Pand.

Well, I had rather than twice the worth of her she had ne'er come here.

Bawd.

Fie, fie upon her! she's able to freeze the god Priapus, and undo a whole generation. We must either get her ravished or be rid of her. When she should do for clients her fitment and do me the kindness of our profession, she has me her quirks, her reasons ^note, her master reasons, her prayers, her knees; that she ^note would make a puritan of the devil, if he should cheapen a kiss of her.

Boult.

Faith, I must ravish her, or she'll disfurnish us of all our cavaliers ^note and make all our swearers priests.

Pand.

Now, the pox upon her green-sickness for me!

Bawd.

Faith, there's no way to be rid on't ^note but by the way to the pox. Here comes the Lord Lysimachus disguised.

Boult.

We should have both lord and lown, if the peevish baggage would but give way to customers.

Lys.

How now! How a dozen of virginities?

Bawd.

Now, the gods to-bless ^note your honour!

Boult.

I am glad to see your honour in good health.

Lys.

You may so; ^note 'tis the better for you that your resorters stand upon sound legs. How now, wholesome iniquity have you that ^note a man may deal withal ^note, and defy the surgeon ^note?

Bawd.

We have here one ^note, sir, if she would—but ^note there never came her like in Mytilene.

Lys.

If she'ld do the deed ^note of darkness, thou wouldst say.

Bawd.

Your honour knows what 'tis to say well enough.

Lys.

Well, call forth, call forth.

Boult.

For flesh and blood, sir, white and red, you shall see a rose; and she were a rose indeed, if she had but— ^note

Lys.

What, prithee ^note?

Boult. ^note

O, sir, I can be modest.

Lys.

That dignifies ^note the renown of a bawd, no less than it

gives a good report to a number ^note to be chaste ^note.

Bawd.

Here comes that which grows to the stalk; never plucked yet, I can assure you. Re-enter ^note Boult with Marina. Is she not a fair creature?

Lys.

Faith, she would serve after a long voyage at sea. Well, there's for you: leave us.

Bawd.

I beseech your honour, give me leave: a word, ^note and I'll have done presently. ^note

Lys.

I beseech you, do.

Bawd. [To Marina ^note]

First, I would have you note, this is an honourable man.

Mar.

I desire to find him so, that I may worthily note him.

Bawd.

Next, he's the governor of this country, and a man whom I am bound to.

Mar.

If he govern the country, you are bound to him indeed; but how honourable he is in that, I know not.

Bawd.

Pray you, without any ^note more virginal fencing, will you use him kindly? He will line your apron with gold.

Mar.

What he will do graciously, I will thankfully receive.

Lys.

Ha' ^note you done?

Bawd.

My lord, she's not paced ^note yet: you must take some pains to work her to your manage. Come, we will leave his honour and her together. Go thy ways. ^note

Lys.

Now, pretty one, how long have you been at this trade? ^note

Mar.

What trade, sir?

Lys.

Why, I cannot name't ^{note note} but I shall offend.

Mar.

I cannot be offended with my trade. Please you to name it. ^note

Lys.

How long have you been of this profession?

Mar.

E'er since I can remember.

Lys.

Did you go to't so young? Were you a gamester at five or at seven?

Mar.

Earlier too, sir, if now I be one.

Lys.

Why, the ^note house you dwell in proclaims you to be a creature of sale.

Mar.

Do you know this house to be a place of such resort, and will come into't ^note? I hear say you are of honourable parts and are ^note the governor of this place.

Lys.

Why, ^note hath your principal made known unto you who I am?

Mar.

Who is my principal?

Lys.

Why, your herb-woman; she that sets seeds and roots of shame and iniquity. O, you have heard something of my power, and so stand aloof ^note for more serious wooing. But I protest to thee, pretty one, my authority shall not see thee, or else look friendly upon thee. Come, bring me to some private place: come, come.

Mar.
If you were born to honour, show it now;
If put upon you, make the judgement good
That thought you worthy of it. ^note

Lys.
How's this? how's this? Some more; be sage. ^{note note}

Mar.
For me
That am a maid, though most ungentle fortune
Have placed me in this sty ^note, where, since I came,
Diseases have been sold dearer than physic,
O, that the gods ^note
Would set me free from this unhallow'd ^note place,
Though they did change me to the meanest bird
That flies i' the purer air! ^note

Lys.
I did not think
Thou couldst have spoke so well; ne'er ^note dream'd ^note thou couldst.
Had I brought hither a corrupted mind,
Thy speech had alter'd ^note it. Hold, here's gold for thee:
Persever ^note in that clear way thou goest,
And the gods strengthen thee! ^note

Mar.
The good gods preserve you!

Lys.
For me, be you thoughten
That I ^note came with no ill intent; for to me
The very doors and windows savour vilely.
Fare thee well. Thou art a piece of virtue, and
I doubt not but thy training hath been noble.
Hold, here's more gold for thee.
A curse upon him, die he like a thief,
That robs thee of thy goodness! If thou dost
Hear from me, ^note it shall be for thy good. ^note

Re-enter Boult. ^note

Boult.
I beseech your honour, one piece for me.

Lys.
Avaunt, thou damned ^note door-keeper!
Your house, but for this virgin that doth prop it,
Would sink, and overwhelm you. Away! ^note [Exit. ^note

Boult.

How's this? We must take another course with you. ^note If your peevish chastity, which is not worth a breakfast in the cheapest country under the cope ^note, shall undo a whole household, let me be gelded like a spaniel. Come your ways ^note.

Mar.

Whither would you have me?

Boult.

I must have your maidenhead taken off, or the common hangman shall execute it. Come your ways. We'll have no more gentlemen driven away. Come your ways, I say.

Bawd.

How now! what's the matter?

Boult.

Worse and worse, mistress; she has ^note here spoken holy words to the Lord Lysimachus.

Bawd.

O abominable!

Boult.

She ^note makes our profession as it were to stink afore ^note the face of the gods.

Bawd.

Marry, hang her up for ever!

Boult.

The nobleman would have dealt with her like a nobleman, and she sent him away as cold as a snowball, saying his prayers too.

Bawd.

Boult, take her away; use her at thy pleasure: crack the glass of her virginity, and make the rest malleable ^note.

Boult.

An if ^note she were a thornier piece of ground than she is, she shall be ploughed. ^note

Mar.

Hark, hark, you gods!

Bawd.

She conjures: away with her! Would she had never come within my doors! Marry, hang you! She's born to undo us. Will you not go the way of women-kind? Marry, come up, my dish of chastity with rosemary and bays ^note!

Boult.

Come, mistress; come your ways ^note with me.

Mar.

Whither wilt thou ^note have me?

Boult.

To take from you the jewel you hold so dear.

Mar.

Prithee, tell me one thing first.

Boult.

Come now, your one thing. ^note

Mar.

What canst thou wish thine enemy to be? ^note

Boult.

Why, I could wish him to be my master, or rather, my mistress.

Mar.
Neither of these are ^note so bad as thou art,
Since they do better thee in their command.
Thou hold'st a place, for which the pained'st fiend
Of ^note hell would not in reputation change: ^note
Thou art the damned ^note doorkeeper to every
Coistrel ^note that comes ^note inquiring for his Tib;
To the choleric fisting of every ^note rogue
Thy ear is liable; thy food ^note is such
As hath been belch'd on by infected ^note lungs. ^note

Boult.

What would you have me do? go to the wars, would you? where a man may ^note serve seven years for the loss of a leg, and have not money enough in the end to buy him a wooden one?

Mar.
Do any thing but this thou doest ^note. Empty
Old receptacles, or common ^note shores ^note, of filth;
Serve by indenture to the common hangman:
Any of these ways are yet better ^note than this; ^note
For what ^note thou professest ^note, a baboon, could he speak ^note,
Would own a name too dear. ^note O, that ^note the gods
Would safely deliver me from this place! ^note
Here, here's ^note gold for thee. ^note
If that thy master would gain ^note by me,
Proclaim that I can sing, weave, sew, and dance,
With other virtues, which I'll keep from boast;
And I will ^note undertake all these to teach.
I doubt not but this populous city will
Yield many scholars ^note. ^note

Boult.
But can you teach all this you speak of ^note?

Mar.
Prove that I cannot, take me home again,

And prostitute me to the basest groom
That doth frequent your house. ^note

Boult.

Well, I will see what I can do for thee: if I can place thee, I will.

Mar.

But amongst honest women. ^note

Boult.

Faith, my acquaintance lies little amongst ^note them. But since my master and mistress have ^note bought you, there's no going but by their consent: therefore I will make them acquainted with your purpose, and I doubt not but I shall find them tractable enough. Come, I'll do for thee what I can; come your ways.