore should I go? | There are my Keyes: but wherefore should I go? |
| The Merry Wives of Windsor | MW I.iv.69 | Wherefore shall I be content-a? | Wherefore shall I be content-a? |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | MND II.ii.129 | Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born? | Wherefore was I to this keene mockery borne? |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | MND III.ii.227 | Precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks he this | Precious, celestiall? Wherefore speakes he this |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | MND III.ii.228 | To her he hates? And wherefore doth Lysander | To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | MND III.ii.272 | Hate me? Wherefore? O me, what news, my love? | Hate me, wherefore? O me, what newes my Loue? |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | MND V.i.283 | O wherefore, nature, didst thou lions frame, | O wherefore Nature, did'st thou Lions frame? |
| Much Ado About Nothing | MA II.i.264 | Why, how now, Count! Wherefore are you | Why how now Count, wherfore are you |
| Much Ado About Nothing | MA IV.i.108 | Why, how now, cousin! Wherefore sink you down? | Why how now cosin, wherfore sink you down? |
| Much Ado About Nothing | MA IV.i.117.2 | Yea, wherefore should she not? | Yea, wherefore should she not? |
| Much Ado About Nothing | MA IV.i.118 | Wherefore! Why, doth not every earthly thing | Wherfore? Why doth not euery earthly thing |
| Othello | Oth I.i.86.2 | Why, wherefore ask you this? | Why? Wherefore ask you this? |
| Othello | Oth II.iii.281 | a quarrel, but nothing wherefore. O God, that | a Quarrell, but nothing wherefore. Oh, that |
| Othello | Oth III.iv.78 | Ha! Wherefore? | Ha? wherefore? |
| Othello | Oth III.iv.188 | Leave you! Wherefore? | Leaue you? Wherefore? |
| Pericles | Per IV.iv.42 | Wherefore she does, and swears she'll never stint, | Wherefore she does and sweares sheele neuer stint, |
| Pericles | Per V.i.155.1 | And wherefore called Marina? | And wherefore calld Marina? |
| Richard II | R2 I.iii.31 | What is thy name? And wherefore comest thou hither | What is thy name? and wherfore comst yu hither |
| Richard II | R2 II.ii.45 | Then wherefore dost thou hope he is not shipped? | Then wherefore dost thou hope he is not shipt? |
| Richard II | R2 II.iii.121 | To upstart unthrifts? Wherefore was I born? | To vpstart Vnthrifts? Wherefore was I borne? |
| Richard III | R3 I.iv.174 | Who sent you hither? Wherefore do you come? | Who sent you hither? Wherefore do you come? |
| Richard III | R3 III.vii.115 | Else wherefore breathe I in a Christian land? | Else wherefore breathe I in a Christian Land. |
| Richard III | R3 IV.iv.476 | You cannot guess wherefore the Welshman comes. | You cannot guesse wherefore the Welchman comes. |
| Richard III | R3 V.iii.188 | Alack, I love myself. Wherefore? For any good | Alacke, I loue my Selfe. Wherefore? For any good |
| Richard III | R3 V.iii.203 | Nay, wherefore should they, since that I myself | Nay, wherefore should they? Since that I my Selfe, |
| Romeo and Juliet | RJ I.v.60 | Why, how now, kinsman? Wherefore storm you so? | Why how now kinsman, / Wherefore storme you so? |
| Romeo and Juliet | RJ II.ii.33 | O Romeo, Romeo! – wherefore art thou Romeo? | O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? |
| Romeo and Juliet | RJ II.ii.62 | How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? | How cam'st thou hither. / Tell me, and wherefore? |
| Romeo and Juliet | RJ III.ii.100 | But wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my cousin? | But wherefore Villaine did'st thou kill my Cozin? |
| Romeo and Juliet | RJ III.ii.107 | All this is comfort. Wherefore weep I then? | All this is comfort, wherefore weepe I then? |
| The Taming of the Shrew | TS III.ii.93 | And wherefore gaze this goodly company | And wherefore gaze this goodly company, |
| The Taming of the Shrew | TS IV.iv.102 | She will be pleased, then wherefore should I doubt? | She will be pleas'd, then wherefore should I doubt: |
| The Tempest | Tem I.ii.138.2 | Wherefore did they not | Wherefore did they not |
| The Tempest | Tem II.i.314.1 | Wherefore this ghastly looking? | Wherefore this ghastly looking? |
| The Tempest | Tem III.i.76.2 | Wherefore weep you? | Wherefore weepe you? |
| Timon of Athens | Tim I.i.236 | Wherefore? | Wherefore? |
| Timon of Athens | Tim II.ii.48.1 | Wherefore you are not paid. | Wherefore you are not paid. |
| Timon of Athens | Tim II.ii.129 | You make me marvel wherefore ere this time | You make me meruell wherefore ere this time |
| Titus Andronicus | Tit II.iii.10 | My lovely Aaron, wherefore look'st thou sad, | My louely Aaron, / Wherefore look'st thou sad, |
| Titus Andronicus | Tit III.i.48 | But wherefore stand'st thou with thy weapon drawn? | But wherefore stand'st thou with thy weapon drawne? |
| Titus Andronicus | Tit III.ii.26 | Ah, wherefore dost thou urge the name of hands, | Ah, wherefore dost thou vrge the name of hands, |
| Titus Andronicus | Tit IV.i.15 | Canst thou not guess wherefore she plies thee thus? | Canst thou not gesse wherefore she plies thee thus? |
| Titus Andronicus | Tit IV.ii.146 | What mean'st thou, Aaron? Wherefore didst thou this? | What mean'st thou Aaron? / Wherefore did'st thou this? |
| Troilus and Cressida | TC I.i.107 | How now, Prince Troilus! wherefore not a-field? | How now Prince Troylus? / Wherefore not a field? |
| Troilus and Cressida | TC II.i.54 | Why, how now, Ajax! Wherefore do you this? | Why how now Aiax? wherefore do you this? |
| Troilus and Cressida | TC II.iii.227.2 | Wherefore should you so? | Wherefore should you so? |
| Troilus and Cressida | TC V.vii.19 | will not bite another, and wherefore should one bastard? | will not bite another, and wherefore should one Bastard? |
| Twelfth Night | TN I.iii.68 | Wherefore, sweetheart? What's your | Wherefore (sweet-heart?) What's your |
| Twelfth Night | TN I.iii.118 | Wherefore are these things hid? Wherefore | Wherefore are these things hid? Wherefore |
| The Two Gentlemen of Verona | TG I.i.51 | But wherefore waste I time to counsel thee | But wherefore waste I time to counsaile thee |
| The Two Gentlemen of Verona | TG IV.iv.75.2 | Wherefore shouldst thou pity her? | Wherefore should'st thou pitty her? |
| The Two Gentlemen of Verona | TG V.ii.27 | Wherefore? | Wherefore? |
| The Two Noble Kinsmen | TNK III.v.7 | And do you still cry ‘ Where?’ and ‘ How?’ and ‘ Wherefore?’ | and do you still cry where, and how, & wherfore? |
| The Winter's Tale | WT IV.iv.85.2 | Wherefore, gentle maiden, | Wherefore (gentle Maiden) |
| The Winter's Tale | WT IV.iv.750 | The fardel there, what's i'th' fardel? Wherefore | The Farthell there? What's i'th' Farthell? / Wherefore |