The reading of the present text appears to the left of the square bracket. Unless otherwise noted, the reading to the left of the bracket is from Q, the First Quarto text of 1598 (upon which this edition is based). The earliest sources of readings not in Q are indicated as follows: F is the First Folio of 1623; Q2 is the Second Quarto of 1631; F2 is the Second Folio of 1632; F3 is the Third Folio of 1663–64; F4 is the Fourth Folio of 1685; Ed. is an earlier editor of Shakespeare, beginning with Rowe in 1709. No sources are given for emendations of punctuation or for corrections of obvious typographical errors, like turned letters that produce no known word. SD means stage direction; SP means speech prefix; uncorr. means the first or uncorrected state of the First Quarto; corr. means the second or corrected state of the First Quarto; ~ stands in place of a word already quoted before the square bracket; ^ indicates the omission of a punctuation mark.
1.1
0. SD King] Q (K.)
1 and hereafter to
1.1.304. SP KING] Ferdinand (or Ferd., Fer.) Q
5. buy^] ~: Q
10. desires,] ~. Q
16. me,] ~: Q
18. schedule] Q (sedule)
25. three] F; thee Q
30. delights^] ~: Q
31. slaves.] ~^ Q
32. pomp] F; pome Q
34. over.] ~, Q
41. besides] Q (beside)
51. please.] ~, Q
58. common] Q (cammon)
64. feast] Ed.; fast Q, F
65. fine^] ~. Q
67. hard-a-keeping] Q (hard a keeping)
72. quite] Q (quit)
74. Why,] ~? Q
74. and] F; but Q
131. SP BEROWNE] Ed.; omit Q, F
131. gentility] Q (gentletie)
134. public] publibue Q
136. This] Ber. This Q, F
137. embassy] Q (Embassaie)
141. bedrid] Q (bedred)
145. overshot.] ~, Q
170. One] Q (On)
171. enchanting] inchannting Q
173. umpire] Q (vmpier)
176. knight^] ~: Q
184. SD Enter a Constable with Costard with a letter. Q
185 and hereafter in this act except at
1.1.271. SP DULL] Ed.; Constab. (Const.) Q, F
186. This,] ~^ Q
194 and hereafter except at
4.3.212. SP COSTARD] Ed.; Clowne (or Clow., Clo.) Q, F
194. contempts] Contempls Q
205. merriness] Q (merrines)
224. welkin’s] welkis Q
224. vicegerent] Q (Vizgerent)
225. dominator] Q (dominatur)
227. Costard] Q corr. (Costard); Costart Q uncorr.
235. besieged] F; besedged Q
266. as my] Q corr.; asmy Q uncorr.
268. officer] Gfficer Q
271. SP DULL] Ed.; Antho. Q, F
271. an ’t] Q (ant)
281. worst] Q (wost)
294. varied] Q (varried)
299. SP COSTARD] Col. Q
313–14. prosperity] prosperie Q
314. Affliction] afficcio Q
1.2.
0 and hereafter. Mote] Q (Moth)
4. Why,] ~? Q
14. epitheton] Q (apethaton)
100. blushing] F2; blush-in Q
104. For] Eor Q
108.
110. ballad] Q (Ballet)
130. dey-woman] Q (Day womand)
134. and hereafter in this scene. SP JAQUENETTA] Ed.; Maide or Ma. Q, F
145. SP DULL] Ed.; Clo. Q, F
162. Master] Q (M.)
179. duello] F; Duella Q
2.1.
0. SD other] Ed.; three Q
2. Consider] Cosider Q
11. besides] Q (beside)
13. SP PRINCESS] Ed.; Queene Q
13. Lord] Q (L.)
32. Importunes] F; Importuous Q
34. humble-visaged] F; humble visage Q
36. SD 1 line earlier in Q
36. SD Boyet] Q (Boy.)
39. SP A LORD] Ed.; Lor. Q, F
39. Lord Longaville] Ed.; Longauill Q, F
41. SP MARIA] Ed.; 1. Lady Q, F
41. madam.] ~^ Q
42. Lord] Q (L.)
43. solemnizèd^] ~. Q
45. parts] F; peerelsse Q
48.
49. gloss] Q (glose)
51. cut, . . . wills^] ~^ . . . ~, Q
54. SP MARIA] Ed.; Lad. Q; Lad. 1. F
57. SP KATHERINE] Ed.; 2 Lad. Q, F
62. Alanson’s] Q (Alansoes)
65. SP ROSALINE] F (Rossa.); 3 Lad. Q
75. tales,] ~. Q
81. SP A LORD] Q (Lord.); Ma. F
90. unpeopled] F; vnpeeled Q
91. Here] F; Bo. Heere Q
92 and hereafter to
2.1.113. SP KING] Ed.; Nauar, Nau. Q, F
102. it, will^] ~^ ~, Q
117–30. SP ROSALINE] F; Kather. or Kath. Q
125. o’] Q (a)
132 and hereafter to
2.1.172. SP KING] F; Ferd. Q
134. of an] F; of, of an Q
144. friendship] faiendship Q
146. demand] pemaund Q
148. On] Q (One)
166. special] spciall Q
179. heart,] ~. Q
180. house.] ~, Q
184. SP KING] F; Na. Q
186. own] F; none Q
193. SP BEROWNE] Bar. Q
195. prick ’t] Q (prickt)
201. Katherine] Ed.; Rosalin Q
217. Rosaline] Ed.; Katherin Q
220. You] F; O you Q
221. SD Berowne] Q (Bero.)
222. SP MARIA] Q (Lady Maria)
222. lord] Q (L.)
228. SP KATHERINE] Q (Lady Ka.); La. Ma. F
231–36. SP KATHERINE] Ed.; La. or Lad. Q, F
237. but, gentles,] ~^ ~^ Q
240. lies,] lyes^ Q corr.; lyes? Q uncorr.
241. wi’ th’] Q (with)
268. SP MARIA] Ed.; Lad. Q; Lad. Ro. F
269. SP KATHERINE] Ed.; Lad. 2 Q; La. Ma. F
270. SP ROSALINE] Ed.; Lad. 3 Q; Lad. 2. F
273. SP MARIA] Ed.; Lad. Q; La. 1. F
276. SP MARIA] Ed.; Lad. Q; Lad. 2. F
3.1.
1–70. SP ARMADO] Ed.; Brag. or Bra. Q, F
14. as] Ed.; omit Q, F
14.
15. sometimes] Q (sometime)
15. singing love,] ~ ~^ Q
16. through the nose] F2; through: nose Q, F
17. love;] ~^ Q
19. thin-belly] F; thinbellies Q
25. me?—] Ed.; men^ Q
28. penny] Ed.; penne Q
36. Negligent] Q (Necligent)
41. live; and this] ~^ (~ ~) Q corr.; ~^ (~) ~ Q uncorr.
59. Thy] F; The Q
70. voluble] Q (volable)
73. SD Boy] Page Q, F
74 and hereafter in this scene except line
113. SP BOY] Pag. Q, F
78. the mail] Q (thee male)
78. plain] pline Q
111. SP ARMADO] Ar. Q corr.; Arm. Q uncorr.
111. argument] Q corr.; argumet Q uncorr.
131. liberty,] ~. Q
143. ounce] ouce Q
146. farthings—remuneration.] ~ ^~, Q
146. remuneration] remuration Q
147. One penny] Q (i.d.)
148–49. Why, . . . it! Remuneration. Why,] ~? . . .~^ ~:~? Q
151. My] Ed.; O my Q, F
155. What] F; O what Q
157. Why] Ed.; O, why Q, F
159. Stay] Ed.; O stay Q, F
163. This] Ed.; O this Q, F
165. Thou] Ed.; O thou Q, F
184. And] Ed.; O and Q, F
185. beadle] Q (Bedell)
186. critic] Crietick Q
190. Junior] Ed.; Iunios Q
200. clock] F2; Cloake Q, F
206. whitely] Q (whitly)
214. sue] Q (shue)
4.1.
1 and hereafter in this scene. SP PRINCESS] F2; Quee. Q, F
2. steep uprising] Q (steepe vp rising)
11. SP PRINCESS] Qnee. Q
29. do ’t] Q (doote)
34. praise,] ~^ Q
52. mistress] Mistrs Q
53. o’] Q (a)
54. fit] Q corr.; fir Q uncorr.
73. set] Q corr. (set); sets Q uncorr.
75. was] Q corr. (was); is was Q uncorr.
78. overcame] couercame Q
83. King’s] Q2; King Q, F
89. What^] ~, Q
92. picture] Q corr.; pictture Q uncorr.
95. Adriano] Q (Adriana)
113. you:] ~, Q
140. France] Frannce Q
141. touching] touchiug Q
144. touching] Q (toching)
148. SD placed as in F, 2 lines earlier in Q
150. did] Q corr.; hid Q uncorr.
151. it] F4; omit Q, F
156. o’ the] Q corr. (a’the); a the Q uncorr.
157. he] a’ Q corr.; a Q uncorr.
157. ne’er] Q (neare)
160. pin] F2; is in Q, F
172. o’ th’ one] Ed.; ath toothen Q; ath to the F
176. o’ t’ other] Q (atother)
177. a] F2; omit Q, F
177. SD Shout] F2; Shoot Q, F 1 line later in Q and F, after “Exeunt”
178. SD He exits.] this ed.; Exeunt Q, F
4.2.
1. reverend] Q (reuerent)
3. SP HOLOFERNES] Ed.; Ped. Q, F
8. SP NATHANIEL] Q (Curat Nath.)
8. Master] Q (M.)
8. epithets] Q (epythithes)
9. varied] vatried Q
14–15. explication; facere,] ~^ ~: Q
32. of] Ed.; omit Q, F
34. indiscreet] indistreell Q
43. Dictynna . . . Dictynna] Ed.; Dictisima . . . dictisima Q, F
56. pollution] Q (polusion)
57. besides] Q (beside)
58. ’twas] Q corr.; was Q uncorr.
61. ignorant, call I] Ed.; ignorault cald Q; ignorant call’d F
61. deer^] ~: Q
63. Master] Q (M.)
64. scurrility] Q (squirilitie)
82. SP HOLOFERNES] Ed.; Nath. Q, F
86. pia mater] Ed.; primater Q, F
88. in whom] F; whom Q
90. SP NATHANIEL] Ed.; Holo. Q, F
90. Lord] Q (L.)
95. SP HOLOFERNES] Ed.; Nath. Q, F
95. ingenious] Ed.; ingenous Q; ingennous F
100,
103,
108. Master] Q (M.)
101. SP HOLOFERNES] Ed.; Nath. Q, F
101. pierce one] Person Q, F
102. pierced] Q (perst)
103–4. likeliest] Q (liklest)
105,
112,
124,
156. SP HOLOFERNES] Nath. Q, F
105. piercing] Q (persing)
112. peccas] pecas Q
112. umbra.] vmbra^ Q
116–17. Venetia . . . pretia] Ed.; vemchie, vencha, que non te vnde, que non te perreche Q, F
123. SP NATHANIEL] Ed.; Holo. Q, F
124. stanza] stauze Q; stanze F
131. eyes,] ~. Q
142. wrong] Q corr.; woug Q uncorr.
144.
174.
178.
188. SP HOLOFERNES] Q (Pedan., Ped., or Peda.)
144. apostrophus] apostraphas Q
145. canzonet. Here] Ed.; cangenet. Nath. Here Q, F
150. fancy, . . . invention?] ~? . . .^ Q
150. Imitari] imitarie Q, F
159. writing] Ed.; written Q, F
161. Berowne. Sir Nathaniel] Ed.; Berowne. Ped. Sir Holofernes Q, F (Per.)
168. forgive] forgine Q
169. SP JAQUENETTA] Ed.; Mayd. Q, F
172. SP NATHANIEL] Ed.; Holo. Q, F
182. ben] Ed.; bien Q, F
4.3.
8. o’] Q (a)
13.
14. melancholy] Q (mallicholie)
15. o’] Q (a’)
26. smote^] Q (smot.)
36. wilt] F; will Q
40. paper] Q corr.; pa d er Q uncorr.
46. SP KING] Ed.; Long. Q, F
50. triumviry] Q (triumpherie)
59. heavenly] heanenly Q
70. vapor-vow;] ~-~^ Q
75. idolatry] F; ydotarie Q
76. o’] Q (a)
78. SD 1 line earlier in Q
87. corporal] Q corr. (corporall); croporall Q uncorr.
88. hairs] Q (heires)
103. ode] Odo Q
109. velvet^] ~, Q
112. Wished] Passionate Pilgrim, F2; Wish Q, F
116. thorn] England’s Helicon, Ed.; throne Q, F
125. plain^] ~. Q
162. coaches; . . . tears^] Ed.; couches^ . . . teares. Q
185. to] Ed.; by Q, F
185. by] Ed.; to Q, F
189. you] Ed.; omit Q, F
191. Joan] Q corr. (Ione); Loue Q uncorr.
192. me?] ~^ Q
195. SD 4 lines later in Q, 3 in F
208. SD Berowne] Ed.; He Q, F
210. SP JAQUENETTA] Iaqn. Q
242. Ind^] ~. Q
246. peremptory] Q (peromptorie)
254. culled] Q (culd)
279. and] F4; omit Q, F
280. doters] Q (dooters)
300. lies^] ~? Q
303. Nothing] F2; O nothing Q, F
311. See
<appendix. woman’s] womas Q
317. beauty’s] beautis Q
318. brain^] ~: Q
329. sound,] ~. Q
333. dainty^] ~, Q
336. Subtle] Subtir Q
353. authors] Ed.; authour Q, F
355. Let] F2; Lets Q, F
361. standards] Q (standars)
377. Allons! Allons!] Ed.; Alone alone Q, F
379. forsworn] forsorne Q
5.1.
0. ACT 5] Ed.; Actus Quartus F
1 and hereafter. SP HOLOFERNES] Ed.; Pedant (or Ped. or Peda.) Q, F
2 and hereafter. SP NATHANIEL] Ed.; Curat. Q, F
10. hominem] F3; hominum Q, F
20–21. orthography] Q (ortagriphie)
27. insanie] Ed.; infamie Q, F
29. bone] Ed.; bene Q, F
30. Bone? Bone] Ed.; Bome boon Q, F
30. bene] Ed.; boon Q, F
33. gaudeo] Q (gaudio)
34 and hereafter. SP ARMADO] Ed.; Brag. Q, F
35. Quare] Q (Quari)
41. master] Q (M.)
45 and hereafter. SP BOY] Ed.; Page Q, F
50. SP HOLOFERNES] Poda. Q
58. wave] F; wane Q
58–59. Mediterraneum] Q (meditaranium)
76. wert] Q (wart)
78. dunghill] Q (dungil)
79. Dunghill] Q (dunghel)
93. culled] Q (culd)
99. important] Q (importunt); importunate F
102. sometimes] Q (sometime)
104. mustachio] Q (mustachie)
108. travel] Q (trauayle)
110. secrecy] Q (secretie)
118. Nathaniel] Ed.; Holofernes Q, F
120. rendered] F; rended Q
120. assistance] Ed.; assistants Q, F
151. Allons] Ed.; Alone Q, F
5.2.
1 and hereafter. SP PRINCESS] Ed.; Queen Q, F
8. o’] Q (a)
13. ne’er] Q (neare)
18. ha’] Q (a)
18. been a] F (bin a); bin Q
58.
62. SP MARIA] F (Mar.); Marg. Q
58. pearls] F; Pearle Q
70. hests] Ed.; deuice Q, F
72. pair-taunt-like] Ed.; perttaunt like Q; pertaunt like F
75. hatched^] ~: Q
79. wantonness] F2; wantons be Q, F
85. stabbed] F; stable Q
89. peace.] ~^ Q
93. Saint Cupid] Q (S. Cupid)
95. sycamore] Siccamone Q
99. companions.] ~^ Q
99. Warily] Q (warely)
101. overheard] Q (ouer hard)
102. they] F; thy Q
104. embassage.] ~^ Q
141. too] Q (two)
155. her] F2; his Q, F
159. ne’er] F2; ere Q, F
163. SD trumpet] Q (Trom.)
166. SP BOYET] Ed.; Berow. Q, F
167. SD 1 line later in Q, F
170. ever] F; euen Q
182. strangers] F; stranges Q
188. Princess] F4; Princes Q, F
208. travel] Q (trauaile)
224. yet?] ~^ Q
228. The music] Ed.; Rosa. The musique Q, F
229. SP ROSALINE Our] Ed.; Our Q, F
236. measure!] measue^ Q
241. cannot] cennot Q
265–80. SP KATHERINE] Ed.; Maria (Mari. or Mar.) Q, F
276. Look] Q (Loke)
283. seen;] ~, Q
284. of sense, so sensible^] ~ ~^ ~ ~, Q
285. conference.] ~, Q
291. SD exit] Q (Exe)
296. have;] ~^ Q
309. perhaps] perhapt Q
329. vailing] varling Q; vailing F
333. still,] ~^ Q
356. his hand away] Ed.; his hand, a way Q; away his hand F
360. ushering] Q (hushering)
363. flower] Q (floure)
374. Construe] Q (Consture)
374. speeches] spaches Q
385. unsullied] Q (vnsallied)
408. foolish.] ~^ Q
409. With] Wtih Q
413. eye—] ~. Q
427. Help, . . . brows!] ~^ . . . ~ , Q
432. I, lady.] ~, ~^ Q
443. affectation] Ed.; affection Q, F
451. begin:] ~^ Q
453. Sans^ “sans,”] Sans, sans, Q
504. on ’t] Q (ant)
508. zany] F; saine Q
528. merrily] Q (merely)
529. manage] Ed.; nuage Q; manager F
552. they] F; thy Q
560. SD 2 lines earlier in Q, F
568. least] F; best Q
583. de la guerra] Ed.; delaguar Q, F
604. leopard’s] Q (Libbards)
619. SP PRINCESS] F2; Lady Q; La. F
631. this] F; his Q
640. conqueror] Conqueronr Q
647. SD Q (Exit Curat.) 6 lines later in Q, F
653. SD 1 line later in Q, F
661. SD steps aside] Ed.; Exit Q
667. proved] Q (proud)
675. elder] Flder Q
693. outfaced] Q (outfaste)
703. SD Enter] Eeter Q
718. gilt] F; gift Q
761. moved.] ~^ Q
761. Ates!] ~^ Q
762. on, stir] Ed.; or stir Q, F
783. for ’t] Q (fort)
784. have] hane Q
792. interruptest] interrnpptest Q
838. strange] Ed.; straying Q, F
839. roll] Q (roule)
841. parti-coated] Q (partie coted)
853. the] F; omit Q
857. in] Ed.; omit Q, F
868. therefore] rherefore Q
884. instant] F; instance Q
889. entitled] inriled Q
893. hermit] Ed.; herrite Q; euer F
893. then.] ~^ Q
893. breast.] See Appendix. to^] ~, Q
895–96. A wife? | KATHERINE A beard. . . . ] Ed.; Kath. A wife? a beard, . . . Q, F
900. smooth-faced] Q (smothfast)
918. estates] estetes Q
919. wit] wi Q
965. This] F; Brag. This Q
967. Ver] F; B. Ver Q
968. SP SPRING] Ed.; omit Q, F
969–70. Ed.; 969 and 970 reversed in Q and F.
990. foul] F; full Q
1002. SP ARMADO] F (Brag.); omit Q
1003. You . . . way.] F; omit Q