Literature Online (LION) and Early English Books Online(EEBO) Data for “Shakespeare, Theobald, and the Prose Problem in Double Falsehood”
John V. Nance
Note: Listed below are entries recording the words, phrases, and collocations from 1.2.179-224 ofDouble Falsehood:
(a)Found in the canons of Shakespeare, Fletcher or Theobald
(b)Found elsewhere in English drama from 1576-1642
(c)Found elsewhere in any English publications from 1576-1642 for any search phrase not found in (a)
The matches are listed in order of their appearance from Hammond’s Arden edition (2010) and cross referenced with the 1728 second issue of Double Falsehood. All plays are indicated by an abbreviated title. Several entries (mostly from Theobald) provide the matching quote containing the parallel. Some but not all search items that did not record a single hit in (a), (b) or (c) are recorded. For further explanation, see text of essay.
#in public]WT, Cym
Fletcher: KNK, Scorn, WH, TNK 3.6
153 times elsewhere
Theobald: 15 instances
#this wooing] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
5 instances elsewhere: Rowley, Shirley, Marston, Lyly
Theobald: 0
#(is too) urgent]AC, WT, Oth
Fletcher: Scorn
46 times elsewhere
Theoabld: Odyssey
#is your father] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: RWHW, Cupid
Theobald: 0
63 times elsewhere
#***yet mov’d (yet moved)] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: FS has “Yet move”, but past tense seems rare and necessary for the parallel.
1 instances elsewhere: Rowley H8
Theobald: 0
#in the suit] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
elsewhere: 5 instances: Carlell Arviragus, Daniel Cleopatra, Day Gulls, Massinger Duke of Florence, Middleton Phoenix.
Theobald: 0
#who must be] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
elsewhere: 11 instances, Shirley (2) more than any other playwright:Wedding, Soldier
Thoebald: R3 note 12
#prime unfolder] 0 hits; DF is the only use of this phrase until 1800.
#***of this business] H8 (2), Tem (2), WT MM
Fletcher: 0
10 times elsewhere
Theobald: 0
#let chase alone] 0 hits
#***no matter for that] Cor, TN, TGV
Fletcher: 0
12 times elsewhere
Theobald: 0
#***may halt]TA
0 instances elsewhere in English Drama from 1576-1642
Theobald: 0
#***halt after] AC
0 instances elsewhere
Fletcher: 0
Theobald: 0
#*whom you profess] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
1 instance elsewhere: Heywood, Brazen: “whom you profess to love”
#profess to pursue] 0 hits
#catch her (too)] Titus, Lear
Fletcher: WWM, NW
27 times elsewhere
Theobald: 0
#***Marry, not]2HIV, Much Ado[punctuation makes this unique, not very strong]
Fletcher: 0
5 times elsewhere
Theobald: 0 (TA?)
#not unless] 3H6, R2
Fletcher: Philaster
21 times elsewhere
Theobald: All’s Well footnote 9
#your father let] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
2 times elsewhere: Dekker Devil, Heywood Golden
#let you slip] 1 time elsewhere: Thomas a Kempis Soliloquium animae, 1592
an 18th century idiom, as it appears 86 times between 1700-1799.
#***Briefly, I desire] Much Ado. See MWW for some resonance with this passage.
Fletcher: 0
0 instances elsewhere
Theobald: 0
#I desire you] AYLI, MWW, H8, Dream, Locrine (?)
Fletcher: KNK, Cupid
elsewhere: 37 time elsewhere; Heywood (2), Jonson
Theobald: 0
#She tells me]Per: “she tells me here”
Fletcher: 0
4 times elsewhere
Theobald: Perseus: “she tells me here”
#*My instructions shall] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
1 instance elsewhere: Rowley All’s Lost
Theobald: 0
#shall be both]MWW
Fletcher: Monsieur
11 times elsewhere; Jonson, Dekker
Theobald: 0
#*eyes and feet] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
2 times elsewhere: Heywood pleasant, MassingerVirgin
Theobald: 0
#no farther to]Much Ado
Fletcher: 0
4 times elsewhere: Rowley H8, Massinger Bondman
Theobald: Antiochus, Censor
#insist in your] Theobald: Perfidious, Orestes 18th century idiom, 8286 times elsewhere ECCO
#your requiring] 0 hits, 4036 times elsewhere in ECCO
#requiring (un)til] 0 hits
#*as I have formerly said] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
full match: Christian Francke Cabinet (1632)
2 instances elsewhere: Webster The Devil’s Law Case: “As I have formerly”
Theobald: Preface to Shakespeare
an 18th century idiom as well, as this appears 1206 times elsewhere in ECCO
#***make known to me] W.S. The Puritan
0 hits elsewhere in English Drama from 1576 to 1642
#make known to]Cym, MWW
Fletcher: Woman Hater
11 times elsewhere: Jonson, Heywood, Rowley
#***known to me] MWW
Fletcher: 0
12 times elsewhere: Heywood (2) Challenge, Traveller
Theobald: 0
#his good liking] 1 instance: Thomas Bell, antepast
18th century idiom: 636 times in ECCO
***#goes along with]Kyd, Spanish
“go along with” 19 times in Shakespeare
Fletcher: “go along with” WH, MT, RWHW
49 times elsewhere: Dekker 4, Jonson 3, Massinger 2, Rowley 1
#along with us] Cor (2), 2H4, 3H6, Lear, R2, Taming
Fletcher: RWHW
39 times elsewhere: Dekker North
Theobald: Appendix to Shakespeare
#*which but once] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
1 time elsewhere: Massinger Unnatural
Theobald: 0
#(but) once breathed] 0 hits
11 times in ECCO
#all is done]AC, H5, Dream, S110, Taming (2)
Fletcher: 0
39 times elsewhere: Jonson (5), Rowley 1
Theobald: 0
#***till when, the]Per
Fletcher: 0
1 time elsewhere in English Drama: Powell Welch
Theobald: 0
#the business has] 0 hits
637 hits in ECCO
#has no life] 0 hits
29 times in ECCO
#cannot find a] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
9 times elsewhere: Massinger Emperor
Theoabld: Perfidious, Shakes Restored
#*find a beginning]William Laud Relation
#His father is]Taming (2)
Fletcher: 0
24 instances elsewhere
Theobald: 0
#is as unsettled] 0 hits
#he is wayward] 0 hits
#wayward in his] 0 hits
#in his disposition] 4 hits: Jonson (2), Massinger, Chapman
#If I thought] R3, TN, WT
Fletcher: MT, WWM
44 times elsewhere: Dekker Shoemaker; Heywood Fair Maid, 2.If you know; Jonson Volpone, Tub, Sejanus, Love Freed
Theobald: Antiochus
#young___temper]no Shakespeare
Fletcher: Monsieur: “Who? youngFrank ? /The only temper'd spirit, Scholar, Souldier, /Courtier; and all in one piece? 'tis not possible.”
4 instances elsewhere of “young” and “temper” in such close proximity.
Theobald: 0
#were not mended] “not mend”: Ham, TN
Fletcher: “not mend” NW
“not mend” = 7 times elsewhere: Heywood How a Man, Royal King; Massinger Emperor
Theobald: 0
#by the mettle ( / metal)] 0 hits
#***the mettle (/ metal) of] ‘mettle’:AYLI, H5, KJ, TN
Fletcher: 0
4 times elsewhere: Jonson Every Man, Vol
Theobald: 0
Theobald emends AYLI and TN from ‘mettle’ to metal in his Works of Shakespeare. Typical editorial emendation.
#***mettle of his] MOV
0 instances elsewhere in English Drama from 1576 to 1642.
Theobald: 0, not directly but talks about “barren metal” in MoV note 7.
#of his mother]Cor, R3, WT
Fletcher: BB, Scorn
16 times elsewhere: Jonson Haddington, Heywood Mistress, Massinger Duke, Webster Devil’s
Theobald: Ovid, Appendix, Fatal Secret, 1H6 note 15
#I should be] 29 times in Shakespeare
Fletcher: 13
Over 200 hits elsewhere
Theobald: 0
#be something crazy] 0 hits
Theobald: 0
#giving my consent] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
3 times elsewhere: ‘give my consent’; Webster Devil’s
Theobald: 0
#consent to this] no Shakespeare (Arden?)
Fletcher: KNK
19 times elsewhere: Dekker Whore part 2, Heywood Maidenhead, Massinger Roman,
Theobald: 0
#***to this match] Cym, (Prod?)
Fletcher: 0
10 times elsewhere: Rowley Woman Never, Dekker and Middleton Roaring
Theobald: 0
#to tell you true]AC, CoE, Much Ado, TA
Fletcher: 0
22 times elsewhere: Dekker Whore part 2, Heywood Fair Maid, Jonson (more than any other playwright)Alch, Barth, Devil’s, Mag, Owls, Vol
Theobald: 0
#my eyes might] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
1 instance elsewhere: Anon. Swetnam
Theobald: 0
“mine eyes might”: Nashe Quartino, Massinger Maid, Sidney (2)
#(be the) directors]0 hits
***“be the director”] Nicholas Breton: Olde man’s lesson
to your mind]TC
Fletcher: 0
17 instances elsewhere: Heywood
Theobald: 0
I could in this] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
2 instances elsewhere: Hales Ordinary Complaints, Pierre La Primaudaye, Academy
Theobald: 0
in this town] CoE, MWW, TN
Fletcher: KNK, RWHW
27 instance elsewhere: Dekker and Middleton Roaring,Westward
look upon (twenty) men] 0 instances of ‘look upon’ followed by quantity in Shakespeare.
Fletcher: 0
elsewhere: 0
Theobald: 0
***twenty men] AC, RJ
Fletcher: 0
9 times elsewhere: Massinger Renegado
Theobald: 0
(more) delicate choice] 0 hits
39 hits in ECCO; certainly not a Jacobean idiom
I speak not this]AYLI, 1H4, 3H6
Fletcher: MT, Woman Hater
46 times elsewhere
Theobald: 0
***unbend (your)]Mac
Fletcher: 0
1 instance elsewhere: Anon. A knacke to know an honest man (1593)
Shakespeare is the only playwright from 1576-1642 to use ‘unbend your’
Theobald: ‘unbend’: Censor, The fisherman, Epistle to Orrey; 0 instances of ‘unbend your’
your affections to] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
3 instances elsewhere: Massinger Duke,
Theobald: 0
but the meaning of what] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
1 instance elsewhere: Brome Northern Lass
what I say] 10 times in Shakespeare
Fletcher: KNK, Elder, Cupid
74 times elsewhere
***that you set] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: BB (w/ Massinger), Rollo
9 instances elsewhere
Theobald: 0
(such) price upon] 0 hits
price upon yourself] 0 hits
upon yourself]Per, Much Ado
Fletcher: 0
31 instances elsewhere
Theobald: 0
him as many] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
6 instances elsewhere: Marlowe E2, Rowley Shoemaker
Theobald: 0
(much) his betters] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
12 instances of “his betters” elsewhere: Rowley All’s Lost, Massinger Duke, Jonson Tub, Dekker Whore 1
Theobald: Censor
full phrase an 18th century idiom, 173 hits on ECCO
***would buy you]TNK 1.1
Fletcher: 0
1 instance elsewhere: Jonson Sej
Theobald: 0
reckon those]1 instance elsewhere: Peter Lowe, The whole course of chirurgerie
18th century idiom, 77 hits on ECCO
those virtues in] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
2 instances elsewhere: Nabbes Unfortunate, Richards Messallina
Theobald: 0
***at the rate] CoE
Fletcher: 0
6 instances elsewhere: Jonson (2) more than any other playwright Alch, Knack
Theobald: amends Hum Lt. (p. 85)
scarcity] TA, TC, Tem, Venus
Fletcher: 0
30 instances elsewhere
Theobald: Censor
to which if] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
4 instances elsewhere: Jonson (2) more than any other playwright Every Man, New Inne
Theobald: 0
***if he come not] Dream
Fletcher: 0
3 instances elsewhere: Heywood How a man; Rowley Midnight; Oldcastle
Theobald: 0
***you remain]Tem
Fletcher: 0
9 times elsewhere
Theobald: 0
for a better]MM, Taming, TGV
Fletcher: 0
10 instances elsewhere
Theobald: Plutus, Censor, Antiochus; editorial: Mad Lover
(for a) better mart] 0 hits
‘tis well said] H8 (3.2)
Fletcher: KNK, Scorn
18 instances elsewhere: Dekker (2), Jonson, Massinger, Rowley (2)
Theobald: 0
said NEAR wisely] Ham, AYLI
Fletcher: RWHW
18 times elsewhere: Dekker (2), Massinger (2)
Theobald: 0
I fear your]Lear
Fletcher: 0
19 times elsewhere: Rowley, Massinger, Jonson, Heywood (2)
Theobald: 0
fear your lover] 0 hits
*folly-tainted]TN: ‘But wisemens folly falne, quite taint their wit.’
Fletcher: 0
0 instances elsewhere of ‘folly’ and ‘taint’ in such close proximity
Theobald: 0
shortly after]H8 (2.4), Rape
Fletcher: 0
14 times elsewhere: Jonson
Theobald: 0
shortly after it] 2 instances elsewhere: Francke Cabinet, Richard Johnson Pleasant Walkes
it proves so]CoE, Much Ado
Fletcher: 0
16 times elsewhere: Heywood (2), Massinger
Theobald: 0
you will repent] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: RWHW
15 times elsewhere: Shirley (7) more than any other playwright, Jonson (2)
Theobald: 0
we shall hear]All’s Well, Cym, H8 (5.2), Oth, TC
Fletcher: Scorn, RWHW, Monsieur
19 times elsewhere: Heywood (2), Jonson, Massinger
Theobald: 0
*what his father] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
2 instances elsewhere: Middleton Revengers, Marmion Fine
Theobald: 0
***father will do]1H4
Fletcher: 0
0 instances elsewhere in English Drama from 1576-1642
Theobald: 0
***and so proceed accordingly]AC
Fletcher: 0
0 instances elsewhere in English Drama from 1576-1642
Theobald: 0
***no great heart]AYLI: ‘no greater heart’
Fletcher: 0
3 instances elsewhere
Theobald: 0
to the business] H8 (5.3), WT
Fletcher: 0
22 times elsewhere
Theobald: H8 note 30
neither will I] E3
Fletcher: Cupid’s Revenge
48 times elsewhere: Massinger Duke, Johnson Cataline
Theobald: 0
*with any violence] No Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
1 time elsewhere: Chapman Caesar and Pompey
Theobald: 0
*oppose it (but)] No Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
20 times elsewhere: Jonson (3) more than any other playwright.
Theobald: 0
but leave it]R3
Fletcher: 0
4 times elsewhere: Rowley H8
Theobald: Antiochus, Spanish Curate
to that power] No Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
3 instances elsewhere: Habington Queen, Killigrew PrincessDent, Plain Man’s
power which rules] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: MT: “but if the powers That rule us”;Woman Hater: “But she that hath no power to rule that Will”
“power” NEAR “rules” occurs 35 times elsewhere in English Drama from 1576 to 1642
Theobald: 0
(in) these conjunctions] 2 times elsewhere: Stubbes, anatomie of abuses; Brinsley Ludus
Theobald: 0; more popular in 18th century?
and there’s an end]Cym, H5, TC, Much Ado, 1H4, 2H4
Fletcher: KNK (exact), Monsieur
10 times elsewhere: Jonson (2), Rowley, Heywood
Theobald: 13 emendations using “there’s an end”
come, haste (we)] the directive “come” followed by “haste” occurs once in English Drama from 1576-1642: Chapman, Caesar and Pompey
***haste we] AC, Troilus
Fletcher: 0
8 times elsewhere
Theobald: 0
haste we homeward] 0 hits
Further Analysis of 1.2 179-224 Non-Shakespearean Verbal Parallels
#this wooing] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
5 instances elsewhere: Rowley, Shirley, Marston, Lyly
Theobald: 0
#***yet mov’d (yet moved)] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: FS has “Yet move”, but past tense seems rare and necessary for the parallel.
1 instances elsewhere: Rowley H8
Theobald: 0
#in the suit] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
elsewhere: 5 instances: Carlell Arviragus, Daniel Cleopatra, Day Gulls, Massinger Duke of Florence, Middleton Phoenix.
Theobald: 0
#who must be] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
elsewhere: 11 instances, Shirley (2) more than any other playwright: Wedding, Soldier
Thoebald: 0
#whom you profess] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
1 instance elsewhere: Heywood, Brazen: “whom you profess to love”
#your father let] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
2 times elsewhere: Dekker Devil, Heywood Golden
#let you slip] 1 time elsewhere: Thomas a Kempis Soliloquium animae, 1592
an 18th century idiom, as it appears 86 times between 1700-1799.
#*My instructions shall] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
1 instance elsewhere: Rowley All’s Lost
Theobald: 0
#*eyes and feet] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
2 times elsewhere: Heywood pleasant, Massinger Virgin
Theobald: 0
#*as I have formerly said] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
full match: Christian Francke Cabinet (1632)
2 instances elsewhere: Webster The Devil’s Law Case: “As I have formerly”
Theobald: Preface to Shakespeare
18th century idiom as well, as this appears 1206 times elsewhere in ECCO
#***make known to me] W.S. The Puritan
0 hits elsewhere in English Drama from 1576 to 1642
#his good liking] 1 instance: Thomas Bell antepast
18th century idiom: 636 times in ECCO
***#goes along with] Kyd Spanish
“go along with” 19 times in Shakespeare
Fletcher: “go along with” WH, MT, RWHW
49 times elsewhere: Dekker 4, Jonson 3, Massinger 2, Rowley 1
#*which but once] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
1 time elsewhere: Massinger Unnatural
Theobald: 0
#cannot find a] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
9 times elsewhere: Massinger Emperor
Theoabld: Perfidious, Shakes Restored
#*find a beginning] William Laud Relation
#in his disposition] 4 hits: Jonson (2), Massinger, Chapman
#***the mettle (/ metal) of] ‘mettle’:AYLI, H5, KJ, TN
Fletcher: 0
4 times elsewhere: Jonson Every Man, Vol
Theobald: 0
Theobald emends AYLI and TN from ‘mettle’ to metal in his Works of Shakespeare. Typical editorial emendation.
#giving my consent] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
3 times elsewhere: ‘give my consent’; Webster Devil’s
Theobald: 0
#my eyes might] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
1 instance elsewhere: Anon. Swetnam
Theobald: 0
“mine eyes might”: Nashe Quartino, Massinger Maid, Sidney (2)
I could in this] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
2 instances elsewhere: Hales Ordinary Complaints, Pierre La Primaudaye, Academy
Theobald: 0
***twenty men] AC, RJ
Fletcher: 0
9 times elsewhere: Massinger Renegado
Theobald: 0
your affections to] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
3 instances elsewhere: Massinger Duke,
Theobald: 0
but the meaning of what] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
1 instance elsewhere: Brome Northern Lass
***that you set] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: BB (w/ Massinger), Rollo
9 instances elsewhere
Theobald: 0
him as many] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
6 instances elsewhere: Marlowe E2, Rowley Shoemaker
Theobald: 0
***would buy you]TNK 1.1
Fletcher: 0
1 instance elsewhere: Jonson Sej
Theobald: 0
reckon those] 1 instance elsewhere: Peter Lowe, The whole course of chirurgerie
18th century idiom, 77 hits on ECCO
those virtues in] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
2 instances elsewhere: Nabbes Unfortunate, Richards Messallina
Theobald: 0
***at the rate] CoE
Fletcher: 0
6 instances elsewhere: Jonson (2) more than any other playwright Alch, Knack
Theobald: amends Hum Lt. (p. 85)
to which if] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
4 instances elsewhere: Jonson (2) more than any other playwright Every Man, New Inne
Theobald: 0
shortly after it] 2 instances elsewhere: Francke Cabinet, Richard Johnson Pleasant Walkes
you will repent] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: RWHW
15 times elsewhere: Shirley (7) more than any other playwright, Jonson (2)
Theobald: 0
*what his father] no Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
2 instances elsewhere: Middleton Revengers, Marmion Fine
Theobald: 0
*with any violence] No Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
1 time elsewhere: Chapman Caesar and Pompey
Theobald: 0
to that power] No Shakespeare
Fletcher: 0
3 instances elsewhere: Habington Queen, Killigrew Princess Dent, Plain Man’s
(in) these conjunctions] 2 times elsewhere: Stubbes, anatomie of abuses; Brinsley Ludus
Theobald: 0; more popular in 18th century?
and there’s an end]Cym, H5, TC, Much Ado, 1H4, 2H4
Fletcher: KNK (exact), Monsieur
10 times elsewhere: Jonson (2), Rowley, Heywood
Theobald: 13 emendations using “there’s an end”
Further Analysis of 1.2.179-224 Verbal Parallels: Not Shakespeare, Fletcher, or Theobald
this wooing] 4 instances elsewhere: Rowley, Shirley, Marston, Lyly
*yet mov’d] Rowley H8
in the suit] Carlell Arviragus, Daniel Cleopatra, Day Gulls, Massinger Duke of Florence, Middleton Phoenix.
who must be] elsewhere: 11 instances, Shirley (2) more than any other playwright: Wedding, Soldier
*whom you profess] Heywood, Brazen
your father let] Dekker Devil; Heywood Golden
let you slip] Thomas a Kempis Soliloquium animae, 1592
*My instructions shall] Rowley All’s Lost
eyes and feet] Heywood pleasant, Massinger Virgin
*make known to me] W.S. The Puritan (of course)
his good liking] 1 instance: Thomas Bell antepast
*which but once] 1 time elsewhere: Massinger Unnatura
*find a beginning] William Laud Relation
in his disposition] 4 hits: Jonson (2), Massinger, Chapman
giving my consent] 3 times elsewhere: ‘give my consent’; Webster Devil’s
my eyes might] 1 instance elsewhere: Anon. Swetnam
“mine eyes might”: Nashe Quartino, Massinger Maid, Sidney (2)
I could in this] 2 instances elsewhere: Hales Ordinary Complaints, Pierre La Primaudaye, Academy
your affections to] 3 instances elsewhere: Massinger Duke,
but the meaning of what] 1 instance elsewhere: Brome Northern Lass