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    Not Peer Reviewed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. I Knaue, two Pedlers, hue and cry is vp, Warrants
    are out, and I shall see thee climbe a Ladder.
    1735Mat And come downe againe as well as a Bricklayer, or
    a Tyler. How the vengeance knowes he this? If I be han-
    ged, Ile tell the people I married old Friscabaldoes Daughter,
    Ile frisco you, and your old carkas.
    Orl. Tell what thou canst; if I stay here longer, I shall bee
    1740hang'd too, for being in thy company; therefore, as I found
    you, I leaue you.
    Mat. Kneele, and get money of him.
    Orl. A Knaue and a Queane, a Thiefe and a Strumpet, a
    couple of Beggers, a brace of Baggages.
    1745Mat. Hang vpon him. I, I, sir, fare you well; we are so:
    follow close--we are Beggers--in Sattin--to him.
    Bel. Is this your comfort, when so many yeeres
    You ha left me frozen to death?
    Orl. Freeze still, starue still.
    1750Bel. Yes, so I shall: I must: I must and will.
    If as you say I'm poore, relieue me then,
    Let me not sell my body to base men.
    You call me Strumpet, Heauen knowes I am none:
    Your cruelty may driue me to be one:
    1755Let not that sinne be yours, let not the shame
    Of common Whore liue longer then my name.
    That cunning Bawd (Necessity) night and day
    Plots to vndoe me; driue that Hag away,
    Lest being at lowest ebbe, as now I am,
    1760I sinke for euer.
    Orl. Lowest ebbe, what ebbe?
    Bel. So poore, that (tho to tell it be my shame)
    I am not worth a dish to hold my meate;
    I am yet poorer, I want bread to eate.
    1765Orl. It's not seene by your cheekes.
    Mat. I thinke she has read an Homely to tickle to the old
    rogue.
    Orl. Want bread? there's Sattin: bake that.
    Mat. S'blood, make Pasties of my cloathes?
    G 2 Orl.