Digital Renaissance Editions

About this text

  • Title: The Honest Whore, Part 1 (Quarto 2, 1604)
  • Editor: Joost Daalder
  • 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 2, 1604)

    The converted Curtezan.
    375Inf. It is vntrue,
    Tis most vntrue, O most vnnaturall father!
    Duke And we had much to do by Arts best cunning,
    To fetch life backe againe.
    Doctor Most certaine Lady.
    380Duke Why la you now, you'le not beleeve mee, friends,
    Sweate we not all? had we not much to do?
    2 Ser. Yes indeede my Lord, much.
    Duke Death drew such fearefull pictures in thy face,
    That were Hipolito alive agen,
    385I'de kneele and woo the noble gentleman
    To be thy husband: now I fore repent
    My sharpenes to him, and his family;
    Nay, do not weepe for him, we all must die:
    Doctor, this place where she so oft hath seene
    390His lively presence, hurts her, does it not?
    Doctor Doubtlesse my Lord it does.
    Duke It does, it does:
    Therefore sweete girle thou shalt to Bergamo.
    Inf. Even where you will, in any place theres woe.
    395Duke A Coach is ready, Bergamo doth stand
    In a most wholesome aire, sweete walkes, theres diere,
    I, thou shalt hunt and send vs venison,
    Which like some goddesse in the Ciprian groves,
    Thine owne faire hand shall strike; sirs, you shall teach her
    400To stand, and how to shoote, I, she shall hunt:
    Cast off this sorrow. In girle, and prepare
    This night to ride away to Bergamo.
    Inf. O most vnhappie maid. Exit.
    Duke Follow her close.
    405No words that she was buried on your lives,
    Or that her ghost walkes now after shees dead;
    Ile hang you if you name a funerall.
    1 Ser. Ile speake Greeke my Lord, ere I speake that dead-
    ly word.
    4102 Ser. And Ile speake Welch, which is harder then Greek. ( Exeunt.
    Duke Away, looke to her; Doctor Benedict,
    Did you observe how her complexion altered
    B 3 Vpon