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Line 325 - Commentary Note (CN)

Commentary notes (CN):

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

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Notes for lines 0-1017 ed. Bernice W. Kliman

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

325 That he might not {beteeme} <beteene> the winds of heauen	1.2.141

1726 theon

theon

325 That . . . heauen] Theobald (1726, p. 19): after quoting Pope, “Here, again, is a Passage in which we have a sophisticated Reading, copied from the Players in some of the Modern Editions, for Want of understanding the Poet, whose Text is corrupt in the old Impressions: All of which, that I have had the Fortune to see, read, ‘. . . BETEENE . . . . ’ ’Tis true, there is no such Word in English, that I know of, as beteene ; and yet I am verily perswaded, our Authour’s Words were so very like it, that it is only a Corruption from the Mistake of a single Letter, and two Words getting too close together. See, how easy a Change restores you the Poet’s own Words and Meaning. ‘—So loving to my Mother That he might not Let E’en the Winds of Heav’n Visit her Face too roughly.’”

Ed. note: note XVI, p. 19, : also note in 1733, 1740

Theobald says he found beteene in all the old editions [see collation]; in the 1720s he didn’t have Q2 but he did have Q5 which also has beteeme and which he names on p. 3, so his assertion does seem to be false.

1733 theo1

theo1 ≈ theon

325 That . . . heauen] Theobald (ed. 1733): “This is a sophisticated Reading, copied from the Players in some of the modern Editions, for Want of understanding the Poet, whose Text is corrupt in the Old Impressions: All of which that I have had the Fortune to see, concur in reading: ‘. . . beteene . . . . ’ Beteene is a corruption, without Doubt, but not so inveterate a one, but that, by the Change of a single Letter, and the Separation of two Words mistakenly jumbled together, I am verily perswaded, I have retriev’d the Poet’s Reading. —That he might not let e’en the Winds of Heav’n &c.”

Though in his note he has “might not let e’en . . .” in his text he has would not let e’en. , note 8, on emendation

1740 theo2

theo2 = theo1

325 That . . . heauen]

n. 5

1743 han1

han1

325 beteeme] Hanmer (ed. 1743, 6: Glossary): “[1.81] to yield, to deliver. Spen[ser].”

1745 han2

han1: theo

325 beteeme]

1757 theo4

theo4 = theo2

325 That . . . heauen]

1765 Heath

Heath: theo

325 beteeme] heath (1765, p. 524): “The words, permitted not, are a mere conjecture of the more modern editors. Mr. Theobald hath given us unanswerable reasons to incline us to believe that Shakespeare wrote, ‘That he might not let e’en the winds of heav’n Visit her face too roughly.’ ”

1765 john1

john1 = theo4

325 That . . . heauen]

john: hang without attribution (note that hang mentions Spenser for this word).

325 beteeme] Johnson (ed. 1765, 1:94 n. 4) on MND 1.1.131 (141): “give them, bestow upon them. The word is used by Spenser. Johnson.”

1773 v1773

v1773 = theo4

325 That . . . heauen] Steevensuses let e’en and quotes theo

v1773 in 3:9 n. 3, MND, = john MND +

325 beteeme] Steevens (ed. 1773, 3:9 n.3): “The word is used by yet later writers. I meet with it in The Case is alter’d, How? a dramatic dialogue, 1653. —‘I could beteem her a better match.’ Steevens.”

1773- mtol3 Folger S.a.12.

Tollet: theo4

325 beteeme] Tollet (-1778) ms. note for Steevens, ed. 1778: “I could beteem her a better match means as in Vol, 3. p. 9 to give, bestow or get her a better match. Your quotation supports Theobald’s emendation.”

1778 v1778

v1778 = theo4 +

325 beteeme] Steevens (ed. 1778): “So, in the Enterlude of the Lyfe and Repentaunce of Marie Magdalaine, &c, by Lewis Wager, 4to, 1567: ‘But evermore they were unto me very tender, They would not suffer the wynde on me to blowe.’” Malone (apud ed. 1778): “So again, in Marston’s Insatiate Countess, 1603: ‘—she had a lord, Jealous that air should ravish her chaste looks.’”

1785 v1785

v1785 = v1778

325 beteeme]

1787 ann

ann = v1785 +

325 beteeme] Henley (1787, 6: 22): “Notwithstanding the ingenuity of Mr. Theobald’s conjecture, I believe the old reading to be the true one. The rejected word occurs in a Letter of Sir John Paston to his Brother, though, as I conceive, not rightly explained by Mr. Fenn. See Vol. II. let.30, p. 30. ‘As ffor Mestresse Kateryne Dudle, I have many Gentylmen love hyr, she is fful of love, I have betyn the mat’ ffor yow, your onknowleche as I told hyr.—’

“To beteene, in Shakspere, signifiies admit: —as used by Sir John Paston, to impart. Henley.”

Ed. note: His gloss of Paston may not be accurate.

1789 Gent. Mag.

G.S. [George Steevens]

325 beteeme] G[eorge] S[teevens] (Gent. Mag. 59 [1789]: 388): “Renoscentur quæ jam cecidere, says Horace ; and his remark, if it needed countenance, might find it in the following restoration of a word hitherto excluded from the text of every modern edition of Shakespeare. Hamlet, Act 1, scene 2. ‘—so loving to my mother, That he might not beteene the winds of heaven Visit her face too roughly.’] The obsolete and corrupted verb, beteene, in the first folio) which should be written (as in some of the quartos) beteeme, was changed by Theobald into let e’en ; and with the aptitude of this conjecture succeeding critics [including Steevens himself] appear to have been satisfied.

“Beteeme, however, occurs in the tenth book of Arthur Golding’s version of Ovid’s Metamorphosis, 4to, 1587; and, from the corresponding Latin, must necessarily signify; to vouchsafe, deign, permit, or suffer ‘—Yet could he not beteeme The shape of anie other bird than egel for to seeme” (Sig. R.1.b),—‘—nulla tamen alite verti Dignatur nisi quæ possit sua fulmina ferre.’ [5.157]. Jupiter (though anxious for the possession of Ganymede) would not deign to assume a meaner form, or suffer change into an humbler shape, than that of the august and vigorous fowl who bears the thunder in his pounces.

“The existence and signification of the verb beteem being thus established, it follows, that the attention of Hamlet’s father to his queen was exactly such as is described in a passage already adduced [in ed. 1778] from The Enterlude of the Life and Repentaunce of Marie Magdalaine &c, by Lewis Wager, 4to, 1567: ‘ But evermore they were unto me very tender, They would not suffer the wynde on me to blowe

“The ancient reading, therefore, without the slightest hesitation, should be replaced in the text of Shakespeare. Yours, &c. G.S.

“P.S. beteem (a verb also) occurs in the Midummer Night’s Dream, [1.1.131 (141)]: but with a different meaning. See the note of Johnson, &c.”

1790 mal

mal: rowe; ≈ Steevens in Gents without attribution; ≈ v1785

325 beteeme] Malone (ed. 1790): “This passage ought to be a perpetual memento to all future editors and commentators to proceed with the utmost caution in emendation, and never to discard a word from the text, merely because it is not the language of the present day.

“Mr. Hughes or Mr. Rowe, supposing the text to be unintelligible, for beteem boldly substituted permitted. Mr. Theobald, in order to favour his own emendation, stated untruly that all the old copies which he had seen, read beteene, and with great plausibility proposed to read, ‘That he might not let e’en the winds of heaven’ &c.

“This emendation appearing uncommonly happy, was adopted by all the subsequent editors. But without necessity; for the reading of the first quarto, 1604, and indeed of all the subsequent quartos, beteeme, is no corruption, but a word of Shakspeare’s age; and accordingly it is now once more restored to the text. It is used by Golding in his translation of the tenth book of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, 4to, 1587: ‘The king of Gods did burne ere while in love of Ganymede, The Phrygian; and the thing was found which Jupiter, that fled, Had rather be than what he was; yet could he not beteeme The shape of any other bird than eagle for to seeme.’ [and in Latin] ‘Rex superum Phrygii quondam Ganymedis amore Arsit; et inventum est aliquid quod Jupiter esse, Quam quod erat, mallet; nulla tamen alite verti Dignatur, nisi quæ possit sua fulmina ferre.’

“In the folio the word is corruptly printed beteene. The rhyme in Golding’s verses proves that the reading of the original quarto is the true one. Golding manifestly uses the word in the sense of endure.

“We find a sentiment similar tp that before us, in Marston’s Insatiate Countess, 1603: ‘—she had a lord, Jealous that air should ravish her chaste looks.’ Malone.

Steevens (apudMalone, ed. 1790): “So in the Enterlude of the :Lyfe and Repentaunce of Marie Magdalene, &c. by Lewis Wager. 1567: ‘But evermore they were unto me very tender, They would not suffer the wyndeon me to blowe.’ Steev.”

1791- rann

rann ≈ Steevens in Gent. Mag.

325 beteeme] Rann (ed. 1791-): “—endure, suffer, permit—let e”en”

1793 v1793

v1793 = v1778; Steevens’s Gents; Malone note in mal

325 beteeme] Steevens (ed. 1793): After theo note: “The obsolete and corrupted verb—beteene, (in the first folio) which should be written (as in all the quartos) beteeme, was changed, as above, by Mr.Theobald; and with the aptitude of his conjecture succeeding critics appear to have been satisfied.

“Beteeme, however, occurs in the tenth book of Arthur Golding’s version of Ovid’s Metamorphosis [sic] 4to, 1587; and, from the corresponding Latin, must necessarily signify; to vouchsafe, deign, permit, or suffer: ‘—Yet could he not beteeme The shape of anie other bird than egel for to seeme” (Sig. R.1. b),—‘—nulla tamen alite verti Dignatur, nisi quæ possit sua fulmina ferre.’ V.157. Jupiter (though anxious for the possession of Ganymede) would not deign to assume a meaner form, or suffer change into an humbler shape, than that of the august and vigorous fowl who bears the thunder in his pounces.

“The existence and signification of the verb beteem being thus established, it follows, that the attention of Hamlet’s father to his queen was exactly such as is described in the Enterlude of the Life and Repentaunce of Marie Magdalaine, &c, by Lewis Wager, 4to, 1567: ‘But evermore they were unto me very tender, They would not suffer the wynde on me to blowe.’

“I have therefore replaced the ancient reading, without the slightest hesitation, in the text.

“This note was inserted by me in the Gentleman’s Magazine, some years [actually one year] before Mr. Malone’s edition of our author [in which the same justifiation of the old reading—beteeme, occurs,) had made its appearance.”

Malone (apud ed. 1793): “This passage ought to be a perpetual memento to all future editors and commentators to proceed with the utmost caution in emendation, and never to discard a word from the text, merely because it is not the language of the present day.

“Mr. Hughes or Mr. Rowe, supposing the text to be unintelligible, for beteem boldly substituted permitted. Mr. Theobald, in order to favour his own emendation, stated untruly that all the old copies which he had seen, read beteene. His emendation appearing uncommonly happy, was adopted by all the subsequent editors.

“We find a sentiment similar tp that before us, in Marston’s Insatiate Countess, 1603: ‘—she had a lord, Jealous that air should ravish her chaste looks.’ Malone.

1803 v1803

v1803 = v1793

325 beteeme]

1805 Seymour

Seymour

325 beteeme] Seymour (1805, 2:146-7): <p. 146>“I cannot be reconciled to ‘beteem,’ and know </p. 146><p. 147> not what word to propose in its plae. The sentiment Rowe seems to have made use of, in Jane Shore: ‘I thought the gentlest breeze that wakes the spring, Too rough to breathe upon her.’” </p. 147>

1813 v1813

v1813 = v1803

325 beteeme]

1819 cald1

cald1 standard Steevens with some additions in magenta

325 beteeme] Caldecott (ed. 1819): <p. 20> “Deign to allow.

“All the quartos, Mr. Steevens says, give beteeme. According to the mode of spelling in which the largest portion of the words of that day have been delivered down to us (and of which the pages of our author afford abundant evidence) beteene and beteeme may be taken as one and the same word. [see OED]

“As it is found in a contemporary translation, Arthur Golding’s Ovid’s Metam. the correspondent term in the original, as Mr. Steevens has observed, clearly leads us to the sense. ‘—Yet could he not beteeme The shape of anie other bird then egle for to seeme” 4to. 1587, signat. R.1.b. In edit 1567, it is signat. R.IIII.2,b. In 1593, R.III. ‘—Nullâ tamen alite verti Dignatur, nisi quæ possit sua fulmina ferre.’ X.157.

“And Milton, in his Animadversions upon the Remonstrant’s defence against Smectymnuus, seems to use it in the same sense. ‘The gardener—though he could have well beteemed to have thanked him.” Prose Works, 1.160. fo. Amsterdam, 1698. The word occurs in the [F. Q. 2.8.19] and in [MND 1.1.131 (141)] Hermia.

“Some of the editors have at once relieved themselves from all troubles and difficulties; and, without scruple new modelling the line and displacing this word from the text, have substituted permitted. ‘That he permitted not the winds of heaven.’ While Theobald, with very slight variation and with nice adaptation of the letters, reads, ‘That he might not let e’en the winds of heav’n.’

“But, when an author’s genuine text is ascertained ex fide omnium codicum, and no higher objection can be raised than that a word presents itself in an unaccustomed or unknown sense, it is the indispenable duty of an editor to retain it; that, thus continuing to invite further research, it may lead to the discovery of other instances of its use, and by their aid give facilities to critical science in deducing its etymology: which is as well a matter of general philological interest, as an act of justice to his author. An editor incurs no reproach by not being acquainted with every phrase or term that is become obsolete, and ‘time has thrown away;’ but he should be care- </p.20> <p.21> full how he removes landmarks; and just enough not to falsify his trust.” </p.21>

1821 v1821

v1821 = v1813; ≈ Seymour without attribution + in magenta underlined

325 beteeme] Boswell (ed. 1821) “Rowe has an elegant imitation of this passage in Jane Shore: ‘When she was mine no care came ever nigh her; I thought the gentlest breeze that wakes the spring, Too rough to breathe upon her.’”

1822 Nares

Nares: john without attribution analogue Spenser; Boswell without attribution // MND

325 beteeme] Nares (1822)

1826 sing1

sing1: standard gloss; ≈ Boswell without attribution; cald ref to MND without attribution

325 beteeme] Singer (ed. 1826): “i.e. deign to allow. This word being of uncommon occurrence, it was changed to permitted by Rowe and to let e’en by Theobald. Steevens had the merit of pointing out the passage in Golding’s Ovid, which settles its meaning:— ‘Yet could he not beteeme The shape of any other bird than egle for to seeme. —nulla tamen alite verti Dignatur, nisi quæ possit sua fulmina ferre.’ Rowe has an elegant imitation of this passage:—‘ I thought the gentlest breeze that wakes the spring, Too rough to breathe upon her.’ The word occurs again in [MND 1.1.131 (141)].”

1832 cald2

cald2 = cald1 with some omissions including attributions to Steevens, Theobald; + underlined in magenta

325 beteeme] Caldecott (ed. 1832, pp. 23-4 n. 49): <p.23> “Deign to allow. All the quartos, Mr. Steevens says, give beteeme. This is the reading of the quartos. According to the mode of spelling in which the largest portion of the words of that day have been delivered down to us (and of which the pages of our author afford abundant evidence) beteene and beteeme may be taken as one and the same word. [see OED, below]

“As it is found in a contemporary translation, Arthur Golding’s Ovid’s Metam. the correspondent term in the original, as Mr. Steevens has observed, clearly leads us to the sense. ‘—Yet could he not beteeme The shape of anie other bird than egle for to seeme” 4to. 1587, R.1.b. In edit 1567, it is sign. R.IIII.2,b. In 1593, R.III. ‘—Nullâ tamen alite verti Dignatur, nisi quæ possit sua fulmina ferre.’ X.157. So Heywood’s Britaine’s Troy. Fo. 1636, p. 6.

“And Milton, in his Animadversions upon the Remonstrant’s defence against Smectymnuus, seems to use it in the same sense. ‘The gardener—though he could have well beteemed to have thanked him.” Prose Works, 1.160. fo. Amsterdam, 1698. The word occurs in the [FQ 2.8.19] and in [MND 1.1.131 (141)] Hermia. </p.23> <p.24>

“Some of the editors have at once relieved themselves from all troubles and difficulties; and, without scruple new modelling the line and displacing this word from the text, have substituted permitted. ‘That he permitted not the winds of heaven.’ While Theobald, one of the surreptious quartos, probably from distrust of the rectitude of a reading, which its editor did not fully comprehend, butwith very slight variation and with mere nice adaptation of the letters, reads, let e’en.

“But, when an author’s genuine text is ascertained ex fide omnium codicum, and no higher objection can be raised than that a word presents itself in an unaccustomed or unknown sense, it is the indispenable duty of an editor to retain it; that, thus continuing to invite further research, it may lead to the discovery of other instances of its use, and by their aid give facilities to critical science in deducing its etymology: which is as well a matter of general philological interest, as an act of justice to his author. An editor incurs no reproach by not being acquainted with every phrase or term that is become obsolete, and ‘time has thrown away;’ but he should be carefull how he removes landmarks; and just enough not to falsify his trust.” </p.24>

1832- mLewes

mLewes

325 beteeme] lewes (ms. notes in ed. 1832) “So would I saith th’enchanter glad & faine, Beteem to you this sword you to defend &c. F.Q. [2.8.19].”

Ed. note: Though han & john refer to Spenser, they do not provide a specific reference. See Hamilton’s Spenser: “So would I (said the enchaunter) glad and faine, Beteeme to you this sword, you to defend.”

1833 valpy

valpy: standard

325 beteeme] Valpy (ed. 1833): “Suffer.”

1839 knt1

knt1: Steevens

325 beteeme] Knight (ed. 1839): “Steevens brought back this word, which had been modernised to let e’en; the sentence was afterwards changed to ‘that he permitted not.’ To beteem, in this passage, means to vouchsafe, to allowe, to suffer. In Heywood’s ‘Britaine’s Troy,’ 1636. we have these lines:—‘They call’d him God on earth, and much esteem’d him; Much honour he receiv’d, which they beteem’d him.’”

1843 knt2

knt2 = knt1

325 beteeme]

1843 col1

col1: standard

325 beteeme] Collier (ed. 1843): “To ‘beteem’ here is to permit or suffer: the word has occurred in a different sense in [MND] 2:395, being there to be taken as the provincial word teem, which is still used for pour out in the North of England. ”

1844 verp

verp: Steevens + in magenta underlined

325 beteeme] Verplanck (ed. 1844): “for allow, or permit: this is the reading of all the old editions, except as varied by evident literal errors in the folios. The uncommonness of the word induced editors to change the phrase to ‘that he permitted not;’ or to ‘might not let.’ These conjectures kept possession of the text until Stevens [sic] restored the old reading, and showed its meaning from the use in Golding’s Ovid, (1587,) compared with the Latin. John Kemble soon after familiarized the general ear to its use. He deserves well of his mother-tongue, who thus ‘Commands all words, that long have slept to wake: Words that wise Bacon or brave Raleigh spake.’”

1854 del2

del2: standard

325 beteeme] Delius (ed. 1854): “to beteem, ein schon zu Sh.’s Zeit ziemlich veraltetes Wort, hat überall, wo es vorkommt (bei Sh. nur noch [MND 1.1] die Beduetung ‘gewähren,’ ‘erlauben.’” [to beteem, a word already old in Sh.’s time, has overall where it occurs the meaning allow, permit —except only one other time in Sh., in [MND 1.1.131 (141)].

1856 hud1

hud1 ≈ sing1 on theo; rowe; MND xref without attribution

325 beteeme] Hudson (ed. 1856): “Beteem is permit or suffer. The word, being uncommon, was changed to permitted by Rowe, and to let e’en by Theobald. See [MND 1.1.131 (141)] note 5.”

1856 sing2

sing2 = sing1 minus; ; + in magenta underlined for both altogether new and new to Singer’s note but derived from some prior commentary

325 beteeme] Singer (ed. 1856): “i.e. deign to allow, to vouchsafe This word being of uncommon occurrence, it was changed to permitted by Rowe and to let e’en by Theobald. Steevens had the merit of pointing out the passage in Golding’s Ovid, which settles its meaning:— ‘Yet could he not beteeme The shape of any other bird than egle for to seeme. —nulla tamen alite verti Dignatur, nisi quæ possit sua fulmina ferre.’ The etymology has been mistaken by Steevens. It is from A.S. ge-teman, to warrantize; and hence to allow, to vouchsafe. Rowe has an elegant imitation of this passage:—‘ I thought the gentlest breeze that wakes the spring, Too rough to breathe upon her.’ The word occurs again in [MND 1.2.? (000)], in the same sense, and not in a different one, as Mr. Collier imagines. See [2:342 n.10]. ”

1858 col3

col3

325 beteeme] Collier (ed. 1858, Glossary): “to bestow, tomsuffer, to allow.”

1860 stau

stau standard

325 beteeme] Staunton (ed. 1860): “That is, vouchafe, allow, suffer, and the like.”

1861 wh1

wh1: standard

325 beteeme] White (ed. 1861): “means to allow, permit, as its use by other writers shows; but its etymology is still, I think, uncertain. That adopted by Richardson (See his Dictionary in v.) from Steevens seems to me to have only the most fanciful support.

1862 cham

cham: john without attribution, including gloss, ref. to MND, FQ

325 beteeme]

1865 hal

hal = Steevens ed. 1793 through Wager analogue

325 beteeme]

1868 c&mc

c&mc ≈ sing2 without attribution

325 beteeme] Clarke & Clarke (ed. 1868): “‘Allow,’ ‘permit,’ ‘suffer;’ from the Saxon ge-teman, to warrantise.” Ref. to n. 18 MND.

1870 Abbott

Abbott

325 might not] Abbott (§ 312): ““Might, the past tense of may, was originally used in the sense of ‘was able’ or ‘could’ . . . [quotes 325-6] i.e. ‘could not bring himself to allow the winds, &c. . . .”

1870 rug1

rug1

325 beteeme] Moberly (ed. 1870): “German beziemen. Here the verb is used causatively, ‘he could not allow it to be beseeming;’ elsewhere in the sense of ‘condescend’ (dignari), as in Golding’s Ovid— ‘Yet could he not beteem The shape of any bird than eagle for to seem.’”

1872 cln1

cln1

325 might not] Clark & Wright (ed. 1872): “i. e. could not, because his love ruled all his feelings.”

cln1: Wedgwood in magenta underlined; standard gloss.; Ovid [Steevens without attribution]; F. Q. [via Steevens without attribution + specific lines in magenta underlined], MND [standard], + Delius in magenta underlined

325 beteeme] Clark & Wright (ed. 1872): “Connected by Wedgwood with the Dutch betaemen. . . . It occurs . . . in Spenser’s [F.Q. 2.8.19] Fairy Queen, ii. 8. 19: ‘So would I, (said th’ enchaunter) glad and faine Beteeme to you this sword.’ It is found in [MND 1.1.131 (141)] . . . where Delius takes it in the same sense as in this passage of Hamlet. But there is probably at least a reference to the other sense, ‘pour out.’ It is quite in Shakespeare’s manner to employ a word which has a double sense. See [Ham.] ‘romage,’ 1. 1. 107 [124].”

1872 hud2

hud2 = hud1 (minus ref. to Rowe and Theobald)

325 beteeme]

1873 rug2

rug2 ≈ rug1

325 beteeme] Moberly (ed. 1873): “The German beziemen. Here the verb is used causatively, ‘he could not allow it to be beseeming:’ elsewhere in the sense of ‘condescend’ (dignari), as in Golding’s Ovid— ‘Yet could he not beteem The shape of any bird than eagle for to seem.’”

1877 v1877

v1877: Steevens on Golding’s Ovid and Latin, Nares, col1, rug minus German

325 beteeme]

1878 col4

col4; standard

325 beteeme] Collier (ed. 1878): “To beteem is to permit or suffer: the word has, however, occurred in a different sense in [MND 1.1.131 (141)], p. 8, being there to be taken as ‘teem’, i.e., pour out in large quantity.”

1881 hud3

hud3 = hud2

325 beteeme]

1883 wh2

wh2 ≈ wh1

325 beteeme]

1885 mull

mull : standard

325 beteeme]

1906 Lounsbury

Lounsbury

325 beteeme] Lounsbury (1906, p. 171) discusses the problem of defining the word, which does not occur elsewhere in Sh. or in other literature before him. “We give it here, or rather impose upon it, the significance of ‘permit’; and such a sense the context seems imperatively to require. Yet there is nothing quite like this usage of it to be found elsewhere in our literature. It has almost invariably attached to it, the meaning of ‘think fit’ or of ‘grant,’ ‘concede.’ But the word itself has never been common.” The fact that F2, F3, F4, Rowe, Pope and Theobald all change the word suggests how difficult it was; mal reinstates the Q2 word.

1929 trav

trav

325 might] Travers (ed. 1929): “could, as in [71].”

trav: standard gloss; Abbott on to without attribution + in magenta underlined

325 beteeme] Travers (ed. 1929): “(from ‘be,’ intensive + ‘teem,’ obsolete = think fit) = allow; followed, like ‘let,’ by the infinitive, without ‘to.’ ”

1938 parc

parc

325 beteeme] Parrott & Craig (ed. 1938): “allow.”

1939 kit2

kit2: standard

325 might not beteeme] Kittredge (ed. 1939): "could not allow."

1947 cln2

cln2: standard

325 beteeme] Rylands (ed. 1947): "permit."

1957 pel1

pel1: standard

325 beteeme] Farnham (ed. 1957): “allow.”

1958 fol1

fol1: standard

325 might not beteeme] Wright & LaMar (ed. 1958): “could not permit.”

1970 pel2

pel2 = pel1: standard

325 beteeme] Farnham (ed. 1970): “allow”

1980 pen2

pen2: standard

325 beteeme] Spencer (ed. 1980): “permit.”

1982 ard2

ard2:

325-6 he might not beteeme . . . roughly] Jenkins (ed. 1982): “Cf. Wagner, Mary Magdalene (B2), ’My parents . . . would not suffer the wind on me to blow’. Shakespeare transforms a common expression so as to suggest something uncommon and grand. By contrast Gertrude’s love is made to seem (340-1) sensual. beteem, permit.”

1985 cam4

cam4

325 beteeme] Edwards (ed. 1985): "allow. (The context insists on this meaning, but it is a strained usage of a rare word; see OED.)"

1987 oxf4

oxf4 = Abbott § 312

325 might not beteeme]

1988 bev2

bev2: standard

325 beteeme] Bevington (ed. 1988): “allow.”

1992 fol2

fol2: standard

325 might not beteeme] Mowat & Werstine (ed. 1992): “would not allow”

1993 OED

OED

325 beteeme] v 2 b. To allow, permit (to do something). rare. 1602 SHAKS. Ham. I. ii. 141 [325] That he might not beteene [v.r. beteeme] the windes...Visit her face too roughly.

While the OED does not list beteen as one of the possible variants of beteem, it does have the word beteene here. In its head note, OED says “be-2 + teem. to think fit; but the rarity of the simple vb. and its non-occurrence in ME. or OE. [. . .] raise historical difficulties of which there is at present no solution.”

2006 ard3q2

ard3q2: Hope

325 might not] Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “did not have the strength (might) to. Hope (2.1.2b) points out the shift from this sense of ’may’ in Early Modern English to one meaning permission or possibility in Present-day English, but it still seems awkward with beteem.”

ard3q2: standard; //

325 beteeme] Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “allow, permit. ’The context insists on this meaning, but it is a strained usage of a rare word’ (Edwards). Shakespeare’s only other use of beteem is in MND, where Hermia says the roses in her cheeks lack rain ’which I could well / Beteem them from the tempest of my eyes’ (1.1.130-1 ); in this case it has the more normal meaning of ’grant’ or ’afford’.”