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IV.
My examination of the Pavier spellings was undertaken as a result of the hypothesis that an analysis of compositorial spellings can provide not merely the basis for accurately identifying a compositor's work by his preferential spellings, but also the means of seeing through the workman to his copy. In many situations, it would be extremely advantageous, once the compositor has been identified, to penetrate the layer of his spellings and go behind the man to the copy from which he was setting his type. Compositorial identification has concentrated on the discovery of forms like do, go, and heere which are signs indicating that the text in question is B's work. The hypothesis in question stated, however, that if a new group of spellings can be discovered which contains not only these compositorial habits and preferences, but also spellings which reproduce copy spellings as well, there will be a means of seeing through that compositor to his copy. The examination of the Pavier spellings has produced the evidence to verify this hypothesis and has further shown that even the identifying badges, strong preferences, can be used to get at copy spellings.
There are various types of words which can produce information about copy. The ideal word is one that has two or more variant spellings which occur in mixed groups and are mechanically reproduced by the compositor in question. Such words which then directly depict the copy spelling at every occurrence turn out to be extremely rare. The only examples which are invariably reliable in the Paviers are art(20)/arte(2), brier(2)/bryer(2), marvell(4)/marveile(5+J1), and pallace(4)/pallas(1). All four of these words occur in the Paviers with limited frequency, but they serve to demonstrate that words can be found which will vary in direct relation to copy. Oh is the best example of a high frequency word which varies in extremely close relation to copy spelling. Of the 361 mixed O (244+J45) and Oh (177+J20) forms in B's copy, 341 reflect copy spellings. When one encounters an O or Oh spelling in B's Pavier texts, therefore, the odds are better than fifteen to one that B's spelling is the spelling which stood in copy. Words of this type which can be said to express compositorial indifference are unfortunately relatively scarce and are, therefore, only one contributing factor to the search for spellings which reflect copy. When they do occur, however, the evidential value is extremely strong.
At the other end of the scale are strong habits and preferences which, if viewed from a new perspective and not as identifying badges indicating a given compositor's presence, can contribute clues to copy spellings. Take, for example, do, the strongest of B's preferential spellings. In all of the Paviers, B violates his strong preference fifteen times
Between the words expressing compositorial indifference and those which display a strong preference are all shades of a spectrum. Among these words are many which can be termed weak preference words. These words are those for which B displays some favorite spelling or spellings but neither a very strong habit nor indifference. Dear is an ideal example of a weak preference word. B clearly displays a preference for the deere spelling by following every one of the thirty-seven (+J7) deere spellings in copy and changing twenty-three (+J6) of the sixty (+J12) deare spellings in copy to deere. It is the thirty-seven (+J6) non-preferential deare spellings which B reproduces in his texts from his copy, however, which are of importance for copy study. B's preference was weak, and he allowed it to be subordinated to copy spellings in these numerous instances so that all of these deare spellings in his texts directly reflect copy spellings. We are, so to speak, able to see through B back to copy when we see a deare in his text. Dear is spoken of as an ideal example of a weak preference, copy-reflecting word because the complete absence of aberrant -ee- to -ea- changes makes the deare absolutely reliable as an indication of the copy spelling. Every single one of the thirty-seven (+J6) -ea- forms in B's texts directly reflects an -ea- form in copy.
There are, of course, many gradations of preferences ranging from words that approach the strong habits like do, go, and heere to those which fade into examples of compositorial indifference. In addition, many of these weak preference words are not like deare in being 100% reliable. Perfect reliability is not, however, a requisite for words to use in copy study. Take, for example, the weak preference word credit. B's demonstrable preference is for the credite spelling, but he sets credit seven (+J1) times. Of these seven times, six reflect six of the thirteen credit spellings in copy and one represents an aberrant change of the supposedly preferred credite to credit. This one aberrancy does not destroy the value of the word for the purpose of getting at copy since the odds are still six to one that credit in the Pavier text will reflect credit in copy.
The following compilation includes over 100 words which, within the Pavier texts, demonstrably reflect the characteristics of copy. Here,
Words have been included in this list down to a 67% degree of reliability. This 67% figure in itself may not sound as strong as when it is expressed in the form of two-to-one odds that the copy-reflecting spelling does indicate the spelling in copy. This percentage is calculated only for the unjustified occurrences of the spellings in the third column so as to remove any possible contamination from the exigencies of justification. Since it is impossible to draw lines dividing the spectrum of copy-reflecting words into different groups, the percentage of reliability must be considered in conjunction with the number of times the preferential (column two) and copy-reflecting (column three) spellings occur in B's texts in order to evaluate the significance of a specific spelling as a form which reflects copy. Because of the dangers inherent in dealing with statistically small samples, even this rough indication of relative percentages of reliability has been omitted for words which do not occur at least ten times in the Paviers.
| Word | B's Preference(s) | Spellings Reflecting Copy | |
| aboard | aboard (5) | aboord (4+J1) | 100% |
| act | acte (12+J3) | act (4) | 100% |
| adieu | final -u (10) | final -w (2+J2) | 100% |
| aid | medial -i- (12+J1) | medial -y- (3) | 100% |
| alack | alacke (18) | alack (4) | 75% |
| already | already (12) | alreadie (1) | 100% |
| always | alwayes (7+J1) | alwaies (5+J1) | 100% |
| and | and (General Rule) | & (4+J4) | 100% |
| angel | angel (5+J1) | angell (5) | 100% |
| answer | answer (43+J7) | final -re (12+J3) | 83% |
| approach | approch (6+J1) | approach (5) | 100% |
| art | _____ | art (20) | 100% |
| arte (2) | 100% | ||
| bar | barre (9) | bar (1) | 100% |
| battle | battell (12+J4) | battle (1) | 100% |
| battaile (7+J1) | 86% | ||
| been | _____ | bin (18+J10) | 72% |
| behind | behinde (17+J2) | behind (4+J3) | 75% |
| bishop | byshop (19) | bishop (9) | 100% |
| blind | blinde (14+J5) | blind (2+J2) | 100% |
| blood | blood (97+J8) | bloud (32) | 84% |
| bloody | bloody (27+J1) | medial -ou- (13) | 100% |
| bow | bow (4) | bowe (1) | |
| box | box (1) | boxe (2+J1) | |
| briar | _____ | bryer (2) | |
| brier (2) | |||
| brief | breefe (5) | briefe (12+J3) | 100% |
| charity | charity (12+J3) | charitie (1) | 100% |
| cheer | cheere (10+J2) | cheare (3) | 100% |
| chief | cheefe (8+J1) | chiefe (1+J2) | 100% |
| choice | choise (21+J1) | internal -y- (4) | 100% |
| choose | choose (5) | chuse (3) | |
| clear | cleere (9) | cleare (11+J1) | 82% |
| coin | coine (4) | coyne (2) | |
| command | command (17+J2) | commaund (1) | 100% |
| courtesy | courtesie (6+J1) | curtesie (7+J1) | 100% |
| cousin | _____ | internal -ou- (9) | 89% |
| internal -o- (11+J4) | 90% | ||
| credit | credite (8+J3) | credit (7+J1) | 86% |
| crown | crowne (21+J3) | crown (1+J1) | 100% |
| cruel | cruell (13+J1) | cruel (1) | 100% |
| dear | deere (60+J13) | deare (37+J6) | 100% |
| deed | deede (8+J2) | deed (14+J1) | 71% |
| deny | deny (13+J3) | denie (1) | 100% |
| devil | divell (44+J15) | devill (1+J1) | 100% |
| do | do (573+J103) | doe (15+J21) | 80% |
| duchess | final -esse (9+J3) | final -es (1+J1) | 100% |
| duty | duty (14+J1) | dutie (1+J1) | 100% |
| enemy | enemy (12+J1) | enemie (3) | 100% |
| error | error (7+J1) | errour (1) | |
| extreme | extreme (12) | extreame (2) | 100% |
| fancy | fancy (4) | fancie (1) | |
| forth | foorth (25+J3) | forth (16+J2) | 87% |
| fury | fury (9) | furie (3) | 100% |
| Word | B's Preference(s) | Spellings Reflecting Copy | |
| girl | gyrle (6) | girle (1+J2) | |
| go | go (231+J40) | goe (73+J32) | 93% |
| grief | greefe (19+J1) | griefe (21+J4) | 100% |
| grieve | greeve (19) | grieve (4+J3) | 75% |
| guard | guard (13+J1) | gard (3) | 100% |
| guess | guesse (5) | gesse (2) | |
| hear | heare (19+J2) | hear (1) | 100% |
| heart | heart (184+J27) | hart (20+J10) | 95% |
| herald | herald (7) | herauld (5) | 80% |
| here | heere (345+J44) | here (150+J41) | 91% |
| heretic | hereticke (2) | heretike (6) | |
| high | high (7+J2) | hi (y) e (9) | 100% |
| hour | houre (45+J6) | internal -ow- (2) | 100% |
| intreat | initial en- (17+J2) | initial in- (13+J1) | 92% |
| final -te (22+J2) | final -t (4+J1) | 100% | |
| jest | jeast (4) | jest (3) | |
| keys | keyes (3) | keies (1) | |
| kiss | kisse (15) | kis (2) | 100% |
| liberty | liberty (4) | libertie (1) | |
| loud | _____ | lowd (4) | 75% |
| loud (7) | 86% | ||
| mad | mad (13+J2) | madde (1+J1) | 100% |
| madam | medial -d- (78+J12) | medial -dd- (1+J1) | 100% |
| maid | internal -i- (25+J7) | internal -y- (2) | 100% |
| majesty | majesty (47+J3) | majestie (2+J1) | 100% |
| marvel | _____ | marvell (4) | 100% |
| marvaile (5+J1) | 100% | ||
| master | master (121+J19) | maister (4+J3) | 100% |
| mighty | mighty (15+J3) | mightie (1) | 100% |
| mind | minde (61+J10) | mind (4+J3) | 100% |
| mock | mocke (9) | mock (1) | 100% |
| month | month (6+J1) | moneth (2) | |
| moral | morall (4) | morrall (1) | |
| murder | _____ | internal -d- (39+J3) | 80% |
| internal -th- (34+J3) | 79% | ||
| near | neere (45+J4) | neare (2) | 100% |
| need | neede (9+J2) | need (13+J4) | 69% |
| noise | noise (5+J4) | noyse (3) | 100% |
| oh | _____ | o (244+J45) | 99% |
| oh (117+J20) | 85% | ||
| old | olde (21+J18) | final -d (42+J16) | 93% |
| palace | palace (3+J2) | pallace (4) | 100% |
| pallas (1) | 100% | ||
| pity | internal -tt- (42+J7) | internal -t- (2+J1) | 100% |
| poison | poyson (8) | poison (3) | 67% |
| quick | quicke (6+J4) | quick (2) | 100% |
| relieve | internal -ee- (11) | internal -ie- (1) | 100% |
| run | run (16+J2) | runne (13+J7) | 100% |
| sail | internal -y- (10+J2) | internal -i- (4+J1) | 100% |
| seven | seven (9) | seaven (2) | 100% |
| show(s) | medial -e- (75+J8) | medial -o- (13) | 100% |
| singular: | final -w (60+J3) | final -we (2+J1) | 100% |
| son | sonne (87+J14) | son (5+J3) | 80% |
| sorry | internal -rr- (5) | internal -r- (3+J1) |
| Word | B's Preference(s) | Spellings Reflecting Copy | |
| sudden | _____ | internal -u- (4+J2) | 100% |
| internal -o- (11+J3) | 90% | ||
| summer | summer (6+J2) | sommer (7+J1) | 100% |
| sun | sunne (23+J1) | sun (5) | 80% |
| together | together (12+J2) | togither (3) | 100% |
| traitor | internal -i- (59+J4) | internal -y- (1+J1) | 100% |
| truly | truely (7+J2) | truly (2+J1) | 100% |
| try | try (6+J2) | trie (2) | 100% |
| unless | unlesse (18) | unles (1) | 100% |
| victory | victory (6) | victorie (2) | |
| war | single r (5) | double rr (22) | 100% |
| wax | wax (4+J2) | waxe (2+J5) | 100% |
| we'll | wee'l (42+J5) | final -le (10+J3) | 100% |
| wind | winde (34+J10) | wind (3) | 100% |
| witness | witnesse (15+J4) | witnes (1) | 100% |
| you'll | you'l (23+J3) | youle (3) | 67% |
| young | _____ | internal -o- (25+J8) | 68% |
| internal -ou- (39+J18) | 72% |
The forms in this table which are reflections of copy constitute the class of words hypothesized to exist at the beginning of this study. The large number of spellings which belong to this class and the consistently high degree of their reliability at reflecting copy spellings show that words which reflect copy are an important part of the overall pattern of B's spellings. Compositor B has more than simple preferential spellings; he has a complex pattern of strong preferences, weak preferences, tolerances, and even mechanical indifference. Time after time under the pressure of copy, he sets non-preferential spellings about which he was relatively indifferent and thereby allows his texts to transmit the evidence of spellings which lie behind them. No longer must the person investigating a B text look only for do and go and heere spellings. He will look for doe, goe, here, youle, wind and so on, which by long odds are indications of copy spellings. Using a large number of the forms which reflect copy spellings, we can now start to assemble from the evidence in B's texts a projection of the texture of copy spellings.
Until the Pavier statistics are carefully extended by word counts on control situations in the Folio, no thoroughgoing application of this new method for determining spelling features of unknown or disputed copy can be attempted. As a brief test of the validity of this theoretical technique, however, let us turn to the first text occurring in the 1623 Folio which was set by B from known copy and perform a formal experiment in hopes of indicating the validity of the technique. Such an experiment can offer a formal demonstration under laboratory-like conditions of this new method for determining the characteristics of
According to Hinman's study, Compositor B set the last six pages of Love's Labors Lost in the Folio (M4r-M6v).[22] Examining these six Folio pages, we find the following forms which occur in unjustified lines and should, on the basis of the results of the Pavier analysis, indicate copy spellings.
- alwaies 1
- bin 1
- deare 3
- griefe 1
- hart 3
- jest 5
- O 12
- show 3
- sodaine 1
- yong 1
The experimental demonstration now depends on the confirmation or denial of the existence of these predicted phenomena by checking the control text, Love's Labors Lost Q1 (1598).[23] Checking these predicted spellings against the actual copy, we find that twenty-nine of the thirty-one or 93% of the projected spellings are in fact the spellings which stood in copy. Here is strong evidence that the hitherto unrecognized group of copy-reflecting spellings within B's total spelling system functions as an indication of copy. The strength of this experiment cannot be overemphasized. Starting with an hypothesis theoretically proposing the existence of a class of spellings which could be used as indications of copy spellings, a class of copy-reflecting spellings was constituted from the evidence derived from the control situation in the Paviers. The Folio sample was then examined for the presence of these newly discovered forms, and once they were found, yet another control confirmed the validity of the spellings themselves as reflections of copy and the validity of the technique of projecting copy spellings
It has now been demonstrated that a portion of a compositor's total spelling pattern is composed of spellings which directly reflect the spellings found in the compositor's copy. Although many investigators have conjectures about the origins and characteristics of copy used for various printed texts, the discovery and use of what are here called copy-reflecting spellings is the first procedure for determining features of copy. Many formerly vexing problems should be resolved by a thorough implementation of this method. After further investigation of spellings which reflect copy in Folio texts set by B from known copy, the road will be open to solve disputed problems like the possibility of the use of an annotated hybrid of Q1 (1608) and Q2 (1619) as copy for Folio Lear. Although authorities agree that the Folio Lear text was set from an annotated quarto, there is no agreement on the exact nature of copy. Using B's copy-reflecting spellings, one may be able to reliably project various features of the copy from B's share of the Folio text and then by inspection see which of the quartos matches the projection. In the case of texts set from MSS, these spellings which depend on copy spellings may provide the first substantial evidence concerning the specific physical features of copy. This new method, therefore, makes a start at enabling textual investigators to tackle one of the most vexing problems in establishing texts of English Renaissance drama, the nature of the lost MS copy behind extant printed texts. More specifically, when the technique has been applied to all of the workmen in the Shakespeare Folio, we may then possess an excellent tool for getting closer to the copy behind the texts of important Shakespearean plays that were printed for the first time in the Folio. The day may come when we can apply these techniques to texts set from Shakespearean foul papers and arrive at a far more intimate knowledge of the orthographical features of Shakespearean holograph than is at all possible today.
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