Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Tom Bishop
Not Peer Reviewed

Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Modern)

Enter Pander, Bawd and Bolt.
Pander
Well, I had rather than twice the worth of her she had ne'er come here.
Fie, fie upon her! She's able to freeze the god 1790Priapus 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 puri1795tan of the devil, if he should cheapen a kiss of her.
Faith, I must ravish her, or she'll disfurnish us of all our cavalleria and make our swearers priests.
Pander
Now, the pox upon her greensickness for me.
Faith, there's no way to be rid on't but by the 1800way to the pox.
1800.1Enter Lysimachus [in disguise].
Here comes the Lord Lysimachus disguised.
We should have both lord and loon, if the peevish baggage would but give way to customers.
Lysimachus
How now? How a dozen of virginities?
Now the gods to bless your honor!
I am glad to see your honor in good health.
Lysimachus
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 defy1810 the surgeon?
We have here one, sir, if she would -- Butthere never came her like in Metalin!
Lysimachus
If she'd do the deeds of darkness, thou wouldst say.
Your honor knows what 'tis to say, well enough.
1815Lysimachus
Well, call forth, call forth.[Exit Pander.]
For flesh and blood, sir, white and red, you shall see a rose, and she were a rose indeed, if she had but --
Lysimachus
What, prithee?
Oh, sir, I can be modest.
1820Lysimachus
That dignifies the renown of a bawd no less than it gives a good report to a number to be chaste.
1821.1[Enter Pander with Marina.]
Here comes that which grows to the stalk. Never plucked yet I can assure you. Is she not a fair creature?
1825Lysimachus
Faith, she would serve after a long voyage at sea. Well, there's for you. [He gives the Bawd money.] Leave us.
I beseech your honor: give me leave a word and I'll have done presently.
Lysimachus
I beseech you, do.
[Taking Marina aside] First, I would have you note: this is an honorable man.
Marina
I desire to find him so, that I may worthily note him.
Next: he's the governor of this country, and a man whom I am bound to.
1835Marina
If he govern the country, you are bound to him indeed, but how honorable he is in that, I know not.
Pray you -- without any more virginal fencing: will you use him kindly? He will line your apron with gold.
Marina
What he will do graciously, I will thankfully 1840receive.
Lysimachus
Ha'you done?
My lord, she's not paced yet; you must take some pains to work her to your manage. [To Pander] Come, we will leave his honor and her together. [To Bolt?]Go thy ways!
[Exeunt Pander, Bawd and Bolt.]
1845Lysimachus
Now, pretty one, how long have you been at this trade?
Marina
What trade, sir?
Lysimachus
Why, I cannot name't but I shall offend.
Marina
I cannot be offended with my trade. Please you to name it.
Lysimachus
How long have you been of this profession?
1850Marina
E'er since I can remember.
Lysimachus
Did you go to't so young? Were you a gamester at five, or at seven?
Marina
Earlier too, sir, if now I be one.
Lysimachus
Why, the house you dwell in proclaims you to 1855be a creature of sale.
Marina
Do you know this house to be a place of such resort, and will come into't? I hear say you're of honorable parts and are the governor of this place.
Lysimachus
Why, hath your principal made known unto1860you who I am?
Marina
Who is my principal?
Lysimachus
Why, your herb-woman, she that sets seeds and roots of shame and iniquity. Oh, you have heard something of my power, and so 1865stand 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. [He begins to force her offstage.]
Marina
If you were born to honor, show it now;
If put 1870upon you, make the judgment good
That thought you worthy of it.
Lysimachus
How's this? how's this? Some more. Be sage.
Marina
For me
That am a maid, though most ungentle fortune
Have placed me in this sty, where, since I came,
1875Diseases have been sold dearer than physic --
Oh, that the gods would set me free from this
Unhallowed place, though they did change me to
The meanest bird that flies i'th'purer air!
Lysimachus
I did not think thou couldst have spoke so well.
1880Ne'er dreamt thou couldst.
Had I brought hither a corrupted mind,
Thy speech had altered it. Hold, here's gold for thee. [He gives her money.]
Persever in that clear way thou goest,
And the gods strengthen thee.
Marina
The good gods preserve you!
1885Lysimachus
For me, be you thoughten
That I came with no ill intent, for to me
The very doors and windows savor 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. [He gives her more money.]
A curse upon him, die he like a thief
That robs thee of 1890thy goodness.
If though dost hear from me, it shall be for thy good.
[Lysimachus starts to leave and meets Bolt in the doorway.]
I beseech your honor, one piece for me!
Lysimachus
Avaunt, thou damned door-keeper!
Your house, but for this virgin that doth prop it,
Would sink and over1895whelm you. Away!
[Exit.]
[Coming forward, to Marina] 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!
1900Marina
Whither would you have me?
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! [He starts to drag her off.]
Enter Bawd and Pander.
How now? What's the matter?
Worse and worse, mistress! She has here spoken holy words to the Lord Lysimachus.
Oh, abominable!
She makes our profession as it were to stink a1910fore the face of the gods.
Marry, hang her up for ever!
The nobleman would have dealt with her like a nobleman, and she sent him away as cold as a snowball. Saying his prayers too!
Bolt, take her away. Use her at thy pleasure. Crack the glass of her virginity, and make the rest malleable.
An if she were a thornier piece of ground than she is, she shall be plowed.
Marina
Hark, hark, you gods!
She conjures! Away with her! Would she had never come within my doors. [To Marina] Marry, hang you! [To Pander and Bolt] She's born to undo us. [To Marina] Will you not go the way of womenkind? Marry, come up, my dish of chastity with rosemary & bays.
[Exeunt Pander and Bawd.]
Come, mistress! Come your way with me.
1925Marina
Whither wilt thou have me ?
To take from you the jewel you hold so dear.
Marina
Prithee, tell me one thing first.
Come now, your one thing.
Marina
What canst thou wish thine enemy to be?
Why, I could wish him to be my master, or rather my mistress.
Marina
Neither of these are so bad as thou art,
Since they do better thee in their command.
Thou hold'st a place for which the painèdst fiend
Of hell would not in reputation 1935change.
Thou art the damnèd door-keeper to every
Custrel that comes enquiring for his Tib.
To the choleric fisting of every rogue
Thy ear is liable. Thy food is such
As hath been belched on by infected lungs.
What would you have me do? Go to the wars, would you? 1940Where 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?
Do anything but this thou dost. Empty
Old receptacles or common-shores of filth;
Serve by indenture to the common hangman.
Any of these ways are yet 1945better than this.
For what thou professest, a baboon, could he speak,
Would own a name too dear. Oh, that the gods
Would safely deliver me from this place!
Here; here's gold for thee.
[She gives him the gold.]
If that thy master would make gain by me,
Proclaim that I can sing, weave, sew, and dance,
With other virtues which I'll keep 1950from boast,
And I will undertake all these to teach.
I doubt not but this populous city will
Yield many scholars.
But can you teach all this you speak of?
Prove that I cannot, take me home again
And prostitute me to the basest groom
That doth fre1955quent your house.
Well, I will see what I can do for thee. If I can place thee, I will.
But amongst honest women.
Faith, my acquaintance lies little amongst them. 1960But since my master and mistress hath 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.
Exeunt.