Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Modern)

¶Bolt Sir?

1525Pander Search the market narrowly. Metalin is ¶full of gallants. We lost too much money this mart ¶by being too wenchless.

¶Bawd We were never so much out of creatures! We ¶have but poor three, and they can do no more then they 1530can do, and they with continual action are even as good ¶as rotten.

¶Pander Therefore let's have fresh ones whate'er we pay ¶for them. If there be not a conscience to be used in every ¶trade, we shall never prosper.

1535Bawd Thou sayst true. 'Tis not our bringing up of poor ¶bastards -- as I think, I have brought up some eleven --

¶Bolt Ay, to eleven, and brought them down again. ¶But shall I search the market?

¶Bawd What else, man? The stuff we have, a strong 1540wind will blow it to pieces, they are so pitifully sodden.

¶Pander Thou sayst true. There's two unwholesome, ¶a'conscience. The poor Transylvanian is dead that lay with ¶the little baggage.

¶Bolt Ay, she quickly pooped him! She made him roast-1545meat for worms. But I'll go search the market.¶

¶Pander Three or four thousand chequins were as ¶pretty a proportion to live quietly, and so give over.

¶Bawd Why, to give over I pray you? Is it a shame to 1550get when we are old?

¶Pander Oh, our credit comes not in like the commo¶dity, nor the commodity wages not with the danger. ¶Therefore if in our youths we could pick up some pretty ¶estate, t'were not amiss to keep our door hatched. Besides 1555the sore terms we stand upon with the gods will be strong ¶with us for giving o'er.

¶Bawd Come, other sorts offend as well as we.

¶Pander As well as we? Ay, and better too! We offend ¶worse. Neither is our profession any trade; it's no calling. 1560But here comes Bolt.

¶Bolt. [To Marina] Come your ways! [To Pirates] My masters, you say she's a ¶virgin?

¶Pirate Oh, sir, we doubt it not.

1565Bolt [To Bawd] Master, I have gone through for this piece you ¶see. If you like her, so; if not, I have lost my earnest.

¶Bawd Bolt, has she any qualities?

¶Bolt She has a good face, speaks well, and has ex¶cellent good clothes. There's no farther necessity of qua1570lities can make her be refused.

¶Bawd What's her price, Bolt?

¶Bolt I cannot be bated one doit of a thousand pieces.

¶Pander Well, follow me, my masters. You shall have your ¶money presently. Wife, take her in; instruct her what she has 1575to do, that she may not be raw in her entertainment.

¶Bawd Bolt, take you the marks of her: the color of ¶her hair, complexion, height, her age, with warrant of her ¶virginity, and cry "He that will give most shall have her first." ¶Such a maidenhead were no cheap thing, if men were as 1580they have been. Get this done as I command you.

¶Bolt Performance shall follow.

¶Marina That I am pretty.

¶Bawd Come, the gods have done their part in you.

¶Marina I accuse them not.

1590Bawd You are light into my hands, where you are like ¶to live.

¶Marina The more my fault,

¶Bawd Ay, and you shall live in pleasure.

1595Marina No.

¶Bawd Yes indeed shall you, and taste gentlemen of all ¶fashions. You shall fare well; you shall have the difference of ¶all complexions. What, do you stop your ears?

¶Marina Are you a woman?

1600Bawd What would you have me be, an I be not a ¶woman?

¶Marina An honest woman, or not a woman.

¶Bawd Marry, whip the gosling!, I think I shall have ¶something to do with you. Come, you're a young foolish 1605sapling, and must be bowed as I would have you.

¶Marina The gods defend me!

¶Bawd If it please the gods to defend you by men, then ¶men must comfort you, men must feed you, men stir you ¶up.

Bolt's returned. [To Bolt.] Now sir, hast thou cried her through 1610the market?

¶Bolt I have cried her almost to the number of her ¶hairs. I have drawn her picture with my voice.

¶Bawd And I prithee tell me: how dost thou find the in¶clination of the people, especially of the younger sort?

1615Bolt Faith, they listened to me as they would have ¶harkened to their father's testament. There was a Spaniard's ¶mouth watered, and he went to bed to her very description.

¶Bawd We shall have him here tomorrow with his best ¶ruff on.

1620Bolt Tonight, tonight! But mistress, do you know ¶the French knight that cowers i'the hams?

¶Bawd Who, Monsieur Verollus?

¶Bolt Ay, he. He offered to cut a caper at the proclama¶tion, but he made a groan at it, and swore he would see her 1625tomorrow.

¶Bawd Well, well, as for him, he brought his disease hi¶ther; here he does but repair it. I know he will come in ¶our shadow, to scatter his crowns of the sun.

¶Bolt [Indicating Marina] Well, if we had of every nation a traveler, we 1630should lodge them with this sign.

¶Bawd [To Marina] Pray you, come hither awhile. You have ¶fortunes coming upon you. Mark me: you must ¶seem to do that fearfully which you commit willing¶ly; despise profit where you have most gain. To weep 1635that you live as ye do makes pity in your lovers; sel¶dom but that pity begets you a good opinion, and that ¶opinion a mere profit.

¶Marina I understand you not.

¶Bolt Oh, take her home, mistress, take her home. These 1640blushes of hers must be quenched with some present ¶practice.

¶[Bawd] Thou sayest true i'faith, so they must. For your ¶bride goes to that with shame which is her way to go with ¶warrant.

1645Bolt Faith, some do, and some do not. But mistress, ¶if I have bargained for the joint --

¶Bawd Thou mayst cut a morsel off the spit.

¶Bolt I may so?

¶Bawd Who should deny it?1650[To Marina] Come, young one. I like the manner of your garments ¶well.

¶Bolt Ay, by my faith, they shall not be changed yet.

¶Bawd [Giving Bolt money.] Bolt, spend thou that in the town. Report what ¶a sojourner we have. You'll lose nothing by custom. 1655When Nature framed this piece, she meant thee a good ¶turn. Therefore say what a paragon she is, and thou hast ¶the harvest out of thine own report.

¶Bolt I warrant you, mistress, thunder shall not so a¶wake the beds of eels as my giving out her beauty stirs 1660up the lewdly inclined. I'll bring home some tonight.

¶Bawd [To Marina] Come your ways, follow me.