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 (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; 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 Messina] Ed.; Messina, Innogen his wife Q
2, 10. Pedro] Q (Peter)
15. lion.] ~, Q
41. bird-bolt] Q (Burbolt)
58. stuffing—well] ~ ^ ~ Q
63. that.] ~, Q
87. Claudio!] ~, Q
87. Benedick] Q (Benedict)
90. Do,] ~ ^ Q
94 and hereafter to
2.1.314. SP PRINCE] this ed.; Pedro Q
111. SP BENEDICK] Q (Be.)
114–15. talking, . . . Benedick,] Q
141. i’] Q (a)
144. all, Leonato.—] ~: ~, Q
152–53. lord, . . . brother,] ~, . . . ~: Q
154 and hereafter to
2.2.55. SP DON JOHN] Ed.; Iohn Q
199. SD Pedro] Ed.; Pedro, Iohn the bastard Q
259. vilely] Q (vildly)
261. hire^] ~: Q
268. hours.] ~, Q
274. you—] ~. Q
276. it—] ~. Q
280. sometimes] Q (sometime)
281. neither.] ~, Q
302. words.] ~, Q
1.2.
0. SD meeting] Ed.; and Q
3 and hereafter in this scene. SP LEONATO’S BROTHER] this ed.; Old Q
27. skill] F; shill Q
1.3.
22–23. root^ . . . yourself.] ~, . . . ~, Q
38. SD 1 line later in Q
47. brother’s] F; bothers Q
52. on] Q (one)
67. me?] ~. Q
70. o’] Q (a)
2.1.
0. SD brother, Hero . . . niece, with . . . Margaret] Ed.; brother, his wife, Hero . . . niece, and a kinsman. Q
2 and hereafter in this scene. SP LEONATO’S BROTHER] this ed.; brother Q
40. bearherd] Q (Berrord)
42. SP LEONATO] Lenoato Q
66. you.] ~, Q
72, 74. jig] ijgge Q
83. SD Prince^ Pedro . . . and Don John] Ed.; prince, Pedro . . . or dumb Iohn Q
83. SD with a Drum . . . all in masks] F (Maskers with a drum); not in Q
84. a bout] about Q
86. So^] ~, Q
148. SD F, 4 lines later; not in Q
192. drover] Q (Drouier)
207. SD Leonato] this ed.; Leonato, Iohn and Borachio, and Conrade. Q
293–94. father^ . . . obtained.] ~, . . . ~, Q
299. cue] Q (Qu)
307. it, . . . fool,] ~, . . . ~ ^ Q
325. o’] Q (a)
340. SP PRINCE] this ed.; Pedro Q
365. too,] ~ ^ Q
2.2.
43. Margaret term] Q (Marg terme)
2.3.
7. SD 1 line earlier in Q
25. an] Q (and)
36. SD Claudio . . . music] Ed.; Claudio, Musicke Q; “Enter Balthaser with musicke” 6 lines later in Q
64. SP BALTHASAR sings] Ed.; The Song Q corr.; The Song [g inverted] Q uncorr.
76–79. so, . . . nonny] so, &c. Q
87. lief] Q (liue)
94. SD 1 line earlier in Q
108–9. it, . . . affection,] Q
143. us of] F; of us Q
159. sometimes] Q (sometime)
184–85. well. . . . love,] ~, . . .~, Q
249. Against] Aganst Q
3.1.
0. SD and 4 Ursula] Q (Ursley)
9. enter,] ~: Q
63. featured,] ~. Q
67. antic] Q (antique)
69. vilely] Q (vildly)
101. bearing,] ~ ^ Q
117. on; . . . will] on . . . will Q corr.; one . . . wil Q uncorr.
3.2.
19–20. love. . . . sad,] ~, . . .~, Q
27. can] Ed.; cannot Q
39. o’] Q (a)
51. SP PRINCE] F; Bene. Q
65. toothache.—] ~, Q
73 and hereafter to
4.1.70. SP DON JOHN] Ed.; Bastard Q
74. e’en] Q (den)
79. of^] Q uncorr.; ~, Q corr.
90. manifest.] ~, Q
90–91. brother, I . . . heart^] Ed.; ~, ~ . . . ~, Q uncorr.; ~ (~ . . . ~) Q corr.
91. holp] Q corr. (holpe); hope Q uncorr.
96–97. for . . . of,] (for . . . talking of) Q corr.; ^for . . . talking, Q uncorr.
105. me^] Q corr.; ~, Q uncorr.
107. her^ then,] ~, ~^ Q
117. her,] ~ ^ Q
117. congregation,] Q corr.; ~ ^ Q uncorr.
3.3.
15. name.] ~, Q uncorr.; ~: Q corr.
17, 27. SP SEACOAL] Ed.; Watch 2 Q
17. constable—] ~. Q
24. lantern] Q (lanthorne)
37, 66. SP SECOND WATCHMAN] this ed.; Watch Q
44, 48, 53. SP SEACOAL] this ed.; Watch Q
87, 95, 105. SP SEACOAL] Ed.; Watch Q
107. Don] F; Dun Q
123. deformed] Q corr.; defermed Q uncorr.
125. SP FIRST WATCHMAN] this ed.; Watch Q
126–27. year. He . . . down] yeere, a . . . downe Q corr.; yeere ^ a . . . down Q uncorr.
127. I] Q corr.; omit Q uncorr.
134. reechy] Q (rechie)
134, 135. sometimes] Q (sometime)
148. vilely] Q (vildly)
149–50. Prince, . . . planted^] ~ ^ . . . ~. Q
153. SP CONRADE] Corn. Q corr.; Con. Q uncorr.
154. SP BORACHIO] Bar. Q
156. oaths,] ~. Q
167. SP SEACOAL] this ed.; Watch 2 Q
173, 176. SP DOGBERRY] this ed. (after J. C. Meagher, “Conrade Conned: or, the career of Hugh Oatcake,” Shakespeare Quarterly 24 (1972): 90–92; Conr Q corr.; Con. or Con Q uncorr.
173. masters—] ~ . Q
174. SP FIRST WATCHMAN] Ed.; Watch 2 Q
177. speak, . . . you,] Q
180. SP CONRADE] Conr. Q corr.; Con. Q uncorr.
3.4.
1. Good] Q corr.; God Q uncorr.
18. in] F; it Q
19, 43, 45. o’] Q (a)
3.5.
0. SD Leonato, and] Q uncorr.; Leonati, and Q corr.
2, 6, 9, 15, 18, 23, 32, 41, 43. SP DOGBERRY] Ed.; Const. Dog. Q
7, 13, 27, 29. SP VERGES] Ed.; Headb. Q
9. off] Q (of)
23. an] and’t Q
32. talking.] ~ ^ Q
34. see!—] ~, Q uncorr.; ~: Q corr.
37. troth he is, as] Q corr.; ~, ~ ~ ^ ~ Q uncorr.
50. SP DOGBERRY] Ed.; Constable Q
54. SD 4 lines earlier in Q
4.1.
4. SP FRIAR] Fran. Q
26. SP LEONATO] Leonata Q
29. SP PRINCE] Princn Q
48. virginity—] ~. Q
57. thee,] ~ ^ Q
91. SP HERO] Q corr. (Hero); Bero Q uncorr.
100. SP DON JOHN] Ed.; Iohn Q
116. SP DON JOHN] Ed.; Bastard Q
120. Benedick!] ~, Q corr.; ~ ^ Q uncorr.
126. up?] Q corr. (vp?); ~. Q uncorr.
128. Why,] ~ ^ Q
131. eyes,] Q uncorr. (eies,); ~: Q corr.
145. on,] ~ ^ Q
146–47. mine, . . . her—] ~: . . . ~, Q
156. Lady,] Q corr.; ~ ^ Q uncorr.
165. silent been] Ed.; bin silent Q
166–67. fortune, . . . lady.] ~, . . . ~, Q
176. tenor] Q (tenure)
200–1. not. . . . her.] ~, . . .~, Q
213. princes . . . dead.] Q as “princesse (left for dead,)”
228. out^] ~. Q
239. moving,] ~ ^ Q
307. here.] ~, Q
318. hand^] ~: Q
309, 322, 325. Beatrice—] ~. Q
328. Beat—] ~? Q
4.2.
0. SD Enter . . . Borachio] Ed.; Enter the Constables, Borachio, and the Towne clearke in gownes. Q
1. SP DOGBERRY] Ed.; Keeper Q
2, 5, 70. SP VERGES] Ed.; Cowley Q
4. SP DOGBERRY] Ed.; Andrew Q
7. offenders^] ~? Q
10, 13, 17, 20, 27, 32, 38, 43, 46, 52, 58, 72, 76. SP DOGBERRY] Ed.; Kemp Q
19. SP BORACHIO/CONRADE] Q (Both)
45. constable—] ~. Q
49. SP SEACOAL] this ed.; Watch 2 Q
53. SP VERGES] Const. Q
61. SP SEACOAL] this ed.; Watch Q
69. SP DOGBERRY] Constable Q
70–71. hands— | CONRADE Off, coxcomb!] Ed.; hands of Coxcombe Q
74. them.—] ~, Q
75. SP CONRADE] Ed.; Couley Q
5.1.
1 and hereafter throughout this scene. SP LEONATO’S BROTHER] this ed.; Brother Q
17. Bid] Ed.; And Q
48. e’en . . . e’en] Q (den . . . den)
50. lords—] ~? Q
97. Brother—] ~. Q
103, 112. Anthony—] ~. Q
108. anticly] Q (antiquely)
109. off] Q (of)
119. lord—] ~. Q
121. No?] ~^ Q
122. SD Leonato . . . exit.] this ed.; Exeunt amb. Q, 1 line earlier
128. like] F2; likt Q
130. brother.] ~ ^ Q
141. wit.] ~, Q
149. me.] ~, Q
161. sweet] sweeete Q
167. him.] ~ ^ Q
169. naught.] ~, Q
194. on] Q (one)
204. Lackbeard^ there,] ~, ~ ^ Q
215. up,] ~ ^ Q
216. SD 4 lines earlier in Q
217, 225, 264, 319, 330, 333, 336. SP DOGBERRY] Ed.; Const. Q
268. SP VERGES] Ed.; Con. 2 Q
278–79. men— . . . fled—] ~, . . .~^ Q
5.2.
9. me? Why,] ~, ~^ Q
25. SD 1 line earlier in Q
29. deserve—] ~. Q
41. SD 2 lines later in Q
68. think.] ~, Q
86. myself.] ~ ^ Q
5.3.
3. slanderous] slauderous Q
10. dumb] F (dombe); dead Q
11. SP Now] Ed.; Claudio Now Q
17. groan^] ~. Q
22. SP CLAUDIO] Ed.; Lo. Q
32. speed ’s] Q (speeds)
5.4.
0.SD Leonato’s brother] this ed.; old man Q
5. will, . . . appears^] ~ ^ . . .~, Q
7 and hereafter. SP LEONATO’S BROTHER] this ed.; Old Q
41. Benedick] Q (Bened.)
53. SD 1 line earlier in Q
69–70. qualify, . . . ended,] Q
82. cousin,] ~ ^ Q
102. SP BENEDICK] Ed.; Leon. Q
102. Peace!] ~ ^ Q
125. play,] ~ ^ Q