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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.
    worse now then I did before, & it makes her face glister most
    755damnably, theres knauery in dawbing I hold my life, or else
    this is onely female Pomatum.
    Enter Bellafronte not full ready, without a gowne, shee sits
    downe, with her bodkin curles her haire, cullers her lips.
    Bell. Wheres my ruffe and poker you block-head?
    760Ro. Your ruffe, your pocker, are ingendring together vp-
    on the cup-bord of the Court, or the Court-cup-bord.
    Bel. Fetch e'm: Is the poxe in your hames, you can goe
    no faster?
    Ro. Wood the pox were in your fingers, vnlesse you could
    765leaue flinging; catch. Exit.
    Bell. Ile catch you, you dog by and by: do you grumble?
    Cupid is a God, as naked as my naile She sings.
    Ile whip him with a rod, if he my true loue faile.
    Ro. Thers your ruffe, shall I poke it?
    770Bel. Yes honest Ro, no stay: pry thee good boy, hold here,
    Downe, downe, downe, down, I fall downe and arise, downe, I ne-
    uer shall arise.
    Ro. Troth M. then leaue the trade if you shall neuer rise.
    Bell. What trade? good-man Abram.
    775Ro. Why that, if down and arise or the falling trade.
    Bell. Ile fall with you by and by.
    Ro. If you doe I know who shall smart fort:
    Troth Mistris, what do I looke like now?
    Bell. Like as you are: a panderly Sixpenny Rascall.
    780Ro. I may thanke you for that: infaith I looke like an old
    Prouerbe, Hold the Candle before the diuell.
    Bell. Vds life, Ile sticke my knife in your Guts and you
    prate to me so: What? She sings.
    Well met, pug, the pearle of beautie: vmh, vmh.
    785 How now sir knaue, you forget your dutie, vmh, vmh.
    Marry muffe Sir, are you growne so daintie; fa, la, la, &c.
    Is it you Sir? the worst of twentie, fa la, la, leera la.
    Pox on you, how doest thou hold my glasse?
    Ro. Why, as I hold your doore: with my fingers.
    790Hell. Nay pray thee sweet hony Ro. hold vp handsomely
    Sing prety Wantons warble, &c. We shall ha guests today.
    I lay