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.

1755 John

John

3077 uncharge] Johnson (1755, uncharge): “v.a. “To retract an accusation.” [cites Hamlet]”

1760 John2

John2

3077 uncharge the practice] Johnson (2nd ed. 1760, practise): “v.n. 4. To use bad arts or strategems Shakespeare.”

1791- rann

rann

3077 uncharge the practice] Rann (ed. 1791):“acquit us of all plot against his life.”

1805 Seymour

Seymour

3077 uncharge the practice] Seymour (1805, 2:196-7) : <p. 196> “‘Practice’ is device, stratagem, as in other places; and ‘uncharge the practice,’ I believe, implies, unload it of suspicion, with reference to the charging and uncharging a gun; or, per-</p. 196> <P. 197>haps ‘uncharge’ means no more than ‘not charge’ or ‘accuse.’” </p. 197>

1819 cald1

cald1≈rann

3077 uncharge the practice] Caldecott (ed. 1819): “Acquit the expedient pursued, of blame.”

1854 del2

del2

3077 uncharge the practice] Delius (ed. 1854): “[This] ist eigentlich so viel als: die hinterlistige Nachstellung von der Beschuldigung, eine solche (practice) zu sein, freissprechen.”[“This is specifically as much as the discharging from the insidious plot such an accusation [of conspiracy”].

1864b ktly

ktly : standard

3077 vncharge] Keightley (ed. 1864 [1866]: Glossary): ”unattacked.”

1864-68 c&mc

c&mc

3077 vncharge] Clarke & Clarke (ed. 1864-68, rpt. 1874-78): “‘Shall not charge any one with scheming against him.’ See Note 57. Act ii, [H5].”

1872 del4

del4 = del2

3077 uncharge the practice]

1872 cln1

cln1

3077 vncharge] Clark & Wright (ed. 1872): “make no accusation against. The word is probably coined by Sh. for the nonce.”

3077 practice] Clark & Wright (ed. 1872):”plot, stratagem, treachery. See [Cor. 4.1.33 (2471)]: ‘Cautelous baits and practice.’ And [Ham. 4.7.137 (3077); 5.2.301 (3660)].”

1872 hud2

hud2

3077 vncharge the practice] Hudson (ed. 1872): “Acquit the proceeding of all design.”

1877 v1877

v1877 : ≈ cald2 ; cln1(minus “make no accusation against.”)

3077 vncharge] Clark & Wright (apud Furness, ed. 1877): “The word is probably coined by Sh. for the nonce.”

v1877 : cln1(minus Cor. //)

3077 practice] Clark & Wright (apud Furness, ed. 1877): “Plot, stratagem, treachery. See 4.7.137[3077]; 5.2.301 [3660].”

1877 neil

neil ≈ standard

3077 practice] Neil (ed. 1877, Notes): “plot, contrivance. [Lr. 1.2.163 (502); 2.1.73 (1011)].”

1881 hud3

hud3 ≈ hud2

3077 vncharge the practice] Hudson (ed. 1881): “Acquit the proceeding or the contrivance of all design.”

1882 elze2

elze2

3078 accedent] Elze (ed. 1882): “Accident is to be pronounced as a trisyllabic feminine ending before the pause, so that the two hemistichs do not form an Alexandrine, but a regular blank-verse.”

1883 wh2

wh2

3077 vncharge the practice] White (ed. 1883): “disbelieve the plot.”

1885 macd

macd

3077 MacDonald (ed. 1885): “‘shall not give the practice’—artifice, cunning, attempt, chicane, or trick—but a word not necessarily offensive—’the name it deserves, but call it accident;’ [3128].”

1885 mull

mull ≈ standard

3077 vncharge

mull

3077 practice] Mull (ed. 1885): “stratagem.”

1889 Barnett

Barnett

3077 vncharge] Barnett (1889, p. 57): <p. 57>“not charge as a plot.”</p.57>

1890 irv2

irv2

3077 vncharge] Symons (in Irving & Marshall, ed. 1890): “make no accusation against.”

3077 practice] Symons (in Irving & Marshall, ed. 1890): “stratagem.”

1899 ard1

ard1 : standard

3077 vncharge the practise] Dowden (ed. 1899): “acquit, free from accusation (charge), the aritifice or stragem. For practice, see [5.2.328 (3798)].”

1905 rltr

rltr : standard

3077 vncharge]

3077 practice]

1906 nlsn

nlsn: standard

3077 vncharge] Neilson (ed. 1906, Glossary)

3077 practice] Neilson (ed. 1906, Glossary)

1931 crg1

crg1 ≈ standard

3077 vncharge the practise

1934a cam3

cam3 : standard

3077 vncharge] Wilson (ed. 1934, Glossary)

3077 practice] Wilson (ed. 1934, Glossary)

1934b rid1

rid1 : standard

3077 vncharge] Ridley (ed. 1934, Glossary):

1937 pen1a

pen1a : standard

3077 vncharge the practise

1938 parc

parc≈ standard

3077 vncharge the practise

1939 kit2

kit2 ≈ standard

3077 vncharge]

3077 vncharge] Kittredge (ed. 1939, Glossary):

1942 n&h

n&h ≈ standard

3077 vncharge the practise

1947 cln2

Cln2 : standard

3077 vncharge the practise]

1951 alex

alex ≈ standard

3077 practice] Alexander (ed. 1951, Glossary)

1951 crg2

crg2 = crg1

3077 vncharge the practise

1954 sis

sis

3078 accedent] Sisson (ed. 1954, Glossary): “occurrence, event, chance.”

Sis ≈ standard

3077 vncharge] Sisson (ed. 1954, Glossary):

3077 practice] Sisson (ed. 1954, Glossary):

1957 pel1

pel1 : standard

3077 vncharge the practise

1970 pel2

˙pel2=pel1

3077 vncharge the practise

1974 evns1

evns1 ≈ standard

3077 vncharge the practise

1980 pen2

pen2 ≈ standard

3077 vncharge the practise

1982 ard2

ard2 ≈ standard

3077 vncharge]

3077 practice]

1984 chal

chal : standard

3077 vncharge]

3077 practice]

1985 cam4

cam4 ≈ standard

3077 vncharge the practise

1987 oxf4

oxf4 : standard ; OED

3077 vncharge]

1988 bev2

bev2 ≈ standard

3077 vncharge the practise

1992 fol2

fol2≈ standard

3077 vncharge]

3077 practice]

1993 dent

dent ≈ standard

3077 vncharge the practise

1998 OED

OED

3077 vncharge] uncharge, v. Now rare. b. To acquit of guilt. 1602 SHAKS. Ham. IV. vii. 68 Euen his Mother shall vncharge the practice, And call it accident.[etc.]