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Line 1393 - Commentary Note (CN)

Commentary notes (CN):

1. SMALL CAPS Indicate editions. Notes for each commentator are divided into three parts:

In the 1st two lines of a record, when the name of the source text (the siglum) is printed in SMALL CAPS, the comment comes from an EDITION; when it is in normal font, it is derived from a book, article, ms. record or other source. We occasionally use small caps for ms. sources and for works related to editions. See bibliographies for complete information (in process).

2. How comments are related to predecessors' comments. In the second line of a record, a label "without attribution" indicates that a prior writer made the same or a similar point; such similarities do not usually indicate plagiarism because many writers do not, as a practice, indicate the sources of their glosses. We provide the designation ("standard") to indicate a gloss in common use. We use ≈ for "equivalent to" and = for "exactly alike."

3. Original comment. When the second line is blank after the writer's siglum, we are signaling that we have not seen that writer's gloss prior to that date. We welcome correction on this point.

4. Words from the play under discussion (lemmata). In the third line or lines of a record, the lemmata after the TLN (Through Line Number] are from Q2. When the difference between Q2 and the authors' lemma(ta) is significant, we include the writer's lemma(ta). When the gloss is for a whole line or lines, only the line number(s) appear. Through Line Numbers are numbers straight through a play and include stage directions. Most modern editions still use the system of starting line numbers afresh for every scene and do not assign line numbers to stage directions.

5. Bibliographic information. In the third line of the record, where we record the gloss, we provide concise bibliographic information, expanded in the bibliographies, several of which are in process.

6. References to other lines or other works. For a writer's reference to a passage elsewhere in Ham. we provide, in brackets, Through Line Numbers (TLN) from the Norton F1 (used by permission); we call these xref, i.e., cross references. We call references to Shakespearean plays other than Ham. “parallels” (//) and indicate Riverside act, scene and line number as well as TLN. We call references to non-Shakespearean works “analogues.”

7. Further information: See the Introduction for explanations of other abbreviations. Click here for more information about browsing the entries and here for more information about the special symbols used in Hamletworks. Click the question mark icon above to remove this help message.

Notes for lines 1018-2022 ed. Eric Rasmussen

For explanation of sigla, such as jen, see the editions bib.

1743 mf3bL

1393 escoted] (MS notes in F3 dated 1743, f/ 6v): “escoted from Fr. escorted convoyed, guarded. Corgr:”

1765 john1

john1

1393 Will...Quality] Johnson (ed. 1765): “Will they follow the profession of players, no longer than they keep the voices of boys? So afterwards he says to the player, Come, give us a taste of your quality; Come, a passionate speech.”

1773 v1773

v1773=john1 [“paid”]

1393 Will...Quality] Johnson (ed. 1773): “Will they follow the profession of players no longer than they can keep the voices of boys? So afterwards he says to the player, Come, give us a taste of your quality; come, a passionate speech.”

1778 v1778

v1778

1393 escoted] Johnson (ed 1778): “Paid. From the French escot, a shot or reckoning.”

1780 mals

mals

1393 Will...Quality]Malone (1780, p.354): "So, in the players’ Dedication, prefixed to the first edition of Fletcher’s plays in folio, 1647: ’—directed by the example of some who once steered in our quality, and so fortunately aspired to chuse your honour joined with your now glorified brother, patrons to the flowing compositions of the then expired sweet swan of Avon, Shakspeare.’ Again, in Westward Hoe, a comedy, by Decker and Webster, 1607" ’O, ay, ’tis the curse laid upon our quality; what we glean from others we lavish upon some toothles well-faced younger brother, that loves us only for maintenance,’ Again, in Gosson’s School of Abuse, 1579: ’I speak not of this as though every one [of the players] that professeth the qualitie, so abused himself—’ Malone."

1784 ays

ays = v1778 without attribution

1393 escoted] Ayscough (ed. 1784): “i.e. paid; from the French [text missing], a shot or reckoning.”

ays

1393 Quality] Ayscough (ed. 1784): “Quality for profession.”

1785 v1785

v1785 = mals

1393 Will...Quality] Malone (ed.1785): “So, in the players’ Dedication, prefixed to the first edition of Fletcher’s plays in folio, 1647: ‘--directed by the example of some who once steered in our quality, and so fortunately aspired to chuse your honour, joined with your now glorified brother, patrons to the flowing compofitions of the then expired sweet swan of Avon, Shakspeare.’ Again, in Westward Hoe, a comedy, by Decker and Webster, 1607: ‘O, ay, ‘tis the curse laid upon our quality; what we glean from others we lavish upon some toothless well-fac’d younger brother, that loves us only for maintenance.’ Again, in Gosson’s School of Abuse, 1579: ‘I speak not of this as though everyone [of the players] that professed the qualitie, so abused himself,--.’”

1790 mal

mal

1393-4 Will they pursue the Quality no longer then they can sing?] Malone (ed. 1790): “‘Than they can sing’, does not merely mean, ‘than they keep the voices of boys,’ but is to be understood literally. He is speaking of the choir-boys of St. Paul’s.”

1791- rann

rann ≈ ays minus Origin note

1393 escoted?] Rann (ed. 1791-): “—paid.”

rann ≈ v1773

1394 can sing?] Rann (ed. 1791-): “—Will they follow the occupation only till their voices break?”

1793 v1793

v1793 = v1785 + mal (mal without attribution)

1393 Will...Quality] Malone (ed. 1793): “So, in the players’ Dedication, prefixed to the first edition of Fletcher’s plays in folio, 1647: ‘--directed by the example of some who once steered in our quality, and so fortunately aspired to chuse your honour, joined with your now glorified brother, patrons to the flowing compofitions of the then expired sweet swan of Avon, Shakspeare.’ Again, in Gosson’s School of Abuse, 1579: ‘I speak not of this, as though everyone [of the players] that professeth the qualitie, so abuseth himself,--.’

“‘Than they can sing,’ does not merely mean, ‘than they keep the voices of boys,’ but it is to be understood literally. He is speaking of the choir-boys of St. Paul’s.”

1803 v1803

v1803 = v1793

1813 v1813

v1813 = v1803

1813 gifford (ed. Massinger’s Works, vol. 2. p. 344)

gifford

1393 GIFFORD (ed. 1813): “[Gloss on “I do accuse the quality of treason” in The Roman Actor] Quality, though used in a general sense for any occupation, calling, or condition of life, yet seems more perculiarly appropriated, by our old writers, to that of a player.”

1821 v1821

v1821 = v1813

1826 sing1

sing1 = rann

1393 escoted] Singer (ed. 1826):“i.e. paid.”

sing1 : gifford

1393 Quality] Singer (ed. 1826): “i.e. profession. Mr. Gifford has remarked that ‘this word seems more peculiarly appropriated to the profession of a player by our old writers.’ but in Measure for Measure, Angelo, when the Bawd and Tapster are brought before him, inquires what quality [2.1.58. (513) they are of. In The Two Gentlemen of Verona, the Outlaws speak of men of our quality [4.1.56. (1603)]. And Sir Thomas Eliot, in his Platonic Dialogue, 1534 :—’According to the profession or qualitee, wherein men have opinion that wisdome doth rest, so ought to be the forme of livinge, countenance, and gesture.’ He is now speaking of philosophers.

“‘No longer than they can sing,’ i.e. no longer than they keep the voices of boys, and sing in the choir.”

1841 knt1 (nd)

knt1

1393 escoted] Knight (ed. 1839): “Escoted— paid. The scot— the coin cast down— is the share of any common charge paid by an individual. Th French escotter, is to pay the scot. Hence ‘scot and lot.’”

1843 col1

col1 = v1778 + : johnson

1393 escoted] Collier (ed. 1843): “Paid, says Johnson. From the French escot, a shot or reckoning. We have not met with the word elsewhere.”

1856 hud1 (1851-6)

hud1 ≈ col1, ays, sing1

1393 escoted] Hudson (ed. 1856): "Escoted is paid; from the French escot, a shot or reckoning. --Quality is profession or calling; often so used.--’No longer than they can sing,’ means, no longer than they keep the voices of boys. H."

1856b sing2

sing2=sing1+

1393 escoted] Singer (ed. 1856): “from the Fr. escot, a shot or reckoning.”

1865 hal

hal = v1793

1861 wh1

wh1 ≈ knt1

1393 escoted] White (ed. 1861): “‘--how are they escoted?’--i. e., paid. Who pays their scot.”

wh1 ≈ hud1

1393-4 Will they pursue the Quality no longer then they can sing?] White (ed. 1861): “‘—no longer than they can sing?’ --i. e., until their voices break at puberty.”

1865 Hal

hal = john1

1869 Romdahl

Romdahl

1393 escoted] Romdahl (1869, p. 25): “paid; from scot, O.Fr. escot (a reckoning). As related words may be mentioned O.H.G. scaz, A.S. sceat, sceatt (money). Not elsewhere used by Sh.”

1872 hud2

hud2 = hud1

1393 escoted] Hudson (ed. 1872): “Escoted is paid; from the French escot, a shot or reckoning.”

hud2 = hud1

1393 quality] Hudson (ed. 1872): “Quality is profession or calling; often so used.”

hud2 = hud1

1393 No longer than they can sing] Hudson (ed. 1872): “ ‘No longer than they can sing’ means no longer than they keep the voices of boys.”

1872 cln1

cln1 : Cotgrave

1393 escoted] Clark & Wright (ed. 1872): “paid for. Cotgrave has ’Escotter. Euery one to pay or to contribute somewhat towards it.’ "

1393 the Quality] Clark & Wright (ed. 1872): “the profession, i.e. of players. This was the technical term. So in Two Gentleman of Verona, iv. 1. 58: ’in our quality,’ i.e. in our profession of brigands. Compare also line 417 of this scene. In Gosson’s School of Abuse, p. 39 ( ed. Arber), we read of the profession of players: ’I speake not this, as though euerye one that professeth the qualitie so abused him selfe.’ And see Massinger’s Roman Actor, i. 3. p. 339, ed. Gifford. with the editor’s note."

1877 clns

clns

1393 escoted] Neil (ed. 1877): “paid by share; escoter.”

1883 Kinnear

Kinnear

1393-1394 Will... sing?] Kinnear (1883, p. 404): <p. 404> “compare line 448,— ‘Pray God, your voice, like a piece of uncurrent gold, be not cracked within the ring.’” </p. 404>

1885 macd

macd : johnson

1393 escoted] MacDonald (ed. 1885): “paid—from the French escot, a shot or reckoning: Dr. Johnson.”

macd : standard

1393 the Quality] “—the quality of players; the profession of the stage.”

macd : standard

1394 no longer then they can sing?] MacDonald (ed. 1885): “ ‘Will they cease playing when their voices change?’”

1890 irv

irv = cln1

1393 escoted] Symons (in Irving & Marshall ed. 1890): “Escoted is from the French escotter, which Cotgrave renders: ‘Every one to pay his shot, or to contribute something towards it.’”

irv ≈ cln1

1393 Quality] Symons (in Irving & Marshall ed. 1890): “The word quality was formerly the technical name of the players, as its modern equivalent, profession, still is. Malone quotes Gosson’s Schoole of Abuse: ‘I speak not this, as though every one that professeth the qualitie so abused him selfe’ (ed. Arber, p. 39.). Compare Two Gentlemen of Verona, iv. i. 58, where quality is used of the company of brigands.”

1899 ard1

ard1 : dyce

1393 escoted] Dowden (ed. 1899): “paid. Dyce quotes Cotgrave, ‘Escotter, Every one to pay his shot.’”

1393 Quality] Dowden (ed. 1899): “profession, and specially of players; so Massinger, The Picture, II. I.: ‘How do you like the quality? You had a foolish itch to be an actor.’”

1982 ard2

ard2 : Cotgrave

1393 escoted] Jenkins (ed. 1982): “provided for. Cf. to pay one’s scot, O.Fr. escot. Eds. usually keep the F spelling escoted, but if the infinitive is rightly escot (OED), the preterite should retain the short vowel. Cf. Cotgrave, escotter.”

1985 cam4

cam4

1393 escoted] Edwards (ed. 1985) : “maintained financially. (From the French escotter; very rare in English.)”