SCENE V.-Mitylene. A Street before the Enter, from the Brothel, two Gentlemen. I Gent. Did you ever hear the like? 2 Gent. No, nor never shall do in such a place as this, she being once gone. 1 Gent. But to have divinity preached there! did you ever dream of such a thing? 2 Gent. No, no. Come, I am for no more bawdy-houses shall we go hear the vestals sing? 1 Gent. I'll do anything now that is virtuous, but I am out of the road of rutting, for ever. [Exeunt. SCENE VI.-The same. A Room in the Enter Pander, Bawd, and BOULT. Pand. Well, I had rather than twice the worth of her, she had ne'er come here. Bawd. Fie, fie upon her; she is 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, her master-reasons, her prayers, her knees; that she would make a puritan of the devil, if he should cheapen a kiss of her. Boult. 'Fath I must ravish her, or she'll disfurnish us of all our cavaliers, and make all our swearers priests. VOL. XI. 21 Pand. Now, the pox upon her green-sickness for me! Bawd. 'Faith, there's no way to be rid on't, 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. Enter LYSIMACHUS. Lys. How now? How a dozen of virginities? Bawd. Now, the gods to-bless your honour! Boult. I am glad to see your honour in good health. Lys. You may so; 'tis the better for you that your resorters stand upon sound legs. How now, wholesome iniquity? Have you that a man may deal withal and defy the surgeon? Bawd. We have here one, sir, if she wouldbut there never came her like in Mitylene. Lys. If she'd do the deed 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 Lys. What, pr'ythee? Boult. O, sir, I can be modest. Lys. That dignifies the renown of a bawd, no less than it gives a good report to a number to be chaste. [Exit BOULT. Re-enter BOULT with MARINA. Bawd. Here comes that which grows to the stalk; never plucked yet, I can assure you. 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, and I'll have done presently. Lys. I beseech you, do. Bawd. [to MARINA, aside.] 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 more virginal fencing, will you use him kindly? He will line your apron with gold. Mar. What he will do graciously I will thank- * fully receive. Lys. Have you done? Bawd. My lord, she's not paced yet; you must take some pains to work her to your manage. Come, we will leave his honour and her together. [Exeunt Bawd, Pander, and BOULT. Lys. Go thy ways.-Now, pretty one, how long have you been at this trade? Mar. What trade, sir? Lys. What I cannot name but I shall offend. Mar. I cannot be offended with my trade. Please you to name it. Lys. How long have you been of this profes sion? Mar. Ever since I can remember. Lys. Did you go to it so young? Were you a gamester at five, or at seven? Mar. Earlier, too, sir, if now I be one. Lys. Why, the 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 it? I hear say, you are of honourable parts, and are the governor of this place. Lys. Why, 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 for more serious wooing. But 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; Lys. How's this? how's this?-Some more; Mar. For me, that am a maid, though most Fortune have placed me in this loathsome sty, I did not think Lys. thou couldst Had I brought hither a corrupted mind. : Thy speech had alter'd it. Hold, here's gold for thee: Perséver in that clear way thou goest, And the gods strengthen thee! Mar. The good gods preserve you! The very doors and windows savour vilely. Hold here's more gold for thee. A curse upon him, die he like a thief, That robs thee of thy goodness! If thou hear'st from me It shall be for thy good. [48 LYSIMACHUS is putting up his purse, re enter BOULT. Boult. I beseech your honour, one piece for me. Lys. Avaunt, thou damned door-keeper! Your house, but for this virgin that doth prop it, Would sink and overwhelm you. Away. [Exit. Boult. How's this? We must take another course with you. If your peevish chastity, which is not worth a breakfast in the cheapest country under the cope, shall undo a whole household, let me be gelded like a spaniel. Come your ways. Mar. Whither would you have me? Boult. I must have your maidenhead taken off, or the common hangman shall execute it. Come We'll have no more gentlemen Re-enter Bawd. Bawd. How now! what's the matter? |