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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.
    Rog. Scuruy honest Punck! But stay Madona, how must
    our agreement be now? for you know I am to haue all the
    commings in at the hall dore, & you at the chamber dore.
    1555Ba. True Rog. except my vailes. Rog. Vailes, what vailes?
    Ba. Why as thus, if a couple come in a Coach, & light to
    lie down a little, then Roger, thats my fee, & you may walk
    abroad; for the Coach man himselfe is their Pandar.
    Ro. Is a so? in truth I haue almost forgot, for want of ex-
    1560ercise: But how if I fetch this Citizens wife to that Gull, &
    that Madona to that Gallant, how then?
    Ba. Why then, Roger, you are to haue sixpence a lane,
    so many lanes, so many sixpences.
    Ro. Ist so? thē I see we two shall agree and liue together.
    1565Ba. I Roger, so long as there be any Tauernes and baw-
    dy houses in Millain. Exeunt.
    SCENA 9.
    Enter Bellafronte with a Lute, pen, inke and paper
    being placde before her.

    1570Song.
    THe Courtiers flattring Iewels,
    (Temptations onely fewels)
    The Lawyers ill-got monyes,
    That sucke vp poore Bees Honyes:
    1575 The Citizens sonne's ryot,
    The gallant costly dyet:
    Silks and Veluets, Pearles and Ambers,
    Shall not draw me to their Chambers. Shee writes.
    Silks and Veluets, &c.
    1580Oh, tis in vayne to write: it will not please,
    Inke on this paper would ha but presented
    The foule blacke spots that sticke vpon my soule,
    And rather make me lothsomer, then wrought
    My loues impression in Hipolitoes thought.
    1585No, I must turne the chaste leaues of my brest,
    And pick out some sweet meanes to breed my rest.
    Hipolito, beleeue me I will be
    As true vnto thy heart, as thy heart to thee,
    And