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  • Title: Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Quarto)
  • Editor: Tom Bishop

  • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Tom Bishop
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Quarto)

    Pericles Prince of Tyre.
    Li. Why, I cannot name but I shall offend.
    Ma. I cannot be offended with my trade, please you to (name it.
    Li. How long haue you bene of this profession?
    1850Ma. Ere since I can remember.
    Li. Did you goe too't so young, were you a gamester
    at fiue, or at seuen?
    Ma. Earlyer too Sir, if now I bee one.
    Ly. Why? the house you dwell in proclaimes you to
    1855be a Creature of sale.
    Ma. Doe you knowe this house to be a place of such
    resort, and will come intoo't? I heare say you're of honou-
    rable parts, and are the Gouernour of this place.
    Li. Why, hath your principall made knowne vnto
    1860you who I am?
    Ma. Who is my principall?
    Li. Why, your hearbe-woman, she that sets seeds and
    rootes of shame and iniquitie.
    O you haue heard something of my power, and so
    1865stand aloft for more serious wooing, but I protest to thee
    prettie one, my authoritie shall not see thee, or else looke
    friendly vpon thee, come bring me to some priuate place:
    Come, come.
    Ma. If you were borne to honour, shew it now, if put
    1870vpon you, make the iudgement good, that thought you
    worthie of it.
    Li. How's this? how's this? some more, be sage.
    Mar. For me that am a maide, though most vngentle
    Fortune haue plac't mee in this Stie , where since I came,
    1875diseases haue beene solde deerer then Phisicke, that the
    gods would set me free from this vnhalowed place, though
    they did chaunge mee to the meanest byrd that flyes i'th
    purer ayre.
    Li. I did not thinke thou couldst haue spoke so well,
    1880nere dremp't thou could'st, had I brought hither a cor-
    rupted minde, thy speeche had altered it, holde, heeres
    golde,