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Line 2335 - Commentary Note (CN)

Commentary notes (CN):

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Notes for lines 2023-2950 ed. Frank N. Clary

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

2335 And oft tis seene the wicked prize it selfe 2335	3.3.59

1840- mlet

mlet: Donne analogue

2335-6 wicked . . . lawe] Lettsom (ms. note in F1, 1807 facsimile, DYCE LF 8937): “Donne, Sermon XXXIX. ed.1640. p.390, D.l.8 “—Or it was a great booty, a great possession which we had gotten, even that might buy out our peace.”

1853 COLN

coln

2335 prize] Collier (1853, p. 426): “When the King, in soliloquy, says,— [quotes 3.3.58-60 (2334-6)] we need no great persuasion to make us believe that we ought to read, as a manuscript notes tells us,—‘And oft ‘tis seen, the wicked purse itself Buys out the law.’”

1853 Singer

Singer: contra coln

2335 prize] Singer (1853, p. 264): “As Mr. Collier, on more mature consideration, abandons the meddling substitution of purse for ‘prize’ in the passage of the king’s soliloquy [quotes 2334-6] what becomes of the ‘authority’ of the correctors here?”

1854 del2

del2

2335-6 And . . . lawe] Delius (ed. 1854): “D.h. das Gesetz wird oft abgekauft vermittelst des ungerechten Beutellohnes selbst. Die Emendation des alten Correctors purse für prize ist eben so überfluessig, wie sie verkehrt ist.” [I. e., the law is often bought off by means of the illegally obtained booty itself. The emendation of the Old Corrector purse for prize is as unnecessary as it is mistaken.]

1857 fieb

fieb

2335-6 wicked . . . lawe] Fiebig (ed. 1857): “I.e. judges often have been bribed and judgments perverted by means of riches gained by crime.”

1858 col3

col3

2335 purse] Collier (ed. 1858): “For ‘purse’ of the corr. fo. 1632, the old copies read prize: there cannot be a doubt on the propriety of the emendation of an error, which perhaps arose from the use of short-hand in transcribing the words, ‘purse’ and prize being spelt with the same letters.”

1859 Dyce (Strictures)

Dyce (Strictures)

2335 prize] Dyce (1859, p. 189): “For ‘purse’ of the corr. fo. 1632, the old copies read prize: there cannot be a doubt on the propriety of the emendation of an error, which perhaps arose from the use of short-hand in transcribing the words, ‘purse’ and prize being spelt with the same letters.’

“The senselessness of this alteration is not to be exceeded.

“‘The wicked prize’ is equivalent to ‘the thing acquired by wicked means,’—as, in the speaker’s own case, was the crown which he had obtained by committing a murder.”

1860 stau

stau: contra col3

2335 prize] Staunton (ed. 1860): “Mr. Collier’s annotator, with abominable taste, suggests purse for ‘prize,’ and Mr. Collier says, ‘there cannot be a doubt on the propriety of the emendation.”

1861 wh1

wh1 ≈ dyce (Strictures)

2335 wicked prize] White (ed. 1861): “i.e., that which is wickedly acquired.”

1877 v1877

v1877 = col3, Dyce

2335 prize] Furness (ed. 1877): “Collier (ed. 2): There cannot be a doubt of the propriety of an emendation [purse of the (MS)] of an error, which perhaps arose from the use of short-hand in transcribing the words; purse and ‘prize’ being spelt with the same letter. Dyce (Strictures, &c., p. 189): The ‘prize’ is equivalent to ‘the thing acquired by wicked means,’ i.e. the crown.”

1878 rlf1

rlf1: contra col2

2335 wicked prize] Rolfe (ed. 1878): “The Coll. MS. has “purse”; but the meaning obviously is that the guilty gain itself (or a part of it) is used to bribe the officers of the law; as has often happened in these latter days.”

1903 rlf3

rlf3 ≈ rlf1 minus col2 for wicked prize (2335)

1891 dtn

dtn

2335-6 the wicked . . . lawe] Deighton (ed. 1891): “a favourable verdict is secured by the very wealth which has been wrongfully acquired.”

1931 crg1

crg1 ≈ wh1

2335 wicked prize] Craig (ed. 1931): “prize won by wickedness.”

1939 kit2

kit2

2335-6 wicked . . . lawe] Kittredge (ed. 1939): “a part of the booty may be used to bribe the judge.”

1947 cln2

cln2

2335-6 And . . . lawe] Rylands (ed. 1947): “e.g. kingship or power once seized puts a man above the law.”

1947 yal2

yal2 ≈ crg1 without attribution

2335 wicked prize] Cross & Brooke (ed. 1947): “reward of wickedness.”

1974 evns1

evns1 ≈ yal2 without attribution

2335 wicked prize] Evans (ed. 1974): “rewards of vice.”

1980 pen2

pen2

2335 wicked . . . lawe] Spencer (ed. 1980): “what has been gained by wicked actions—such as power and riches—is used to obtain exemption from the laws against those very actions.”

1988 bev2

bev2=crg1

1993 dent

dent: xref.

2335-2336 the wicked . . . lawe] Andrews (ed. 1993): “The ill-gotten gains themselves are used to bribe the Law to look the other way. Claudius’ own situation is an illustration of this principle; the Queen he has won through his crime has brought him a throne and the support of a Council that has ’freely gone / With this Affair along’ [1.2.15-16 (193-4)].”

1997 evns2

evns2 = evns1