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Richard III (1927) Yale/Appendix C

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APPENDIX C

The Text of the Present Edition

The text of the present volume is based, by permission of the Oxford University Press, upon that of the Oxford Shakespeare, edited by the late W. J. Craig. Craig's text has been carefully collated with the Quarto of 1597, and with the first Folio of 1623.[1] The textual difficulties in Richard III are numerous. The variations between the Quarto of 1597 and the Folio text are striking. Craig inclined to lean upon the authority of the Quarto; the present editor has relied mainly upon the Folio, since the trend of recent editors has been toward a return to this text.

The Folio contains nearly two hundred lines not found in the Quarto, together with many minor changes of words and additions of several short lines and parts of lines. The longer passages of the Folio are not questioned, even by advocates of the Quarto text, as un-Shakespearean. Further, the stage directions of the Folio are more complete and detailed. Apart, therefore, from obvious errors of the press to be found in the Folio, its major variations are admittedly of Shakespearean origin.

There are, however, in the Quarto some lines which do not occur in the Folio, though they are considerably less in number than the additions of the later text. In the second scene of the fourth act, for example, there is a passage, found only in the Quarto, which is dramatically essential. All such lines and passages belonging exclusively to the Quarto have been included within square brackets. Difficulties resulting from obvious errors of the press in the Folio text have been mentioned in the notes.[2]

The following deviations from Craig's text have been introduced:

1. The stage directions of the Folio have been restored. Necessary words and directions, omitted by the Folio, are added within square brackets.

2. Passages occurring in the Quarto but not in the Folio have been placed within square brackets.

3. Spelling has been normalized to accord with modern English practice: e.g. 'villainy.' The punctuation also has been standardized.

4. A few words such as 'murther,' 'burthen,' 'Britaine,' have been left in their original form.

5. The following changes of text have been introduced, usually in accordance with Folio authority. The readings of the present edition precede the colon, while Craig's readings follow it.

I. i. 52 but F: for

65 tempts him to this harsh extremity F: tempers him to this extremity

75 was for delivery? F: was to her for his delivery?

88 and F: an

103 do beseech F: beseech

133 play F: prey

138 John F: Paul

that F: this

142 Where is he, F: What, is he

ii. 19 wolves, to F: adders

31 this F: the

39 stand'st F: stand

76 crimes F: evils

78 of F: of a

79 Of F: For

86 shalt F: shoulds't

88 That F: Which

106 better F: fitter

108 holp F: help'd

117 something F: somewhat

125 I might F: might I

127 rent F: rend

178 naked F: open

213 house F: place

235 my F: her

237 I no friends F: nothing I

243 Tewkesbury F: Tewsbury

252 halts F: halt

iii. 12 unto F: into

41 height F: highest

43 is it . . . complains F: are they . . . complain

47 look F: speak

58 grace F: person

68 thereby he may learn F: that thereby he may gather

77 I F: we

97 desert F: deserts

101 bachelor, and F: bachelor

115 avouch 't F: avouch

118 do remember F: remember

125 spent F: spilt

132 this F: now

147 sov'reign F: lawful

155 A F: As

200 our F: my

that F: which

204 death F: lose

231 heavy mother's F: mother's heavy

304 an F: on

321 yours, my gracious F: you my noble

333 Dorset F: Vaughan

336 villainy F: villany

iv. 3 fearful dream, of ugly sights F: ugly sights, of ghastly dreams

9 Methoughts F: Methought

13 there F: thence

21 O Lord, F: Lord, Lord!

35 these F: those

41 Who F: Which

46 sour F: grim

50 spake F: cried

52 wand'ring F: wandering

57 him, Furies: F: him! Furies,

66 Ah, Keeper, Keeper! F: O Brakenbury

73 Keeper, I prythee sit by me a while; F: I pray thee, gentle keeper, stay by me;

82 naine F: names

86 Second F: First

89 First F: Sec.

94 from F: of

96 king, F: king

104–105 Why, he shall never wake until the great judgment day. F: When he wakes! why, fool, he shall never wake till the judgment day.

112 warrant, F: warrant for it;

121 this passionate humour of mine F: my holy humour

129 Come, F: 'Zounds!

132 Oh, in F: In

133 When F: So when

142 shamefac'd F: shamefast

144 a man F: one

145 that, by chance, F: that

146 of F: of all

150 'Tis F: 'Zounds! It is

155 I F: Tut, I

157 thy F: his

158 fall to work? F: to this gear?

160 on F: over

163 and make F: make

170 Sec. F: First

181 Sec. F: Both

190 drawn F: call'd

among F: from out

198 for any goodness F: to have redemption

204 vassals F: vassal

233 faults F: fault

243 First F: Both

252 Come, you deceive yourself F: Thou deceiv'st thyself

260 Have you F: Hast thou

your F: thy

souls F: soul

263 are you F: art thou

your F: thy

souls F: soul

you will F: thou wilt

264 they F: he

II. i. 5 to F: in

18 is F: are

from F: in

39 heaven F: God

45 Sir Richard Ratcliff and the duke F: the noble duke

56 unwillingly F: unwittingly

58 To F: By

66 Of you, and you, Lord Rivers, and of Dorset F: Of you, Lord Rivers, and Lord Grey, of you

ii. 8 both F: much

12 Then you conclude, my grandam F: Then, grandam, you conclude

26 a F: his

28 visor F: vizard

41 when the root is gone F: now the root is wither'd

46 ne'er-changing night F: perpetual rest

58 hands F: limbs

60 moan F: grief

61 woes F: plaints

103 help our F: cure their

107 breast F: mind

117 hates F: hearts

121 fet F: fetch'd

143 sister F: mother

iii. 13 Which F: That

43 Pursuing F: Ensuing

iv. 9 good F: young

53 blood F: death

65 earth F: death

III. i. 87 his F: this

91 And F: An

96 noble F: loving

97 dear F: dread

123 as, as F: as

141 will F: needs will

143 should F: would

148 And F: An

167 will not F: what will

190 house F: place

ii. 11 rased F: razed

12 kept F: held

17 toward F: towards

25 without F: wanting

26 simple F: fond

83 states were F: state was

98 thou met'st me F: I met thee

106 I thank your honour F: God save your lordship

117 cannot stay there F: shall not stay

iii. 6 hereafter! hereafter

24 embrace. F: embrace:

25 Farewell until we meet again F: And take our leave until we meet

iv. 1 Now noble peers F: My lords, at once

4 the F: that

18 honourable F: noble

52 love or hate F: hate or love

73 deed F: thing

82 our helms F: his helm

83 disdain F: disdain'd

85 started F: startled

96 men F; man

v. 31 suspects F: suspect

49–50 Two lines added to Buckingham F: to Mayor's speech

54 meanings have F: meaning hath

57 treasons F: treason

65 case F: cause

68 Which F: But

105 go F: in

vi. 7 desire F: desires

vii. 7 desire F: desires

21 bid F: bade

25 statues F: statuas

29 us'd F: wont

62 suits F: suit

71 love-bed F: day-bed

79 sure F: sore

96 ornaments F: ornament

124 The F: This

his F: her

125 His F: Her

126 His F: Her

182 off F: by

203 this care F: those cares

213 know whe'r F: whether

219 him F: them

222 stones F: stone

223 entreaties F: entreats

IV. i. 8 farther F: further

36 thy F: the

60 brains F: brain

89 Dor. F: Q. Eliz.

97 Stay, yet F: Stay yet,

ii. 13 lord F: liege

44 me, untir'd F: me untir'd

83 request F: demand

116 May it please you to resolve me in my suit? F': Why, then resolve me whe'r you will, or no

iii. 5 ruthful F: ruthless

7 Melted F: Melting

13 And F: Which

15 one F: once

30 where, to say the truth, F: how or in what place

31 soon, and F: soon at

39 this F: the

40 Britaine F: Breton

41 husband F: Henry

43 S. d. Ratcliff F: Catesby

iv. 34 we F: I

52–53 53 (52) 52 (53)

64 The F: Thy

66 Match'd F: Match

68 frantic F: tragic

78 and F: to

88 wast, a garish flag F: were at breath, a bubble

89–90 90 (89) 89 (90) F

89 dignity, a breath, a bubble, F: dignity, a garish flag

93 be thy two sons F: are thy children

94 says F: cries

102–104 she F: one

107 wast F: wert

120 sweeter F: fairer

127 clients F: client

130 will F: do

141 Where 't F: Where

175 with F: in

187 more behold F: look upon

200 more F: moe

212 a royal princess F: of royal blood

216 birth F: births

225 hand F: hands

lanch'd F: lanc'd

262 so F: too

294 gives F: give

324 love F: loan

349 vail F: wail

364–366 (lines transposed)

370 lordly F: holy

376 it F: that

379 didst fear . . . with F: hadst fear'd . . . by

381 Thou hadst not F: Had not been

386 two F: too

387 the F: a

393 with F: in

404 dear F: pure

418 found F: fond

420 you F: thee

502 elder brother F: brother there

518 lord F: liege

528 his course again for Bretagne F: away for Brittany

v. 2 deadly F: bloody

V. i. 3 the most deadly F: this most bloody

10 fellow F: fellows

11 is F: is, my lord,

15 and F: or

24 in F: on

ii. 11 centry F: centre

iii. 20 tract F: track

40 Sweet Blunt, make some good means to speak with him F: Good Captain Blunt, bear my good night to him

46 dew F: air

83 noble F: loving

105 noise F: thoughts

130 king F: the king

132 in F: on

140 in F: on

143 lance F: pointless lance

153 laid F: lead

177 fall F: falls

186 Great reason. Why? F: Great reason why?

187 What? F: What!

200 Throng all F: Throng

202 shall F: will

221 'Tis F: It is

228 and F: the

240 upon F: on

256 swear F: sweat

263 quits F: quit

298 the F: this

305 so F: too

328 seas F: sea

352 helps F: helms

iv. 28 become F: becomes



  1. In all, six quartos appeared before the publication of the First Folio, in the following years: 1597, 1598, 1602, 1605, 1612, 1622.
  2. For a discussion of the textual problems see: J. Spedding, On the Quarto and Folio of Richard III, Shakespeare Society Transactions, 1875–1876, pp. 1–75 and p. 189; E. H. Pickersgill, On the Quarto and Folio of Richard III, op. cit., 1875–1876, p. 79 ff.; The Cambridge edition, by W. G. Clark and W. A. Wright; P. A. Daniel, Preface to Griggs' Facsimile of the Quarto of 1597, 1884.