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  • Title: The Honest Whore, Parts 1 and 2: Appendices
  • Author: 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.
    Author: Joost Daalder
    Peer Reviewed

    The Honest Whore, Parts 1 and 2: Appendices

    1Appendix A: Lineation

    The following list indicates how the lineation in this edition departs from that in Q1-2 (or Q2 where Q1 differs but has not been followed) in the case of 1 The Honest Whore, and from the quarto of 2 The Honest Whore. My purpose, like that of my predecessors, has been to produce such lineation as is most likely to represent authorial intention. Many of the alterations adopted were first proposed by Dyce, but I am also indebted to his successors (especially Spencer and Bowers), who usually have followed him, but occasionally have introduced re-lineations of their own or preferred to return to quarto lineation.

    There has been considerable agreement among editors about the re-lineation of prose into verse, despite the fact that the resulting verse is not always excellent. However, as Matthew Baird showed in ‘The Early Editions of Thomas Dekker始s The Converted Courtezan or The Honest Whore, Part I始, The Library, Fourth Series, X (1930), what may to us look like verse which is not ‘commendable始 (Baird始s word), can be found to have been definitely intended by Dekker as verse in three instances (quoted by Baird on pp. 55-6 of his paper) where he changed the prose lineation of Q1 of 1 The Honest Whore when revising that text for Q2. To consider just one instance in Act 5, scene 1, a speech by Hippolito, modernised at TLN 2466-469 in this edition, appears as prose in Q1, I2v:

    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.
    (Q1, TLN 2466-469)

    In Q2, however, this speech is re-lineated as follows:

    Then all our plots,
    Are turnd vpon our heads; and we are blowne vp:
    With our owne vnderminings. Sfoot how comes he,
    What villaine durst betray our being here.
    (Q2, TLN 2466-469)

    There can be no doubt that the revised version results from the wish to turn prose into verse, as the capitals at the beginning of each line can serve no other purpose. Interestingly, space was no consideration, as two lines which in Q1 were printed at the end of the page could as a result of the re-lineation no longer be accommodated on the same page in Q2, and hence in that quarto appear at the top of I3r.

    5Printing houses often do not seem to have found it necessary, or possible, to print verse as verse, and, especially in the quarto for 2 The Honest Whore, many lines which were very probably originally written as verse were turned into prose. In the instance of the 1 The Honest Whore passage under discussion, however, the opposite happened, and we must assume that, even though the Q2 version is not strikingly iambic, Dekker felt that it provided adequate verse, and, as Baird points out, with reference to this revision and two other similar ones quoted by him, ‘it can be scanned始 (56).

    We have to bear these considerations in mind when it comes to other instances of what Dekker produced as verse which may seem to a modern ear less than totally satisfactory. The important point with a passage like this is that it does sound more like verse than like prose, and when editors of the Honest Whore quartos, including myself, have re-lineated prose passages so as to turn them into verse, that does not in all instances imply that the resulting verse is particularly smooth or regular, or aesthetically ‘good始, but that it is more likely that the lines were by Dekker thought of as verse than as prose.

    As to the question just why in the printing of the quartos it was decided, in several instances, to turn Dekker始s verse into prose, I believe that close study remains a necessity before we can we come to truly firm answers. In many cases it seems likely that the wish to save space was a primary or the sole consideration. In other instances, it looks as though a printing house could as far as space is concerned have retained verse lines, but did not recognise them as such, or did not sufficiently care, and just proceeded to print verse as prose. Occasionally a compositor seems to have engaged in the practice to fill up rather than to save space. Whatever the reasons, my main concern has been to make sure, like other editors, that lines which could have been intended as verse are at the very least given the benefit of doubt by presenting them as such. Below I simply record the relevant facts.

    Lineation in 1 The Honest Whore

    1HW, 1.3
    TLN 312. To . . . The hour-glass] one line in Q1-2(R).

    1HW, 1.5
    TLN 558-59. Nay . . . well] possibly verse (sqemish, / Fare instead of sqeamish, / fare) in Q1-2(R).
    TLN 560-61. Pray . . . you] prose in Q1-2(R).
    TLN 586-88. Look . . . quoth'a] prose in Q1-2(R).
    TLN 633-34. Sweet . . . conceit] one line in Q1-2(S).
    TLN 638-39. I pledge . . . ducats] prose in Q1-2(S).
    TLN 642. Come . . . man] one line in Q1-2(R).
    TLN 650-51. Blurt . . . all] prose in Q1-2(R).
    TLN 660. You . . . sin] one line in Q1-2(R).
    TLN 682. The . . . again] one line in Q1-2(R).
    TLN 710. Then . . . angry] one line in Q1-2(R).

    1HW, 2.1
    TLN 767-68. Cupid . . . fail] couplet in Q1-2(S).
    TLN 996. Fare . . . him] one line in Q1-2(S).
    TLN 997. Can . . . pray] a separate line (not a part line) in Q1-2(S).
    TLN 1083-86. Then . . . it] lined Then . . . wasted, / I . . . doo't. / Lend . . . soule, / That . . . it in Q1-2(S).

    1HW, 3.1
    TLN 1366-367. A surgeon . . . cousin] run on as prose in Q1-2(S).
    TLN 1400-401. Good . . . gown] possibly prose (but instead of But) in Q1-2(R).
    TLN 1450-451. So . . . sight] prose in Q1-2(R).

    1HW, 4.1
    TLN 1723-724. If . . breakfast] lined If . . . them. / What . . . breakfast in Q1-2(S).
    TLN 1812. Temperem . . . vela] one line in Q1-2(R).

    1HW, 4.3
    TLN 2054-55. 'Twould . . . shop] prose in Q1-2(R).
    TLN 2141. And . . . Whither] one line in Q1-2(S).

    1HW, 5.1
    TLN 2403. Is't . . . so] prefixed to 'not married' in Q1-2(S).

    1HW, 5.2
    TLN 2430. O son] prefixed to 'Wisely to fear' in Q1-2(S).
    TLN 2442. Can . . . safe] one line in Q1-2(S).
    TLN 2747. Speak . . . time] one line (possibly verse) in Q1-2(S).
    TLN 2763-764. For . . . Tuck] lined For . . . ioy. / Now . . . Tucke in Q1-2(S).
    TLN 2770. Troth . . . too] one line in Q1-2(R).
    TLN 2844-845. Had . . . thee] prose in Q1-2(S).

    Lineation in 2 The Honest Whore

    2HW, 1.1
    TLN 127-33. I do . . . and come ] prose in Q.
    TLN 142. I'm . . . Mattheo] one line in Q.
    TLN 148-53. What . . . here] prose in Q.
    TLN 154. Tomorrow . . . court] prose in Q.
    TLN 185-87. Shall . . . impossible] possibly prose (to instead of To) in Q.
    TLN 192-93. I . . . leaves] prose in Q.
    TLN 202-03. Not . . . character] prose in Q.
    TLN 217-18. Is ... sorrel] lined Is . . . gone? / Saddle . . . sorrell in Q.

    2HW, 1.2
    TLN 280. I . . . snakes] a separate line in Q.
    TLN 304-20. For . . . Ha] lined For . . . couetous, / Am . . . debt, / Sit . . . side, / Nor . . . feete. / Wenching . . . wrong, / No . . . see; / I . . . home. / I . . . sheete: / But . . . me. / I . . . Age. / I . . . so? / If . . . eyes, / May . . . ha in Q.
    TLN 322-25. I have . . . jocundary] lined I . . . little, / Haue . . . things; / I haue . . . Iocundare in Q.
    TLN 327-31. She's . . . parted] lined She's . . . Countries, / Yet . . . me, / Here . . . parted in Q.
    TLN 339. What's . . . care] a separate line in Q.
    TLN 366-67. That . . . heart] lined That . . . of / Ice . . . heart in Q.
    TLN 381. Is . . . poor] a separate line in Q.
    TLN 397. her . . . bedfellow] a separate line in Q.

    2HW, 1.3
    TLN 465-66. O . . down] prose in Q.
    TLN 468-69. Methinks . . . sight] lined Me thinkes / It's . . . sight in Q.
    TLN 514-15. That . . . it] lined That . . . Company, / And . . . it in Q.
    TLN 545-47. Since . . share] lined Since . . . that / Shall . . . bare, / For . . . share in Q.
    TLN 549-53. O . . . else] prose in Q.
    TLN 563-64. I . . . well] prose in Q.
    TLN 592-98. Pray . . . no harm] prose in Q.

    2HW, 2.1
    TLN 603-04. O . . . welcome] prose in Q.
    TLN 626-27. Thou . . . sound] prose in Q.
    TLN 630-31. Nay . . . swagger] prose in Q.
    TLN 656-57. But . . . poor] lined But . . . his / Fortunes . . . poore in Q.
    TLN 736-37. Or . . . first] lined Or . . . Bacon, / Hee . . . first in Q.
    TLN 812-14. Fellow . . . him] prose in Q.
    TLN 818-19. Would . . . high] lined Would . . . shalt / Please . . . hye in Q.
    TLN 871. He . . . by this] one line in Q.

    2HW, 2.2
    TLN 909-11. Were . . . do't] prose in Q.
    TLN 915-16. Say . . . bud] prose in Q.
    TLN 928-30. Well . . . clean] prose in Q.
    TLN 946-47. I hope . . . ready] prose in Q.
    TLN 964-65. O fie . . . show] possibly prose (sirrah instead of Sirrah) in Q.
    TLN 1029-30. You . . . friends] run on as prose in Q.

    2HW, 3.1
    TLN 1080-81. My . . . writing] prose in Q.
    TLN 1118-119. They . . . things] prose in Q.
    TLN 1128. Knowst . . . them] two lines of prose in Q.
    TLN 1135-137. Come . . . yonder] prose in Q.
    TLN 1143-144. Did . . . diamond] prose in Q.
    TLN 1158-161. If . . . near two] prose in Q.
    TLN 1196-202. Earth . . . groom] prose in Q.
    TLN 1207-212. Worse . . . noble] prose in Q.
    TLN 1234-242. Tell . . . fight] prose in Q.

    2HW, 3.2
    TLN 1329-330. Undo . . . often] lined Undoe ... riflings / I . . . often in Q.
    TLN 1354-356. How . . . mercers] lined How . . . weeping / For . . . Mercers in Q.
    TLN 1399-401. And . . . them] lined And . . . agen. / The . . . men / Mortall . . . them in Q.
    TLN 1403-408. Why . . . heart] lined Why . . . want? / Say . . . that / Thy . . . thee / On . . . whole / World . . . worlds / Greatest . . . heart in Q.
    TLN 1423-424. Thanks . . . self] lined Thankes . . . Matheo / To . . . selfe in Q.
    TLN 1431-432. You . . . beggar] lined You . . . sir: / That's . . . Begger in Q.
    TLN 1448-449. Call . . . farewell] lined Call . . . please, / Till . . . farewell in Q.

    2HW, 3.3
    TLN 1519-520. My . . . even] prose in Q.
    TLN 1570-571. It . . . gentlemen] prose in Q.
    TLN 1575-577. I will . . . sample it] prose in Q.

    2HW, 4.1
    TLN 1684-685. Yes . . . hell] run on as prose in Q.
    TLN 1697-698. your . . . so] lined Your . . . sir. / I . . . so in Q.
    TLN 1777-780. As . . . more] lined As . . . beg, / Borrow . . . Bawde. / When . . . sure / Would . . . more in Q.
    TLN 1809-810. Thou . . . mine] possibly prose ('las instead of 'Las) in Q.
    TLN 1946-947. If . . . yours] lined If . . . day / The . . . yours in Q.

    2HW, 4.2
    TLN 2126. Shall . . . strange] one line in Q.
    TLN 2135-136. I . . . change] lined I ... Moones / In's . . . change in Q.
    TLN 2140-141. His . . . name] lined His . . . her / Name . . . name in Q.
    TLN 2151-152. To . . . attaching] lined To . . . outward / Parts . . . attaching in Q.
    TLN 2155-156. No . . . this] lined No . . . fraight, / But . . . this in Q.
    TLN 2162-163. New . . . Hippolito] lined New . . . shall / Giue . . . Hipollito in Q.
    TLN 2176. And . . . girl] one line in Q.
    TLN 2179-181. Nor . . . myself] lined Nor I, / Tho . . . selfe in Q.

    2HW, 4.3
    TLN 2269-271. I pray . . . lady] prose in Q.
    TLN 2274-275. A . . . time] prose in Q.
    TLN 2280-281. How . . . Master Bots] possibly prose (no instead of No) in Q.
    TLN 2287-289. Here's . . . pot-guns] prose in Q.
    TLN 2291-292. To . . . me] prose in Q.
    TLN 2362-388. Who . . . lawn] prose in Q.

    2HW, 5.1
    TLN 2412-415. There you . . . monkey] prose in Q.
    TLN 2425-427. If . . . sing] lined If . . . Faggot / More . . . Birds, / What . . . sing in Q.

    2HW, 5.2
    TLN 2495. For . . . he] one line in Q.
    TLN 2533. Is . . . accusation] one line in Q.
    TLN 2555-556. Ass . . . another] prose in Q.
    TLN 2572-573. My . . . law] possibly prose (may instead of May) in Q.
    TLN 2621-622. I . . . took] lined I . . . Iewels / From . . . tooke in Q.
    TLN 2645-646. And be . . . ill] prose in Q.
    TLN 2707-708. Strange . . . flight] lined Strange . . . on you, / You . . . flight in Q.
    TLN 2832-833. And . . . bail] prose in Q.
    TLN 2842-845. In whores . . . shape] lined In . . . all in / Colours . . . blacke, / To . . . Examinations / Drawne . . . shape in Q.
    TLN 2909-911. Yes . . . wall] lined Yes . . . am, / Because . . . backe / Is . . . wall in Q.
    TLN 2915-917. O . . . were] lined O . . . her. / And . . . conditions / Should . . . were in Q.
    TLN 2918. Marry . . . out] a separate line in Q.
    TLN 2980-983. My house . . . mend] run on as prose in Q.