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    Not Peer Reviewed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.

    Enter the two Masters first, after them the Constable, after them a
    2855Beadle beating a Bason, then Catyryna Bountinall, with
    Mistris Horsleach, after them another Beadle with a
    blue head guarded with yellow.

    Cat. Sirra, when I cry hold your hands, hold, you Rogue-
    Catcher, hold: Bawd, are the French Chilblaines in your
    2860heeles, that you can come no faster? are not you (Bawd) a
    Whores Ancient, and must not I follow my Colours?
    Hors. O Mistris Katherine, you doe me wrong to accuse
    mee here as you doe, before the right Worshipfull: I am
    knowne for a motherly honest woman, and no Bawd.
    2865Cat. Mary foh, honest? burnt at fourteene, seuen times
    whipt, sixe times carted, nine times duck'd, search'd by
    some hundred and fifty Constables, and yet you are honest?
    Honest Mistris Horsleach, is this World, a World to keepe
    Bawds and Whores honest? How many times hast thou
    2870giuen Gentlemen a quart of wine in a gallon pot? how ma-
    ny twelue-penny Fees, nay two shillings Fees, nay, when
    any Embassadours ha beene here, how many halfe crowne
    Fees hast thou taken? how many Carriers hast thou bribed
    for Country Wenches? how often haue I rinst your lungs
    2875in Aquauitae, and yet you are honest?
    Duke. And what were you the whilest?
    Cat. Mary hang you, Master Slaue, who made you an
    examiner?
    Lod. Well said, belike this Deuill spares no man.
    2880Cat. What art thou prethee?
    Bots. Nay what art thou prethee?
    Cat. A Whore, art thou a Thiefe?
    Bots. A Thiefe, no, I defie the calling, I am a Soldier,
    haue borne Armes in the Field, beene in many a hot Skyr-
    2885mish, yet come off sound.
    Cat. Sound with a pox to yee, yee abominable Rogue!
    you a Soldier? you in Skirmishes? where? amongst pottle
    pots in a Bawdy-house? Looke, looke here, you Madam
    Worm-