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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    Orl. Your pleasure be't, sir; vmh, is this your Palace?
    1660Bel. Yes, and our Kingdome, for 'tis our content.
    Orl. It's a very poore Kingdome then; what, are all your
    Subiects gone a Sheepe-shearing? not a Maid? not a Man?
    not so much as a Cat? you keepe a good house belike, iust
    like one of your profession, euery roome with bare walls,
    1665and a halfe-headed bed to vault vpon (as all your bawdy-
    houses are.) Pray who are your Vpholsters? Oh, the Spiders.
    I see, they bestow hangings vpon you.
    Mat. Bawdy-house? Zounds sir----
    Bel. Oh sweet Matheo, peace. Vpon my knees
    1670I doe beseech you, sir, not to arraigne me
    For sinnes, which heauen, I hope, long since hath pardoned.
    Those flames (like lightning flashes) are so spent,
    The heate no more remaines, then where ships went,
    Or where birds cut the aire, the print remaines.
    1675Mat. Pox on him, kneele to a Dog?
    Bel. She that's a Whore,
    Liues gallant, fares well, is not (like me) poore,
    I ha now as small acquaintance with that sinne,
    As if I had neuer knowne it; that, neuer bin.
    1680Orl. No acquaintance with it? what maintaines thee
    then? how doest liue then? has thy husband any Lands? any
    Rents comming in, any Stocke going, any Ploughs iogging,
    any Ships sailing? hast thou any Wares to turne, so much
    as to get a single penny by? yes, thou hast Ware to sell,
    1685Knaues are thy Chapmen, and thy Shop is Hell.
    Mat. Doe you heare, sir?
    Orl. So sir, I do heare, sir, more of you then you dreame I do.
    Mat. You flie a little too hie, sir.
    Orl. Why, sir, too hie?
    1690Mat. I ha suffred your tongue, like a bard Cater tra, to
    runne all this while, and ha not stopt it.
    Orl. Well, sir, you talke like a Gamester.
    Mat. If you come to bark at her, because shee's a poore
    rogue; look you, here's a fine path, sir, and there, there the
    1695doore.
    G Bel.