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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.
    2880Come wench, thou shalt be mine, giue me thy gols,
    Weele talke of legges hereafter: see my Lord,
    God giue vs ioy.
    Omn. God giue you ioy.
    Enter Candidoes wife and George.
    Geo. Come mistris we are in Bedlam now, mas and see, we
    2885come in pudding-time, for heres the Duke.
    Wif. My husband good my Lord.
    Duk. Haue I thy husband?
    Cast. Its Candido my Lord, he's here among the lunaticks:
    father Anselmo, pray fetch him forth: this mad woman is
    2890his wife, and tho shee were not with child, yet did she long
    most spitefully to haue her husband mad, and because shee
    would be sure, he should turne Iew, she placde him here in
    Bethlem, youder he comes.
    2895Enter Candido with Anselmo.
    Duke. Come hither Signior--Are you mad.
    Cand. You are not mad.
    Duke. Why I know that.
    Cand. Then may you know, I am not mad, that know
    You are not mad, and that you are the duke:
    2900None is mad here but one--How do you wife:
    What do you long for now?--pardon my Lord,
    Shee had lost her childes nose els: I did cut out
    2905Penniworths of Lawne, the Lawne was yet mine owne:
    A carpet was yet my gowne, yet twas mine owne,
    I wore my mans coate. yet the cloath mine owne,
    Had a crackt crowne. the crowne was yet mine owne,
    She sayes for this Ime mad, were her words true,
    2910I should be mad indeed -- ô foolish skill,
    Is patience madnesse? Ile be a mad-man still.
    Wife. Forgiue me, and ile vex your spirit no more.
    Duk. Come, come, weele haue you friends, ioyne hearts, (ioyne hands.
    Cand. See my Lord, we are euen,
    2915Nay rise, for ill-deeds kneele vnto none but heauen.
    Duk. Signior, me thinkes, patience has laid on you
    Such heauy waight, that you should loath it.
    Cand. Loath it.
    K 4 Duke.