Digital Renaissance Editions

About this text

  • Title: The Honest Whore, Part 1 (Quarto 2, 1604)
  • Editor: Joost Daalder
  • 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 2, 1604)

    CVRTIZAN.
    2495Hip. O Yes, we doe applaud it, weele dispute
    No longer, but will hence and execute.
    Fluello youle stay here, let vs be gon,
    The ground that frighted louers tread vpon,
    Is stucke with thornes.
    2500Ans. Come then, away: tis meete,
    To escape those thornes, to put on winged feete. Exeunt.
    Mat. No words I pray Fluello, for it stands vs vpon.
    Flu. Oh sir, let that be your lesson.
    Alas poore louers, on what hopes and feares,
    2505Men tosse themselues for women, when shees got
    The best has in her that which pleaseth not.
    Enter to Fluello, the Duke, Castruchio, Pioratto and
    Sinezi from seuerall dores muffled.
    Duk. Whose there! Cast. My Lord.
    2510Duk. Peace, send that Lord away,
    A Lordship will spoile all, lets be all fellowes.
    Whats he. Cast. Fluello, or els Sinezi by his little legs.
    Omn. All friends, all friends.
    Duk. What! met vpon the very point of time,
    2515Is this the place. Pio. This is the place my Lord.
    Duke. Dreame you on Lordships! come no more Lordes: (pray,
    You haue not seene these louers yet. Omn. Not yet.
    Duk. Castruchio art thou sure this wedding feate,
    Is not till afternoone?
    2520Cast. So tis giuen out my Lord.
    Duk. Nay, nay, tis like, theeues must obserue their houres,
    Louers watch minuts like Astronomers,
    How shall the Interim houres by vs be spent.
    Flu. Lets all goe see the mad-men.
    2525Omn. Mas content. Enter Towne like a sweeper.
    Duk. Oh here comes one, question him, question him.
    Flu. How now honest fellow dost thou belong to the house.
    Tow. Yes forsooth, I am one of the implements; I swepe the
    madmens roomes, and fetch straw for em, and buy chaines
    2530to tie em, & rods to whip em, I was a mad wag my selfe here
    once, but I thanke father Anselm he lasht me into my right (minde agen.
    Duk. Anselmo is the Frier must marry them
    Question him where he is
    I 3 Cast.