Lys. That dignifies the renown of a bawd, no less than it gives a good report to a number to be chaste. Enter 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. First, I would have you note, this is an honourable man. [To Marina, whom she takes aside. 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 this 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 thankfully 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 profession? 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 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 judgment good That thought you worthy of it. Lys. How's this? how's this?-Some more;-be sage. Mar. For me, That am a maid, though most ungentle fortune Lys. I did not think Thou could'st have spoke so well; ne'er dream'd thou could'st. Had I brought hither a corrupted mind, Thy speech had alter'd it. Hold, here's gold for thee: way Perséver still in that clear thou goest, That I came with no ill intent; for to me 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. [As Lysimachus is putting up his purse, Boult enters. 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 up, Would sink, and overwhelm you all. Away! [Exit Lysimachus. 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 your way. We'll have no more gentlemen driven away. Come your ways, I say. Re-enter Bawd. Bawd. How now! what's the matter? Boult. Worse and worse, mistress; she has here spoken holy words to the lord Lysimachus. Bawd. O abominable! Boult. She makes our profession as it were to stink afore 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 snow-ball; 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. Boult. An if she were a thornier piece of ground than she is, she shall be ploughed. Mar. Hark, bark, 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! [Exit Bawd. Boult. Come, mistress: come your way with me. Mar. Whither would you have me? Boult. To take from you the jewel you hold so dear." Mar. Pr'ythee, tell me one thing first. Mar. What canst thou wish thine enemy to be? Boult. Why, I could wish him to be my master, or rather, my mistress. Mar. Neither of these are yet 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 hell would not in reputation change: Thou'rt the damn'd door-keeper to every coystrel That hither comes enquiring for his tib; To the cholerick fisting of each rogue thy ear Is liable; thy very food is such As hath been belch'd on by infected lungs. Boult. What would you have me? go to the wars, would you? where a man may serve seven years for the loss of a leg, and have not money enough in the end to buy him a wooden one? Empty Mar. Do any thing but this thou doest. I doubt not but this populous city will Boult. But can you teach all this you speak of? Mar. Prove that I cannot, take me home again, And prostitute me to the basest groom That doth frequent your house. Boult. Well, I will see what I can do for thee: if I can place thee, I will. Mar. But, amongst honest women? Boult. 'Faith, my acquaintance lies little amongst them. But since my master and mistress have 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 [Exeunt. your ways. |