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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.
    Bel. Hence, thou our sexes monster, poysonous Bawd,
    1515Lusts Factor, and damnations Orator,
    Gossip of hell, were all the Harlots sinnes
    Which the whole world conteynes, numbred together,
    Thine farre exceeds them all; of all the creatures
    That euer were created, thou art basest:
    1520What serpent would beguile thee of thy Office?
    It is detestable: for thou liu'st
    Vpon the dregs of Harlots, guard'st the dore,
    Whilst couples goe to dauncing: O course deuill!
    Thou art the bastards curse, thou brandst his birth,
    1525The lechers French disease; for thou dry-suckst him:
    The Harlots poyson, and thine owne confusion.
    Baw. Mary come vp with a pox, haue you no body to
    raile against, but your Bawd now?
    Bel. And you, Knaue Pandar, kinsman to a Bawd.
    1530Rog. You and I Madona, are Cozens.
    Bel. Of the same bloud and making, neere allyed,
    Thou, that slaue to sixpence, base-mettald villayne.
    Rog. Sixpence? nay that's not so; I neuer took vnder two
    shillings foure pence, I hope I know my fee.
    1535Bel. I know not against which most to inueigh:
    For both of you are damnd so equally.
    Thou neuer spar'st for oathes: swearst any thing,
    As if thy soule were made of shoe-leather.
    God dam me, Gentleman, if she be within,
    1540When in the next roome she's found dallying.
    Rog. If it be my vocation to sweare, euery man in his vo-
    cation: I hope my betters sweare and dam themselues, and
    why should not I? Bel. Roger, you cheat kind gentlemen?
    Rog. The more gulls they.
    1545Bel. Slaue, I casheere thee.
    Baw. And you do casheere him, he shalbe entertaynd.
    Rog. Shall I? then blurt a your seruice.
    Bel. As hell would haue it, entertaynd by you!
    I dare the deuill himselfe to match those two. Exit.
    1550Baw. Mary gup, are you growne so holy, so pure, so ho-
    nest with a pox?
    F 2 Rog. Scur-
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