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.
    185more porter for making thee stay, farewell honest porter.
    Porter I am in your debt sir, God preserve you. Exit.
    Enter Viola.
    Fu. Not so neither, good porter, gods lid, yonder she coms.
    Sister Viola, I am glad to see you stirring: its newes to have mee
    190heere, ist not sister?
    Viola Yes trust me: I wondred who should be so bolde to
    send for me, you are welcome to Millan brother.
    Fust. Troth sister I heard you were married to a verie rich
    chuffe, and I was very sorie for it, that I had no better clothes,
    195and that made me send: for you knowe wee Millaners love to
    strut vpon Spanish leather. And how does all our friends?
    Viola Very well; you ha travelled enough now, I trowe, to
    sowe your wilde oates.
    Fust. A pox on em; wilde oates, I ha not an oate to throw
    200at a horse, troth sister I ha sowde my oates, and reapt 200.
    duckats if I had em, heere, mary I must intreate you to lend me
    some thirty or forty till the ship come, by this hand ile discharge
    at my day, by this hand.
    Viola These are your olde oaths.
    205Fust. Why sister, doe you thinke ile forsweare my hand?
    Viola Well, well, you shall have them: put your selfe into
    better fashion, because I must imploy you in a serious matter.
    Fust. Ile sweare like a horse if I like the matter.
    Uiola You ha cast off all your olde swaggering humours.
    210Fust. I had not sailde a league in that great fish-pond (the
    sea) but I cast vp my very gall.
    Viola I am the more sory, for I must imploy a true swagge-
    rer.
    Fust. Nay by this yron sister, they shall finde I am powlder
    215and touch-box, if they put fire once into me.
    Uiola Then lend me your eares.
    Fust. Mine eares are yours deere sister.
    Uiola I am married to a man that haz wealth enough, and
    wit enough.
    220Fust. A linnen Draper I was tolde sister.
    Viola Very true, a grave Cittizen; I want nothing that a
    wife can wish from a husband: but heeres the spite, hee haz
    not