Digital Renaissance Editions

About this text

  • Title: The Honest Whore, Part 2 (Modern)
  • 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.
    Author: Thomas Dekker
    Editor: Joost Daalder
    Peer Reviewed

    The Honest Whore, Part 2 (Modern)

    2181.1[4.3]
    Enter Mattheo, Orlando [as Pacheco], and Lodovico.
    Mattheo
    Let who will come, my noble chevalier; I can but play the kind host and bid 始em welcome.
    2185Lodovico
    We始ll trouble your house, Mattheo, but as Dutchmen do in taverns: drink, be merry, and be gone.
    Orlando
    [Aside] Indeed, if you be right Dutchmen, if you fall to drinking, you must be gone.
    Mattheo
    The worst is, my wife is not at home. But we始ll fly 2190high, my generous knight, for all that. There始s no music when a woman is in the consort.
    Orlando
    [Aside] No, for she始s like a pair of virginals,
    Always with jacks at her tail.
    Enter Astolfo, Carolo, Beraldo, [and] Fontinell.
    2195Lodovico
    See, the covey is sprung.
    Astolfo, Carolo, Beraldo, and Fontinell
    Save you, gallants.
    Mattheo
    Happily encountered, sweet bloods.
    Lodovico
    Gentlemen, you all know Signor Candido, the linen-draper, he that始s more patient than a brown baker upon 2200the day when he heats his oven and has forty scolds about him.
    Astolfo, Carolo, Beraldo, and Fontinell
    Yes, we know him all. What of him?
    Lodovico
    Would it not be a good fit of mirth to make a piece of English cloth of him, and to stretch him on the tenters 2205till the threads of his own natural humour crack, by making him drink healths, tobacco, dance, sing bawdy songs, or to run any bias according as we think good to cast him?
    Carolo
    始Twere a morris dance worth the seeing.
    Astolfo
    But the old fox is so crafy we shall hardly hunt him out 2210of his den.
    Mattheo
    To that train I ha始 given fire already, and the hook to draw him hither is to see certain pieces of lawn which I told him I have to sell, and indeed have such. – Fetch them down, Pacheco.
    2215Orlando
    Yes, sir; I始m your water-spaniel, and will fetch anything. [Aside] But I始ll fetch one dish of meat anon shall turn your stomach, and that始s a constable.
    Exit.
    Enter Bots, ushering Mistress Horseleech.
    Astolfo, Carolo, Beraldo, and Fontinell
    How now, how now?
    2220Carolo
    What galley-foist is this?
    Lodovico
    Peace! Two dishes of stewed prunes: a bawd and a pander. – My worthy Lieutenant Bots! Why, now I see thou始rt a man of thy word. Welcome. – Welcome, Mistress Horseleech. – Pray, gentlemen, salute this reverend matron.
    [They kiss her.]
    2225Horseleech
    Thanks to all your worships.
    Lodovico
    I bade a drawer send in wine, too. Did none come along with thee, grannam, but the lieutenant?
    Horseleech
    None came along with me but Bots, if it like you worship.
    Who the pox should come along with you but Bots?
    Enter two Vintners [with four pottles of wine].
    Astolfo, Carolo, Beraldo, and Fontinell
    O, brave! March fair!
    Lodovico
    Are you come? That始s well.
    Mattheo
    Here始s ordnance able to sack a city.
    2235Lodovico
    Come, repeat, read this inventory.
    1 Vintner
    Imprimis, a pottle of Greek wine, a pottle of Peter-sameene, a pottle of Charneco, and a pottle of Leatica.
    Lodovico
    You始re paid?
    22402 Vintner
    Yes, sir.
    Exeunt Vintners.
    Mattheo
    So shall some of us be anon, I fear.
    Here始s a hot day towards. But zounds, this is the life out of which a soldier sucks sweetness. When this artillery goes off roundly, some must drop to the ground [Pointing at each of the pottles in turn]: 2245cannon, demi-cannon, saker, and basilisk.
    Lodovico
    Give fire, lieutenant.
    [Pouring out wine] So, so. Must I venture first upon the breach? To you all, gallants; Bots sets upon you all.
    [He drinks.]
    All Gentlemen
    It始s hard, Bots, if we pepper not you as well as 2250you pepper us.
    [They drink.]
    Enter Candido.
    Lodovico
    My noble linen-draper! – Some wine! – Welcome, old lad.
    Mattheo
    You始re welcome, signor.
    2255Candido
    [To him] These lawns, sir?
    Mattheo
    Presently. My man is gone for them. [Indicating the wine] We ha始 rigged a fleet, you see here, to sail about the world.
    Candido
    A dangerous voyage, sailing in such ships.
    There始s no casting overboard yet.
    2260Lodovico
    [To Horseleech] Because you are an old lady, I will have you be acquainted with this grave citizen. Pray bestow your lips upon him, and bid him welcome.
    Horseleech
    Any citizen shall be most welcome to me. [She kisses Candido and addresses him.] I have used to buy ware at your shop.
    2265Candido
    It may be so, good madam.
    Horseleech
    Your prentices know my dealings well. I trust your good wife be in good case. If it please you, bear her a token from my lips, by word of mouth.
    [She kisses him.]
    Candido
    I pray, no more! Forsooth, 始tis very well;
    Indeed, I 2270love no sweetmeats. [Aside] Sh始as a breath
    Stinks worse than fifty polecats.
    [Talking apart to Lodovico] Sir, a word –
    Is she a lady?
    Lodovico
    A woman of good house, and an ancient. She始s a bawd.
    Candido
    A bawd?
    [To Mattheo] Sir, I始ll steal hence, and see your 2275lawns
    Some other time.
    Mattheo
    Steal out of such company? Pacheco, my man, is but gone for 始em. – Lieutenant Bots, drink to this worthy old fellow, and teach him to fly high.
    All Gentlemen
    Swagger! And make him do始t on his knees.
    2280Candido
    How, Bots? Now bless me, what do I with Bots?
    [Bots pours out wine.]
    No wine in sooth, no wine, good Master Bots.
    Greybeard, goat始s pizzle, 始tis a health. Heave this [Indicating the wine] in your guts, or this [Showing a dagger] there. I will sing a bawdy song, sir, because your verjuice face is melancholy, to make liquor go 2285down glib. Will you fall on your marrowbones, and pledge this health? 始Tis to my mistress, a whore.
    Candido
    Here始s ratsbane upon ratsbane, Master Bots.
    I pray, sir, pardon me. You are a soldier;
    Press me not to this service. I am old,
    And shoot not in such pot-guns.
    2290Bots
    Cap, I始ll teach you.
    Candido
    To drink healths is to drink sickness. – Gentlemen,
    Pray rescue me.
    Zounds, who dare?
    [No one moves.]
    All Gentlemen
    We shall ha始 stabbing then?
    2295Candido
    I ha始 reckonings to cast up, good Master Bots.
    [Giving him wine] This will make you cast 始em up better.
    Lodovico
    [To Candido] Why does your hand shake so?
    Candido
    The palsy, signors, danceth in my blood.
    Pipe, with a pox, sir, then! Or I始ll make your blood 2300dance –
    [Touching his dagger]
    Candido
    Hold, hold, good Master Bots, I drink.
    [He kneels.]
    All Gentlemen
    To whom?
    Candido
    To the old countess there.
    [He drinks.]
    Horseleech
    To me, old boy? This is he that never drunk wine!
    2305Once again, to始t.
    [Candido slowly finishes the wine.]
    Candido
    [Aside] With much ado the poison is got down,
    Though I can scarce get up. Never before
    Drank I a whore始s health, nor will never more.
    [He rises.]
    Enter Orlando [as Pacheco] with lawns.
    2310Mattheo
    Hast been at gallows?
    Orlando
    Yes, sir, for I make account to suffer today.
    Mattheo
    [To Candido] Look, signor, here始s the commodity.
    Candido
    Your price?
    Mattheo
    [Using his fingers] Thus.
    2315Candido
    No, too dear. [Using his fingers] Thus.
    Mattheo
    No. O, fie, you must fly higher! Yet take 始em home. Trifles shall not make us quarrel. We始ll agree; you shall have them, and a pennyworth. I始ll fetch money at your shop.
    Candido
    Be it so, good signor; send me going.
    2320Mattheo
    Going? [To Orlando] A deep bowl of wine for Signor Candido.
    Orlando
    He would be going.
    Candido
    I始ll rather stay than go so. Stop your bowl.
    Enter Constable and Billmen.
    Lodovico
    How now?
    Is始t Shrove Tuesday, that these ghosts walk?
    Mattheo
    What始s your business, sir?
    Constable
    From the Duke. You are the man we look for, signor. I have warrant here from the Duke to apprehend you upon felony for robbing two pedlars. I charge you 2330i始th始 Duke始s name, go quickly.
    Mattheo
    Is the wind turned? Well, this is that old wolf my father-in-law. [To Orlando] Seek out your mistress, sirrah.
    Orlando
    Yes, sir. [Aside] As shafts by piecing are made strong,
    So shall thy life be straightened by this wrong.
    Exit.
    2335All Gentlemen
    In troth, we are sorry.
    Mattheo
    Brave men must be crossed. Pish, it始s but Fortune始s dice roving against me. [To the Constable] Come, sir, pray use me like a gentleman; let me not be carried through the streets like a pageant.
    2340Constable
    If these gentlemen please, you shall go along with them.
    All Gentlemen
    Be始t so; come.
    Constable
    [To Bots] What are you, sir?
    I, sir? Sometimes a figure, sometimes a cipher, as the 2345state has occasion to cast up her accounts. I始m a soldier.
    Constable
    Your name is Bots, is始t not?
    Bots is my name; Bots is known to this company.
    Constable
    I know you are, sir. [Indicating Horseleech] What始s she?
    A gentlewoman, my mother.
    2350Constable
    [To Billmen] Take 始em both along.
    Me, sirrr?
    Billmen
    Ay, sirrr.
    Constable
    If he swagger, raise the street.
    Gentlemen, Gentlemen, whither will you drag us?
    2355Lodovico
    To the garden house. Bots, are we even with you?
    Constable
    To Bridewell with 始em!
    You will answer this.
    Constable
    Better than a challenge. I have warrant for my work, sir.
    Exeunt [Billmen with Bots and Mistress Horseleech].
    2360Lodovico
    We始ll go before.
    Constable
    Pray do. –
    Exeunt [all but Constable and Candido].
    Who? Signor Candido? A citizen
    Of your degree consorted thus, and revelling
    In such a house?
    Candido
    Why, sir? What house, I pray?
    2365Constable
    Lewd and defamed.
    Candido
    Is始t so? Thanks, sir; I始m gone.
    Constable
    What have you there?
    Candido
    Lawns which I bought, sir, of the gentleman
    That keeps the house.
    2370Constable
    And I have warrant here
    To search for such stol始n ware. These lawns are stol始n.
    Candido
    Indeed?
    Constable
    So he始s the thief, you the receiver.
    I始m sorry for this chance; I must commit you.
    2375Candido
    Me, sir? For what?
    Constable
    These goods are found upon you,
    And you must answer始t.
    Candido
    Must I so?
    Constable
    Most certain.
    Candido
    I始ll send for bail.
    2380Constable
    I dare not. Yet, because
    You are a citizen of worth, you shall not
    Be made a pointing-stock, but without guard
    Pass only with myself.
    Candido
    To Bridewell too?
    Constable
    No remedy.
    2385Candido
    Yes, patience. Being not mad,
    They had me once to Bedlam. Now I始m drawn
    To Bridewell loving no whores.
    Constable
    You will buy lawn!
    Exeunt.