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Line 3192, etc. - Commentary Note (CN) More Information

Notes for lines 2951-end ed. Hardin A. Aasand
For explanation of sigla, such as jen, see the editions bib.
3192-3 Other. I tell thee she is, <and> therfore make her graue | straight, the crow- 
3193-4 ner hath sate on her, and finds it Chris|tian buriall.
1615 A[rmin]
A[rmin]
3192ff A[rmin] (1615, sig. G2v-G3r): <G2v> “Clo.. My masters, and fellow questmen, this is the point, we are to search out the course of law, whether this man that has hangde himselfe, be accessary to his own death or no. I. Nei. Tis a hard case burlady neighbors, to judge truly.2. Nei. Sure, I do think he is guilty. Clo. Take heed, your conscience must be umpler in the ease. I put this point to you, whether euery one that hangs himselfe, be willing to die or no? 2Neig. I, I, sure he is willing. Cl. I say no, for the hangman hangs himselfe, and yet he is not willing to die. 3 Neigh. How dos the hangman hang himself? Clo. I mary doe he, sir; for if he haue not a man to doe his </G2v> <G3r> office for him, he must hang himselfe: ergo, euery man that hangs himselfe is not willing to die. 1Neigh. He says very true indeed: but now sir, being dead, who shall answere the King for his subiect? Clo. Mary sir, he that hanged his subiect. 2 Nei. That was himselfe. 3 Neigh. No sir, I doe thinke it was the halter that hanged him. Clo. I, in a sort, but that was, se offendendo, for it may be, he meant to have broke the halter, and the halter held him out of his own defence. 1 Neigh. But is not the Ropermaker in danger that made it? Clo. No, for hee goes backeward, when tis made, and therefore cannot see before, what will come after; neyther is the halter in fault, for hee might vrge the halter, nolens volens, (as the learned say) neyther is he in fault, because his time was come that he should be hanged: and therefore I doe conclude, that he was conscious and guiltlesse of his owne death: Moreouer, he was a Lord, and a Lord in his own precinct has authority to hang and draw himselfe. 2Nei. Then neighbour, he may be buried. Cl. Of great reason, alwayes he that is aliue must die, and he that is dead must be buried. 2 Neigh. Yet truly in my conscience, he dos not deserue to be buried. Cl. Oh, ou speake partiously neighbor Crabtree, not deserve to be buried? I say, he deserues to bee buried aliue that hangs himselfe. 3 Neig. But for his clothes neighbour. Cl. His clothes are the Hangmans. 2 Neigh. Why then he must haue them himselfe. Cl. This is a shrewd poynt of law, this might he do now, because he would saue charges, and defeat the Hangman: this must be well handled, did he make a Will? </G3r> <G3v> 3 Neigh. No, he died detestable. Cl. Why then, they fall to his right heyre male,f or a female cannot inherite no breeches, vnlesse she weares them in her husbands dayes. 1 Neigh. But where shall we find him? Cl. Tis true, well then for want of issue, they fall to the chiefe mourner; I will be he to saue you all harmeles, I will take his clothes vpon mine owne backe, I will begin with his cloke, do you take euery man his quarter, and I will folllow with dole and lamenration. 2 Neigh. Then thus the verdit is giuen vp. Clow. I, I. 3. Neigh. Alas Neighbour, how mournfully you speake already! Clo. It is the fashion to doe. “</G3v>
This is a parody of the gravedigger scene by Robert Armin in a play entitled The Valiant Welshman, written in 1615. See Douce below for reference to this play.
1755 John
John
3193 Straight] Johnson (1755, straight): “adj. [strack, old Dutch. It is well observed by Ainsworth, that for not crooked we ought to write straight, and for narrow stait; but for streight, which is sometimes found, there is no good authority.]
John
3193 crowner] Johnson (1755, coroner): “n.s. [from corona] An officer whose duty is to enquire, on the part of the king, how any violent death was occasioned; for which purpose a jury of twelve persons is impannelled. ‘Go thou and seek the coroner, and let him sit o’ my uncle; for he’s in the third degree of drink; he’s drowned.’ Shaksp.
1765 john1
john1
3192- make her graue straight] Johnson (ed. 1765) : “Make her grave from east to west in a direct line parallel to the church; not from north to south, athwart the regular line. This, I think, is meant.”
1765 john2
john2
3192- make her graue straight] Johnson (ed. 1765b?: Appendix, sig. Ll3v) : </Ll3v> “Some, for whose opinions I have great regard, think that straight is only immediately . My interpretation I hve given with no great confidence, but the longer I consider it, the more I think it right.” </Ll3v>
1773 v1773
v1773 = john1 +
3192- make her graue straight] Steevens (ed. 1773) : “ I cannot think that this means any more than make her graue immediately. She is to be buried in christian burial, and consequently the grave is to be made as usual.”
mSTV1 Mss. notes by STEEVENS in v1773 (Folger Library)
mSTV1
3192- make her graue straight] Steevens (ms. notes, ed. 1773): “So in [H5]. ‘We cannot lodge or Board a dozen or fourteen gentlewomen—but it will be thought we keep a bawdy-house straight.’ Steevens.”
1773 jen
jen: john1 (annotated and contradicted)
3192 make her graue straight] Jennens (ed. 1773) : “So according to this, Dr. Johnson thinks that burying east and west is Christian burial, north and south not Christian burial : But who ever heard of this distinction? To be buried in a Christian manner is to be buried in consecrated ground and with the rites of the church. So Dr. Johnson may take my word that Shakespeare meant; She is to be buried in consecrated ground, therefore make her grave straight, i.e. forthwith, immediately.”
1778 v1778
v1778 = v1773 +
3192- make her graue straight] Steevens (ed. 1778) : “ My interpretation may be justified from the following passages in (H5 a.s.l. [0000]) and the play before us: ‘—We cannot lodge and board a dozen or fourteen gentlewomen who live by the prick of their needles, but it will be thought we keep a bawdy-house straight .’ Again, in (Ham. 3.4. [0000]: ‘Pol. He will come straight.’ Again, in the Lover’s Progress, by Beaumont and Fletcher: ‘Li. Do you fight straight ? Clar. Yes, presently.’ Again, in the (MW a.s.l. [0000]) : ’—We’ll come and dress you straight.’ Again, in (Oth. a.s.l [0000]) : ‘Farewel, my Desdemona, I will come to thee straight.’ STEEVENS”
1784 ays1
ays1 ≈ v1778 (only STEEVENS’ “make her grave immediately”) w/o attribution
3192- make her graue straight]
1785 v1785
v1785 = v1778
3192- make her graue straight]
1787 ann
ann = v1785
3192- make her graue straight]
1790 mal
mal = v1785 (minus Lovers Progress //) +
3192- make her graue straight] Malone (ed. 1790) : “Again, in (Tro. a.s.l. [0000]) : ‘Let us make ready straight.’ MALONE”
1791- rann
rann: standard
3192 straight] Rann (ed. 1791) : “immediately.”
1793 v1793
v1793 = v1785 ; mal
3192- make her graue straight]
1803 v1803
v1803 = v1793
3192- make her graue straight]
1807 Pye
Pye = v1773 +
3192- make her graue straight] Pye (1807, p. 325) : <p. 325> “That Steevens is right I think there can be no doubt.” </p. 325>
1807 Douce
Douce = john1 +
3192- make her graue straight] Douce (1807; rpt. 1839, p. 475) : <p. 475>“The frequency of the above mode of expression in Shakspeare’s plays sufficiently indicates that if he had alluded to the mode of burial contended for by Dr. Johnson, he would have adopted some other. It has occurred upwards of a hundred times already in the sense of immediately . Nor would it be easy to show that to make a grave straight , or in a direct line, was to make it East and West; or that it was the designation of Christian burial. The first clown rather adverts to the place where the grave should be made than to its form . Suicides were buried on the North side of the church, in ground purposely unconsecrated . Much of this scene has been imitated in the Valiant Welshman , by R.A. [q. Robert Armin] 1663. See Act IV.” </p. 475>
See my citation of this scene above for 1615. at beginning of commentary.
1813 v1813
v1813 = v1803
1818 Todd
Todd = John +
3193 straight] Todd (1818, straight): “adj. [strack, old Dutch. It is well observed by Ainsworth, that for not crooked we ought to write straight, and for narrow stait; but for streight, which is sometimes found, there is no good authority.]It is also the Saxon [strac], right, direct; strack, Germ the same; which, as Serenius and Dr Jamieson have observed, are from the verbs signifying to stretch; as straecka, Su. Goth. [streccan], Sax. And a straight line, the latter adds, gives us the idea of that which is stretched out between two points.”
1819 cald1
cald1 : standard
3192 make her graue straight] Caldecott (ed. 1819) : “i.e. straightways, forthwith; the fact next stated being a warrant for proceeding, without any further question made.” ed., p. 136; CALD2, p. 139; KNT1, p. 155 abbreviates this note) notes:
1821 v1821
v1821 = v1813 +
3192 make her graue straight] Malone (apud Boswell, ed. 1821) : “Again, in G. Herbert’s Jacula Prudentum, 1651, we have a proverbial saying: ‘There is no church-yard so handsome that a man would desire straight to be buried there.’ MALONE
[where does this note come from?]
1826 sing1
sing1 ≈ v1821
3192 make her graue straight] Singer (ed. 1826) : “How Johnson could think that any particular mode of making Ophelia’s grave was meant I cannot imagine. Nothing is so common as this mode of expression: straight is merely a contraction of straightway, immediately. Numerous examples are to be found in Shakspeare, one may suffice from this very play, in 3.4. (0000), Polonius says:—’He will come straight.’ And Malone cites from G. Herbert’s Jacula Prudentium, 1651: —’ There is no church-yard so handsome that a man would desire straight to be buried there.’”
1832 cald2
cald2 = cald1 +
3192 make her graue straight] Caldecott (ed. 1832) : “‘I will arraign them straight .’ (Lr 3.6. [0000] L & ‘She must overboard straight .’” (Per 3.1. [0000])”
1833 valpy
valpy ≈ standard
3192 straight] Valpy (ed. 1833): “Immediately.”
1841 knt1 (nd)
knt1= cald1 (without attribution)
3192 make her graue straight] Knight (ed. 1841) : “straightways—forthwith.”
1854 del2
del2
3192 straight] Delius (ed. 1854) : “stracks” [ed. trans? I can find no German for this]
del2
3194 burial] Delius (ed. 1854) : “ Der Clown, nach der Sprachverdrehung und Wortverwechselung, welche für diese Rolle bei Sh. charakteristisch ist, meint damnation, wenn er salvation sagt.” [“The clown, after distortion and twisting of words, which is characteristic of his role in Shakespeare, means damnation , when he says salvation.”]
1856 hud1 (1851-6)
hud1 : sing1 (condensed without attribution)
3192 make her graue straight] Hudson (ed. 1856) : “straightway; a common usage.” H
1856b sing2
sing2 = sing1
1857 elze1
elze1 :john1 : Douce
3192 make her graue straight] Elze (ed. 1857): "Johnson versteht darunter ’von Osten nach Westen, mit der Kirche parallel, nicht von Norden nach Süden, die gewöhnliche Linie schneidend.’ ’Straight’ heisst hier wie häufig: unmittelbar, sogleich. Haml. 145. Douce Ii, 260. —FA liest: And therefore &c." ["Johnson understands thereby, ’from east to west, parallel with the church, not from north to south, the typically cut lines. ’Straight’ means here so frequently, ’directly, immediately.’ Haml. 145 [see §145 of the play and Polonius’s speech, ’He will come straight’]. Douce II, 260.—F1 reads, ’And therefore &c.’"]
1861 wh1
whi
3192 make her graue straight] White (ed. 1861) : “Is is necessary to remark that this means, make her grave directly, straightway, right away?”
1864 glo
Glo
3192 straight] Clark & Wright (ed. 1865, Glossary) : “ adv. immediately”
1864-68 c&mc
c&mc
3192 straight] Clarke & Clarke (ed. 1864-68, rpt. 1874-78): “‘Straightway,’ ‘forthwith,’ ‘at once,’ ‘immediately,’ ‘directly.’ See Note 102, Act ii [MV].”
1865 hal
hal = Douce
3192- make her graue straight]
1869 tsch
tsch : john1
3192 straight] Tschischwitz (ed. 1869): “straight, adjectivisches Adverb: stracks, ags. streht. M.I. 383. Von der Zeit, nicht von der Direction, wie Johnson will.” [“straight, adverbial adjective: straight, A.S. streht. From the temporal, not from direction as Johnson desires it.”]
tsch : john1
3193 sate] Tschischwitz (ed. 1869): “Nach dem Sachsenspiegel 2, 12.3, 69. soll man sitzend Urtheil finden. Grimm R.A. 791.” [“After the Saxon mirror 2, 12.3, 69 one must find the legal judgment seated.”]
tsch : john1
3193 finds] Tschischwitz (ed. 1869): “finden ist Terminus der germ. Gerichtssprache. ‘Der Richter leitet und vollstreckt, der Urtheiler findet die Entschediung; Jener hat den Bann, Dieser den tuom; Jener fraget, stellet an, Dieser weiset, findest, theilet, bringet ein. Grimm $.A. 750.” [“To find is the end of German legal language. The judge conduct and discharges; the sentencer finds the decision; the former has the power, the latter the [Tuom: [[Turm: prison?]]]; the former question and arranges, the latter directs, finds, distributes, seizes. Grimm R.A. p. 750.”]
tsch : john1
3194 buriall] Tschischwitz (ed. 1869): “Elze [[see n. 3190]] behauptet mit Recht, burial stehe hier für den Begräbnissplatz, wie dies schon Z. 1. durch buried in christian burial bestätigt ist. Das Wort ist ags. byrigels, byrgels, und bedeutet ursprünglich sepulerum und wohl viel später erst sepultura.”[“Elze suggests correctly that burial stands here for the cemetery, as line one already establishes through buried in christian burial. The word is A.S., byrigels, byrgels, and means the original seplucrum and still much later first sepultura.”]
1872 del4
del4 = del2
3192 straight] Delius (ed. 1854) : “stracks” [ed. trans? I can find no German for this]
del4 = del2 +VN
3194 burial] Delius (ed. 1854) : “ Die Qs. haben when she für that der Fol. und lassen in der folgenden Rede and vor therefore aus.” [“The Qs. have when she for that of the folio, and omit in the following speech the and before therefore.”]
1872 cln1
cln1 : standard
3192 straight] Clark & Wright (ed. 1872): “immediately, as in [2.2.451 (0000) and 3.4.1. (0000)].”
1872 hud2
hud2 ≈ hud1
3192 straight]
1873 rug2
rug2
3192- make her graue straight] Moberly (ed. 1873): “Not the mere hole in which a person should be buried on whom a ‘felo de se’ verdict has been found. See the note on line 200 below [an error for 250 [3416]].”
1877 v1877
v1877 = john1 ; ≈jen [paraphrased) ;≈ v1778 (STEEVENS subst; H5, Oth, MW //) ; ≈ v1821(MALONE’s Herbert //) ; ≈ Douce
3192- make her graue straight] Furness (ed. 1877): “Douce (ii, 261) believes that the Clown refers to the place where the grave should be; suicides were buried on the north side of the church, in unconsecrated ground.”
v1877: Rushton (Sh. Illustrated by Old Authors)
3193 crowner] Rushton (apud Furness, ed. 1877): “This word is generally supposed to be a corruption of the Clown’s, but it is merely the English of the Law Latin coronator, from corona, a crown, which Holinshed also uses.”
This is on page. 72 of Rushton’s text.
1877 neil
neil ≈ standard
3192 straight] Neil (ed. 1877, Notes): “immediately, at once. See [AYL 3.5.135 (0000)].”
Neil ≈ Rushton via v1877 (w/o attribution)
3193 crowner]
1881 hud3
Hud3 ≈ hud2
3193 straight] Hudson (ed. 1881): “Straight for straightway or immediately: a common usage.”
1883 wh2
wh2
3193 straight] White (ed. 1883): “straightway, directly.”
1885 macd
macd ≈ standard
3193 straight] MacDonald (ed. 1885): “Whether this means straightway, or not crooked, I cannot tell.”
1885 mull
mull ≈ mob
3192- make her graue straight]
1889 Barnett
Barnett
3193 straight] Barnett (1889, p. 58): <p. 58>“at once, directly. A.S. streht, pp. of streccan, to stretch. Cogn. with Lat. stringere.” </p. 58>
Barnett
3193 crowner] Barnett (1889, p. 58): <p. 58>“an officer appointed by the crown. The form crowner is as correct as coroner. It is formed not from Lat. coronarius, but by adding er to the base coron of M.E. coronen, to crown. The root is Lat. corona, a crown.” </p. 58>
1890 irv2
irv2 : standard
3193 straight] Symons (in Irving & Marshall, ed. 1890): “Straightway.”
irv2 : standard
3192 therfore] Symons (in Irving & Marshall, ed. 1890): “and therfore]] Qq. omit and; they are followed by some editors, but I think very unreasonably.”
1899 ard1
ard1 ≈v1877 w/o attribution
3193 straight] Dowden (ed. 1899): “straightway, immediately, as in [2.2.459 (0000)]. Johnson supposed that it meant from east to west; Douce, that it meant not [sic] north of the church, where suicides were buried.”
Ard1≈ v1877 w/o attribution
3193 crowner] Dowden (ed. 1899): “A form of ‘coroner’ found in Holinshed, Harrison, Pepys, and others.”
1905 rltr
rltr : standard
3193 crowner]
1906 nlsn
nlsn: standard
3193 straight] Neilson (ed. 1906, Glossary)
1929 trav
trav: standard + OED
3193 crowner] Travers (ed. 1929): “Cp. a quotation in N. E. D. out of a xviith century Survey of Devon, ‘if any man die in the forest, the coroner... shall crown him.’”
1931 crg1
crg1 ≈ standard (JOHN1)
3193 straight]
crg1 ≈ standard
3193 crowner]
1934 Wilson
Wilson
3192 is, therfore] Wilson (1934, 2:252) characterizes the probability that Q2’s reading reflects an “omission” of the F1 reading to be “doubtful.” He adds, <p. 254> “I do not think, however, that it is possible to make out any case in favour of the F1 variants in list Iic, and should accordingly refuse to accept them. They add nothing perceptible to meaning or rhythm. “ </p. 254>. He also observes that POPE and v1821 follow Q2.
1934 cam3
cam3 : standard
3193 straight]
3193 straight] Wilson (ed. 1934, Glossary)
cam3
3193 sate on] Wilson (ed. 1934, Glossary, sat on): “sat in inquest on.”
3193 finds] Wilson (ed. 1934, Glossary): “return as a verdict.”
1939 kit2
kit2 ≈ standard
3193 straight] Kittredge (ed. 1939, Glossary):
1938 parc
parc ≈ standard
3193 crowner]
1942 N&H
N&H ≈ standard
3193 crowner]
1947 cln2
cln2 ≈standard
3193 straight]
cln2 ≈standard
3193 crowner]
cln2 ≈standard
3193 finds]
1951 crg2
crg2=crg1
3193 straight]
crg2=crg1
3193 crowner]
crg2 ≈ standard
3193 straight] Craig (ed. 1954, Glossary)
1970 pel1
PEL1
3193 straight]
PEL1
3193 crowner]
1970 pel2
pel2=pel1
3193 straight]
pel2=pel1
3193 crowner]
1974 evns1
evns1 ≈ standard
3193 straight]
evns1 ≈ standard
3193 crowner]
1980 pen2
pen2 ≈ standard
3193 straight]
pen2 ≈ standard
3193 crowner]
pen2 ≈ standard
3193 sate on]
1982 ard2
ard2 ≈ standard[“straightway”]] +
3193 straight] Jenkins (ed. 1982): “(([3.4.1])), but with a play on strait, confined.”
3193 crowner] Jenkins (ed. 1982): “Cf. crownet, [3164].”
ard2
3193-4 finds . . . buriall] Jenkins (ed. 1982): “Implying that his verdict was not suicide. The coroner had to give warrant for the burial. See nn. on ll. 1,220 [n. 3190, n. 3416].”
1984 chal
chal : standard
3193 crowner
chal : standard
3133 sate]
chal : standard
3193 finds]
1985 cam4
cam4
3193 straight] Edwards (ed. 1985): “straightaway. But he accidentally implies that if it weren’t Christian burial, she would have a crooked grave.”
cam4 ≈ standard
3193 crowner]
1987 oxf4
oxf4ard2 w/o attribution
3193 straight]
oxf4 ≈ standard +
3193 crowner] Hibbard (ed. 1987): “. . . now current only as an allusion to this passage.”
oxf4
3133 sate]
1988 bev2
bev2: standard
bev2: standard
3193 straight]
bev2: standard
3193 crowner]
bev2: standard
3133 sate]
1992 fol2
fol2≈ standard
3193 straight]
3193 crowner]
3133 sate]
1993 dent
dent ≈ standard
3193 crowner
sate]
1998 OED
OED
3193 straight]OED 2. a. Immediately, without delay: = STRAIGHTWAY. Now poet. or arch.
3192 3193 3194