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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    Cand. Thus then in the Caps honor,
    To euery Sex and state, both Nature, Time,
    The Countries lawes, yea and the very Clime
    495Doe allot distinct habits, the spruce Courtier
    Iets vp and downe in silke: the Warrier
    Marches in buffe, the Clowne plods on in gray:
    But for these vpper garments thus I say,
    The Sea-man has his Cap, par'd without brim,
    500The Gallants head is featherd, that fits him;
    The Soldier has his Murren, women ha Tires;
    Beasts haue their head-peeces, and men ha theirs.
    Lod. Proceed.
    Cand. Each degree has his fashion, it's fit then,
    505One should be laid by for the Citizen,
    And that's the Cap which you see swels not hye,
    For Caps are Emblems of humility;
    It is a Citizens badge, and first was worne
    By'th Romanes; for when any Bondmans turne
    510Came to be made a Freeman: thus 'twas said,
    He to the Cap was call'd; that is, was made
    Of Rome a Freeman, but was first close shorne,
    And so a Citizens haire is still short worne.
    Lod. That close shauing made Barbers a Company,
    515And now euery Citizen vses it.
    Cand. Of Geometricke figures the most rare,
    And perfect'st are the Circle and the square,
    The Citty and the Schoole much build vpon
    These figures, for both loue proportion.
    520The City Cap is round, the Schollers square.
    To shew that Gouernment and learning are
    The perfect'st limbes i'th body of a State:
    For without them, all's disproportionate.
    If the Cap had no honor, this might reare it,
    525The Reuerend Fathers of the Law doe weare it.
    It's light for Summer, and in cold it sits
    Close to the scull, a warme house for the wits;
    It shewes the whole face boldly, 'tis not made
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