v. 62-64. Edw. To whóm speakest thóu? Bacon. To thée. Edw. ⋀ Whó art thóu?
Pause justified by change of speaker, and the indignant inquiry.
2. Two or more syllables lacking. To assume that omissions of this kind are due to carelessness on the part of author, scribe, or printer, is to beg the question. It is more reasonable to premise the genuineness of the lines and consider whether each in turn is not to be justified by its dramatic conditions. The following sixteen exhaust, I think, the more flagrant instances of lacuna in this play. In none would I alter the text of the first quarto.
(a) Edward's lines:—
vi. 47. Gogs wóunds ⋀ Bácon hére comes Lácie ⊼.
Abrupt outcry, in which the less and the more forcible exclamatory pauses are metrically provided for by the lacking thesis and arsis respectively. The lacking thesis allows also for the transition from surprise to affirmation. This line is paralleled by
vi. 127. Gogs wóunds ⋀ Bácon they kísse! Ile stáb them ⊼.
The former pause for breathless amazement; the latter for decision and a gesture. He raises his hand to deal the blow.
vi. 146. Helpe, Bácon ⊼! ⋀ stóp the márriage nów!
Dyce, "some word or words wanting." Others would supply "Helpe! and" and so reduce the line to mediocrity. The omission is intentional. The exclamatory pause after 'Bacon' is metrically equivalent to an accented syllable. The pause before 'stop' is for Edward's quandary—as if he should for a moment cast about for an appropriate request. The line might of course be interpreted so as to require one lacking thesis before 'Helpe' and one before 'Bacon.'