Digital Renaissance Editions

About this text

  • Title: The Honest Whore, Part 2 (Quarto 1, 1630)
  • 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
    Not Peer Reviewed

    The Honest Whore, Part 2 (Quarto 1, 1630)

    The Honest Whore.
    Lords of thy making, that loue wenches for their honesty;
    Las my Girle! art thou poore? pouerty dwells next doore
    to despaire, there's but a wall betweene them; despaire is
    425one of hells Catch-poles; and lest that Deuill arrest her, Ile
    to her, yet she shall not know me; she shall drinke of my
    wealth, as beggers doe of running water, freely, yet neuer
    know from what Fountaines head it flowes. Shall a silly
    bird picke her owne brest to nourish her yong ones, and
    430can a father see his child starue? That were hard; The Peli-
    can does it, and shall not I. Yes, I will victuall the Campe
    for her, but it shall be by some stratagem; that knaue there
    her husband will be hanged I feare, Ile keepe his necke out
    of the nooze if I can, he shall not know how.

    435Enter two Seruing-men.

    Orl. How now knaues, whither wander you?
    1. To seeke your Worship.
    Orl. Stay, which of you has my purse, what money
    haue you about you?
    4402. Some fifteene or sixteene pounds, sir.
    Orl. Giue it me, I thinke I haue some gold about me; yes,
    it's well; leaue my Lodging at Court, and get you home.
    Come sir, tho I neuer turned any man out of doores, yet Ile
    be so bold as to pull your Coate ouer your eares.
    4451. What doe you meane to doe sir?
    Orl. Hold thy tongue knaue, take thou my Cloake, I hope I
    play not the paltry Merchant in this bartring; bid the
    Steward of my house, sleepe with open eyes in my absence,
    and to looke to all things, whatsoeuer I command by Letters
    450to be done by you, see it done. So, does it sit well?
    2. As if it were made for your Worship.
    Orl. You proud Varlets, you need not bee ashamed to
    weare blue, when your Master is one of your fellowes; away,
    doe not see me.
    455Both. This is excellent. Exeunt.
    Orl. I should put on a worse suite too; perhaps I will.
    My