| As with other types of emotion, the interpretation of everyday politeness expressions depends partly on context and actor interpretation. For example, most uses of so please you are affable, but when Oswald uses it on abruptly leaving Lear (KL I.iv.45) it is positively rude, equivalent to ‘Excuse me, I’m busy’. |
The table does not include cases of ‘special pleading’, such as the highly refined formulae used by aristocrats to each other (e.g. ‘an it please your grace’, 2H6 II.iv.76) or the formulaic begging expression used by prisoners to passers-by, ‘for the Lord’s sake’ (MM IV.iii.18). |
When asking or begging for something
[modern: please; may I ask]
| Item |
Location |
Example |
| beseech you |
Cor I.iii.28 |
Beseech you, give me leave to retire myself |
| beseech you, I |
KL I.iv.234 |
I do beseech you / To understand my purposes aright |
| good now |
TNK III.iii.9 |
Sit down, and good now, / No more of these vain parleys |
| pray |
Tem III.i.24 |
Pray, give me that |
| pray, I |
Cor II.iii.74 |
Kindly, sir, I pray let me ha’t |
| pray you, I |
AYL II.iv.58 |
I pray you, one of you question yond man |
| prithee |
Ham II.ii.498 |
Prithee say on |
| prithee, I |
AYL I.ii.25 |
[Rosalind] what think you of falling in love? [Celia] Marry, I prithee, do, to make sport withal |
When asking for agreement or permission to do something
[modern: if you please; by your leave; if you agree; begging your pardon; etc]
| Item |
Location |
Example |
| favour, by your |
KL IV.vi.211 |
But, by your favour, / How near’s the other army? |
| favour, under |
Tim III.v.41 |
My lords, then, under favour - pardon me |
| leave, by |
Cym V.v.315 |
Have at it then, by leave |
| leave, by your |
MW I.i.179 |
[before kissing] By your leave, good mistress |
| leave, give us |
MW II.ii.155 |
Give us leave, drawer [i.e. please leave us] |
| like you, an it |
MM II.i.154 |
First, an it like you, the house is a respected house |
| like you, so |
Cym II.iii.53 |
So like you, sir, ambassadors from Rome |
| offence, without |
Cym I.vi.6 |
But I beseech your grace, without offence ... wherefore you have / Commanded of me |
| pardon, by your |
MA II.i.314 |
By your grace’s pardon [before leaving] |
| pardon, under |
LLL IV.ii.100 |
Under pardon, sir, what are the contents? |
| patience, by your |
Cor I.iii.75 |
[Volumnia] She shall [go out of doors]. [Virgilia] Indeed, no, by your patience |
| patience, under your |
Tit II.iii.66 |
Under your patience, gentle Empress |
| please it |
MA I.i.150 |
Please it your grace lead on? [i.e. may it please] |
| please you |
CE I.ii.27 |
Please you, I’ll meet with you upon the mart |
| please you, so |
AYL I.i.86 |
So please you, he is here at the door, and importunes access |
| please you, may it |
2H6 II.iv.80 |
So am I given in charge, may’t please your grace |
| please you, will it |
MM IV.i.58 |
Will’t please you walk aside? |
| vouchsafe |
MA III.ii.3 |
I'll bring you thither ... if you'll vouchsafe me [i.e. be pleased to agree] |
When apologising
[modern: I apologise; I beg your pardon; excuse me]
| Item |
Location |
Example |
| mercy, cry |
R3 V.iii.225 |
Cry mercy, lords and watchful gentlemen, / That you have ta’en a tardy sluggard here |
| mercy, I cry you |
1H6 V.iii.109 |
[Suffolk] Lady, wherefore talk you so? [Margaret] I cry you mercy, ’tis but quid for quo |
| mercy, I cry your worships |
MND III.i.174 |
I cry your worships mercy, heartily |
When softening an offensive remark or dubious subject
[modern: pardon my language; excuse my French]
| Item |
Location |
Example |
| bless us, God |
MND IV.ii.13 |
A paramour is - God bless us - a thing of naught |
| manhood, saving your |
2H4 II.i.25 |
’A comes continually to Pie Corner - saving your manhoods - to buy a saddle |
| mark, bless the |
TG IV.iv.18 |
he had not been there, bless the mark, a pissing while |
| mark, God bless the |
MV II.ii.21 |
the Jew my master who, God bless the mark, is a kind of devil |
| mark, God save the |
1H4 I.iii.55 |
Of guns, and drums, and wounds, God save the mark! / And telling me |
| reverence, saving |
Cym IV.i.5 |
The rather (saving reverence of the word), for ’tis said a woman’s fitness comes by fits |
| reverence, saving your |
1H4 II.iv.455 |
that he is, saving your reverence, a whoremaster |
| sir-reverence |
CE III.ii.93 |
such a one as a man may not speak of without he say ‘sir-reverence’ |
When thanking
[modern: thank you; thanks; many thanks]
| Item |
Location |
Example |
| God-a-mercy |
Ham II.ii.172 |
[Polonius] How does my good Lord Hamlet? [Hamlet] Well, God-a-mercy |
| God dild/ild you |
Ham IV.v.42 |
[Claudius] How do you, pretty lady? [Ophelia] Well, God dild you! [i.e. God reward you] |
| gramercy |
Tit IV.ii.7 |
[Young Lucius] I greet your honours ... [Demetrius] Gramercy, lovely Lucius |
| gramercies |
TS I.i.41 |
[Tranio] study what you most affect. [Lucentio] Gramercies, Tranio |
EXCLAMATIONS; FAREWELLS; GREETINGS; REGRETS