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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.
    goes to be married till he be starke mad.
    Hip. Muffle your selues yonders Fluello. Enter Fluello.
    Ma. Zounds!
    Flu. O my Lord these cloakes are not for this raine, the
    2460tempest is too great: I come sweating to tell you of it, that
    you may get out of it.
    Mat. Why whats the matter.
    Flu. Whats the matter! you haue matterd it faire: the (Duk's at hand.
    Onm. The Duke?
    2465Flu. The very Duke.
    Hip. Then all our plots are turnd vpon our heads; and we
    are blown vp with our own vnderminings. Sfoot how comes
    he, what villaine durst betray our being here.
    2470Flu. Castruchio, Castruchio tolde the Duke, and Mathaeo
    here told Castruchio.
    Hip. Would you betray me to Chastruchio,
    Ma. Sfoot he dambd himselfe to the pit of hell if he spake (ont agen.
    Hip. So did you sweare to me, so were you dambd.
    2475Mat. Pox on em, & there be no faith in men, if a man shall
    not beleeue oathes: he tooke bread and salt by this light, that
    he would neuer open his lips. Hip. Oh God, oh God.
    Ans. Sonne be not desperate haue patience, you shal trip your
    enemy downe, 2480by his owne slights, how far is the Duke hēce.
    Flu. Hees but new set out: Castruchio, Pioratto and Sinezi
    come along with him: you haue time enough yet to preuent
    them if you haue but courage.
    Ans. You shall steale secretly into the Chappell,
    2485And presently be maried; if the duke
    Abide here still, spite of ten thousand eyes,
    You shall scape hence like Friers.
    Hip. O blest disguisde: O happy man.
    Ans. Talke not of happinesse till your closde hand,
    2490Haue her bith'forhead, like the lock of time,
    Bee not too slow, nor hasty, now you clime,
    Vp to the towre of blisse, onely be wary
    And patient, thats all, if you like my plot
    Build and dispatch, if not farewell, then not.
    2495Hip. O Yes, we doe applaud it, weele dispute,
    No longer, but will hence and execute.
    Fluello