Internet Shakespeare Editions

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  • Title: King John: List of print anomalies in the Folio text
  • Author: Michael Best

  • Copyright Michael Best. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: Michael Best
    Peer Reviewed

    List of print anomalies in the Folio text

    In the process of preparing the old-spelling diplomatic transcription of King John, our Associate Textual Editor, Don Bailey, recorded anomalies that occurred in setting the type and printing. What follows is a list of these anomalies.

    TLN 0.1: The life and death of King Iohn.
    A rather crammed together title. This "style" may be (it shows up a lot in the text with "f"s) that of a certain compositor.
    TLN 6: Thus
    "s" of "Thus" is bent/squashed so it looks like a five. This appears elsewhere and doesn't seem as common as certain types of damage to "e"s.
    TLN 12: Chat.
    Blackletter period
    TLN 26: Chat.
    Blackletter period
    TLN 47-48: Or . . . So
    The first word in each line ("Or" and "So" has shifted downward). As an example of how our site allows comparisons of the F1, among other things: line 48 in Brandeis has newly (and badly) broken type ("h" and "i") of "whi{s}pers", unlike that of the NSW or Hinman. Something dramatic happened. Looking at SCETI (which doesn't have the magnification that we have) it looks like type may have been replaced (the "h" there seems to have a "shorter leg").
    TLN 78: and
    The ascender of the "d" in "and" is bent to the right.
    TLN 93: He hath a tricke
    There is in some F1s (Brandeis and NSW) an imprint of what looks like a broken pilchrow.
    TLN 97: well
    The "w" in "well" is damaged on the left.
    TLN 100: he
    "Hooked" ascender on the "h" in "he"; this is a damaged blackletter question mark.
    TLN 122: is
    "s" in "is" is squashed into the shape of the numeral five.
    TLN 126: fault
    "f" in "fault" has its top broken off.
    TLN 137: fathers land
    Badly damaged "s" in the second "fathers" in the line looks like a "3".
    TLN 142: Faulconbridge
    "Flag" on the top of the ascender of "b".
    TLN 146: Ba{{s}t}
    Period after SP is blackletter (clear in NSW).
    TLN 185: K. Iohn.
    A very slim possibility of a press variant in Brandeis; in Hinman, NSW, and Sceti, the period after "K" in SP is blackletter but not in Brandeis. Could be inking or wear.
    TLN 191: ba{{s}t}ard.
    Period is blackletter in Sceti.
    TLN 193: a many
    Second "many" has a badly broken "a" that looks like the "more or less equal" symbol, and appears often in other texts.
    TLN 209: yours
    Squashed "s" in "yours": looks like a "5".
    TLN 214: conclu{{s}i}on
    broken second "c" in "conclu{{s}i}on", which has appeared in other texts.
    TLN 229: her?
    I suspect that Hinman has a first state of a press variant with the extra space before the italic question mark; Brandeis and NSW remove the space.
    TLN 309: loue
    "o" of "loue" is broken.
    TLN 311: with
    Badly broken leg of the "h" in "with".
    TLN 353: Legions
    The "n" in "Legions" is broken in two.
    TLN 354: marches
    That strange "c", again, in "marches".
    TLN 361: inconsiderate
    This is at best a made-up "i" at the beginning of "inconsiderate".
    TLN 385: heauen.
    Not clear in Hinman, but the period here is blackletter.
    TLN 463: yt
    Note that the "t" is another use of Greek looking "t" that pops up.
    TLN 467: me.
    Period after "me" is blackletter.
    TLN 470: His . . . grandames
    Made up or damaged pieces of type. The "i" in "His" -- note the lack of the dot and the strange shape -- and the "m" in "grandames" -- note how it looks to be made up of an "r" and "n".
    TLN 473: {{s}h}all
    The "a" in "{{s}h}all" is probably a broken {ae} ligature.
    TLN 473.1: and death
    RT: Added space between f and e in life and the "d"s in "and death" have their ascenders damaged; also, the "leg" of the "h" in "death" is damaged.
    TLN 491: Beadle
    The "d" in "Beadle" has its ascender mostly broken off.
    TLN 506: Cit.
    The period after the SP is blackletter.
    TLN 510: Fra.
    The period after the SP is blackletter.
    TLN 624: doth
    The ascender to the "d" in "doth" is badly bent to the right.
    TLN 674: blowes
    The "s" in "blowes" is bent into a 5.
    TLN 678: Fra.
    Period after SP is blackletter.
    TLN 717: mouth
    The leg of the "h" in "mouth" is broken off.
    TLN 752: of
    The "f" of "of" has its top broken off.
    TLN 776: death.
    Blackletter period.
    TLN 788: have
    Ascender on "h" of "have" is broken off.
    TLN 805: besiedg'd
    What should be an apostrophe in "besiedg'd" might be a turned period.
    TLN 811: face.
    Blackletter period.
    TLN 812: Lord
    The "d" of "Lord" has its ascender bent to the right.
    TLN 826: as he.
    Period is blackletter.
    TLN 846: vnfainedly.
    Blackletter period.
    TLN 873: The life
    The descender of f is bent and, for the only time in theses RTs a non-swash I is used.
    TLN 913: rich.
    Blackletter period.
    TLN 916: vertue
    Badly broken "e" at the end of "vertue".
    TLN 923: ioyn'd.
    Blackletter period.
    TLN 1009: it
    The "t" of "it" is badly bent.
    TLN 1056: Au{s}.
    The period after the SP is blackletter.
    TLN 1109: Good
    The "G" of "Good" is set to the left of the set margin.
    TLN 1126: Cardinall.
    Blackletter period at the end of the line.
    TLN 1132: Con.
    After Con. the period is blackletter
    TLN 1144: principle#,
    Made up or damaged comma. In Brandeis it looks like two periods stuck together one on top of the another.
    TLN 1149: well.
    Period is blackletter.
    TLN 1180: father
    Badly damaged "a" in "father".
    TLN 1203: And
    The "d" in "And" has its ascender bent to the right.
    TLN 1227: as
    The "s" of "as" has been so damaged that it looks like the numeral 5.
    TLN 1252: Pand.
    The period after the SP is blackletter.
    TLN 1256: houre.
    The period at the end of this line is blackletter.
    TLN 1270: lies.
    The period at the end of this line is blackletter.
    TLN 1344: eyes{#},
    Either the space has partially printed, or possibly a made up apostrophe.
    TLN 1363: lies
    The "s" of "lies" has been squashed.
    TLN 1364: keeper
    The first "e" in "keeper" is badly bent.
    TLN 1374: well
    Both "l"s in "well" are damaged.
    TLN 1381: Tertia
    The "r" of Tertia is damaged.
    TLN 1383: Fra.
    The period after SP is blackletter.
    TLN 1420: peace.
    Blackletter period.
    TLN 1421: Con.
    The period after the SP is blackletter.
    TLN 1444: each
    The "h" of "each" has a broken "leg".
    TLN 1476: neuer
    The "u" in "neuer" is damaged so that it looks like a hook; blackletter period.
    TLN 1507: and death
    Both "d"s are broken and bent.
    TLN 1529: did
    The ascender of the second "d" in "did" is hooked.
    TLN 1552: reuolt
    The lower part of the "t" has been broken off.
    TLN 1572: when
    The leg is broken off the "h" in "when".
    TLN 1587: France,
    The 'n' is damaged and could almost be a 'u'; or it is an "n" that has been split into two parts.
    TLN 1596: is't
    The "s" in "is't" has been squashed so it looks like a 5.
    TLN 1614: Art.
    The period after the SP is blackletter.
    TLN 1630: and death
    The ascenders on both "d"s are broken and bent, and the "h" has lost the lower part of its leg.
    TLN 1633: did
    The "i" in "did" appear to have been made up from a damaged "l"; note how in Hinman in does look like an "l", and in the other copies the dot looks too large.
    TLN 1661: stand
    The "d" has a hooked ascender.
    TLN 1662: deede.
    The period at the end of the line is blackletter.
    TLN 1688: this
    The "s" is so damaged that it looks like a 3.
    TLN 1689: The
    Rather minor, but the "h" in "The" has an ascender that is bent to the right.
    TLN 1715: thee.
    The period that ends this line is blackletter;
    TLN 1717: Lordes.
    Blackletter period ends this line.
    TLN 1718: Iohn.
    The period after the SP is blackletter.
    TLN 1732: garnish
    The {{s}h} ligature is badly damaged.
    TLN 1736: And
    The ascender on the "d" in "And" is bent to the right.
    TLN 1764: Pem.
    The period after the SP is blackletter.
    TLN 1791: Do
    The "o" of "Do" is partly caved in.
    TLN 1808: Ioh.
    The period after the SP is blackletter.
    TLN 1813: your
    The "u" of "your" is damaged such that both sides are bent toward the center.
    TLN 1820: long
    the "o" looks made up of a broken piece of type: it is open on the bottom and flat on the right side.
    TLN 1831: {s}peede
    The "e" is broken.
    TLN 1832: For
    The "t" or "r" of "For" is a strange font or has become blocked with ink.
    TLN 1834: Oh
    The "h" of "Oh" is missing half of its ascender and is bent to the right.
    TLN 1835: hath . . . care
    Both "h"s in "hath" have their ascenders bent; the "c" is in "care" is of an odd font that occurs frequently in the folio.
    TLN 1850: Me{s}.
    The period after the SP is blackletter.
    TLN 1888: and death
    Both "d"s are broken and so is the leg of the h in death.
    TLN 1898: Ba{{s}t}.
    The period after the SP is blackletter.
    TLN 1911: prophe{s}ie
    "prophe{s}ie" ligature damaged.
    TLN 1974: you
    Only in Brandeis is the "u" of "you" badly broken
    TLN 2008: Sal.
    The period after SP is blackletter.
    TLN 2014: Big.
    Period after CW is blackletter.
    TLN 2034: proud
    Here the "o" of "proud" is damaged so that it only prints the front halfalmost a "c".
    TLN 2056: damned
    A very damaged "e" in "damned", if it is an "e".
    TLN 2076-2080: Oh he is bold . . . skin.
    These lines are crooked (wavy) with some pieces of type higher or lower because the type was starting to pie.
    TLN 2078: villaine.
    Blackletter period.
    TLN 2089: innocent
    The "t" at the end of "innocent" is the Greek-like "t"; blackletter period.
    TLN 2091: so
    Badly damaged "o" in "so".
    TLN 2113: Like
    Badly damaged "e" in "Like".
    TLN 2121: Hubert.
    Blackletter period.
    TLN 2158: Raven
    Badly damaged "a" in "Raven".
    TLN 2210: Iohn.
    The period after SP is blackletter.
    TLN 2223: intendeth
    The "d" and "h" of "intendeth" both have their ascenders bent.
    TLN 2226: fright
    The "f" of "fright" has its top broken off.
    TLN 2296: Let
    "L" of "Let" has most of its foot broken off.
    TLN 2297: cheekes
    "h" of "cheekes" has a hooked ascender.
    TLN 2304: Meteors.
    Period at the end of the line is blackletter.
    TLN 2314: {{s}i}newes
    {{s}i}newes is actually {fl}newes with ligature so damaged that the cross-bar is bent up and the "l" broken off a bit over halfway up.
    TLN 2331: Dol.
    Period after SP is blackletter
    TLN 2347: yong
    "o" of "yong" is damaged.
    TLN 2362: looke
    The second "o" of "looke" is broken.
    TLN 2367: fiery
    The descender of the "y" of "fiery" is damaged.
    TLN 2387: sawcinsse
    The "c" of "sawcinsse" is quite strange, and appears elsewhere.
    TLN 2391: hand
    The "d" of "hand" has a hooked ascender.
    TLN 2417: Pan.
    Blackletter period after SP.
    TLN 2430: Legate
    What should be an "e" (the first) in Legate is probably a "c" (cf., with TLN 2439 "c" in "mocke").
    TLN 2436: Ba{{s}t}.
    Blackletter period after SP.
    TLN 2438: Tertia
    "r" of "Tertia" is damaged.
    TLN 2447: word
    "o" of "word" is broken.
    TLN 2465: Pem.
    Blackletter period after Pem.
    TLN 2475: day
    The ascender of the "d" of "day" is bent to the left.
    TLN 2529: with
    The "h" of "with" has a hooked ascender.
    TLN 2540: Dol.
    The period after Dol is blackletter
    TLN 2540: fowle
    what should be an "l" in "fowle" is an "I".
    TLN 2545: Me{s}.
    Blackletter period after Mes.
    TLN 2553: Ba{{s}t}.
    Blackletter period after Bast.
    TLN 2577: comfortle{{s}{s}}e
    What should be an "l" here is slightly bent "I".
    TLN 2580: is
    What should be a "i" in "is" looks to be a damaged "l".
    TLN 2582: euill
    Badly damaged "e" in "euill".
    TLN 2593: whose
    The "h" of "whose" has a hooked ascender.
    TLN 2606: braine
    The top of the letter "a" is missing in "braine".
    TLN 2617: xxx
    Period after SP is blackletter.
    TLN 2635: Iohn
    The "I" of "Iohn" looks a bit like an "l", as do the "I"s at 2654 and 2660 (this one flipped over).
    TLN 2635: and death
    Broken "d"s and h.
    TLN 2637: There
    The "h" in "There" has a broken leg.