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  • Title: The Honest Whore, Part 1 (Quarto 1, 1604)
  • Editor: Joost Daalder
  • Contributing editor: Brett Greatley-Hirsch
  • Coordinating editor: Brett Greatley-Hirsch
  • General textual editor: Eleanor Lowe
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-490-5

    Copyright Digital Renaissance Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Authors: Thomas Dekker, Thomas Middleton
    Editor: Joost Daalder
    Peer Reviewed

    The Honest Whore, Part 1 (Quarto 1, 1604)

    THE HONEST WHORE.
    Cedars are shaken, when shrubs doe feele no bruize.
    1815Enter Bellafronte like a Page.
    How? from Mathaeo.
    Bell. Yes my Lord.
    Hip. Art sick?
    Bell. Not all in health my Lord.
    1820Hip. Keepe off.
    Bell. I do:
    Hard fate when women are compeld to wooe.
    Hip. This paper does speake nothing.
    Bell. Yes my Lord,
    1825Matter of life it speakes, and therefore writ
    In hidden Caracter; to me iustruction
    My maister giues, And (lesse you please to stay
    Till you both meet) I can the text display.
    Hip. Doe so: read out.
    1830Bell. I am already out:
    Looke on my face, and read the strangest story!
    Hip. What villaine, ho? Enter his seruant.
    Ser. Call you my Lord?
    Hip. Thou slaue, thou hast let in the diuell.
    1835Ser. Lord blesse vs, where? hees not clouen my Lord that
    I can see: besides the diuell goes more like a Gentleman
    than a Page: good my Lord Boon couragio.
    Hip. Thou hast let in a woman, in mans shape.
    And thou art dambd for't.
    1840Ser. Not dambd I hope for putting in a woman to a Lord.
    Hip. Fetch me my Rapier,--do not: I shall kill thee.
    Purge this infected chamber of that plague,
    That runnes vpon me thus: Slaue, thrust her hence.
    Ser. Alas my Lord, I shall neuer be able to thrust her hence
    1845without helpe: come Mermaid you must to Sea agen.
    Bell. Here me but speake, my words shall be all Musick:
    Here me but speake.
    Hip. Another beates the dore,
    T'other Shee-diuell, looke.
    1850Ser. Why then hell's broke loose. Exit.
    Hip. Hence, guard the chamber: let no more come on,
    G 2 One