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  • 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)

    CVRTIZAN.
    Hath from the cunning workemans pencill flowne,
    1740These lippes looke fresh and liuely as her owne
    Seeming to mooue and speake. Las! now I see,
    The reason why fond women loue to buy
    Adulterate complexion: here tis read,
    False coulours last after the true be dead.
    1745Of all the Roses grafted on her cheekes,
    Of all the graces dauncing in her eyes,
    Of all the Musick set vpon her tongue,
    Of all that was past womans excellence,
    In her white bosome, looke! a painted board,
    1750Circumscribes all: Earth can no blisse afford.
    Nothing of her, but this? this cannot speake,
    It has no lap for me to rest vpon,
    No lip worth tasting: here the wormes will feed,
    As in her coffin: hence then idle Art,
    1755True loue's best pictur'de in a true-loues heart.
    Here art thou drawne sweet maid, till this be dead,
    So that thou liu'st twice, twice art buried.
    Thou figure of my friend lye there. Whats here?
    Perhaps this shrewd pate was mine enimies:
    1760Las! say it were: I need not feare him now.
    For all his braues, his contumelious breath,
    His frownes (tho dagger-pointed) all his plots
    (Tho 'nere so mischieuous) his Italian pilles,
    His quarrels, and (that common fence) his law,
    1765See, see, they're all eaten out; here's not left one?
    How cleane they're pickt away! to the bare bone!
    How mad are mortals then to reare great names
    On tops of swelling houses? or to weare out
    Their fingers ends (in durt,) to scrape vp gould!
    1770Not caring so (that Sumpter-horse) the back
    Be hung with gawdy trappings, with what course:
    Yea rags most beggerly, they cloath the soule:
    Yet (after all) their Gay-nes lookes thus foule.
    What fooles are men to build a garish tombe,
    1775Onely to saue the carcasse whilst it rotes,
    To maintein't long in stincking, make good carion,
    G But
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