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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    Cambricks, Lawnes, what doe you lacke. Exit Lodouico.
    Cand. A curst Cowes milke I ha drunke once before,
    And 'twas so ranke in taste, Ile drinke no more.
    970Wife, Ile tame you.
    Bride. You may, sir, if you can,
    But at a wrastling I haue seene a fellow
    Limbd like an Oxe, throwne by a little man.
    Cand. And so you'll throw me. Reach me (Knaues) a yard.
    975Lod. A Yard for my Master.
    1. Prent. My Master is growne valiant.
    Cand. Ile teach you fencing trickes.
    Omnes. Rare, rare; a prize.
    Lod. What will you doe, sir?
    980Can. Mary, my good Prentice, nothing but breathe my wife.
    Bride. Breathe me with your yard?
    Lod. No, he'll but measure you out, forsooth.
    Bride. Since you'll needes fence, handle your weapon well,
    For if you take a yard, Ile take an ell.
    985Reach me an ell.
    Lod. An ell for my Mistris.
    Keep the lawes of the Noble Science, sir, & measure weapons
    with her; your yard is a plaine Heathenish weapon; 'tis too
    short, she may giue you a handfull, & yet you'l not reach her.
    990Cand. Yet I ha the longer arme, come fall too't roundly,
    And spare not me (wife) for Ile lay't on soundly.
    If o're husbands their wiues will needes be Masters,
    We men will haue a law to win't at wasters
    Lod. 'Tis for the breeches, is't not?
    995Cand. For the breeches.
    Bride. Husband I am for you, Ile not strike in iest.
    Cand. Nor I.
    Bride. But will you signe to one request?
    Cand. What's that?
    1000Bride. Let me giue the first blow.
    Cand. The first blow, wife, shall I? Prompt?
    Lod. Let her ha'te.
    If she strike hard, in to her, and breake her pate.
    Cand.