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

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    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Tom Bishop
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Quarto)

    Enter the three Bawdes.
    Pander.Boult.
    Boult. Sir.
    1525Pander. Searche the market narrowely, Mettelyne is
    full of gallants, wee lost too much much money this mart
    by beeing too wenchlesse.
    Bawd. Wee were neuer so much out of Creatures, we
    haue but poore three, and they can doe no more then they
    1530can doe, and they with continuall action, are euen as good
    as rotten.
    Pander. Therefore lets haue fresh ones what ere wee pay
    for them, if there bee not a conscience to be vsde in euerie
    trade, wee shall neuer prosper.
    1535Bawd. Thou sayst true, tis not our bringing vp of poore
    bastards, as I thinke, I haue brought vp some eleuen.
    Boult. I to eleuen, and brought them downe againe,
    but shall I searche the market?
    Bawde. What else man? the stuffe we haue, a strong
    1540winde will blowe it to peeces, they are so pittifully sodden.
    Pandor. Thou sayest true, ther's two vnwholesome a
    conscience, the poore Transiluanian is dead that laye with
    the little baggadge.
    Boult. I, shee quickly poupt him, she made him roast-
    1545meate for wormes, but Ile goe searche the market.
    Exit.
    Pand. Three or foure thousande Checkins were as
    prettie a proportion to liue quietly, and so giue ouer.
    Bawd. Why, to giue ouer I pray you? Is it a shame to
    1550get when wee are olde?
    Pand. Oh our credite comes not in like the commo-
    ditie, nor the commoditie wages not with the daunger:
    therefore if in our youthes we could picke vp some prettie
    estate, t'were not amisse to keepe our doore hatch't, besides
    1555the sore tearmes we stand vpon with the gods, wilbe strong
    with vs for giuing ore.
    Bawd. Come other sorts offend as well as wee.
    Pand. As well as wee. I, and better too, wee offende
    worse, neither is our profession any trade, It's no calling,
    1560but heere comes Boult.
    Enter Boult with the Pirates and Marina.
    Boult. Come your wayes my maisters, you say shee's a
    virgin.
    Sayler. O Sir, wee doubt it not.
    1565Boult. Master, I haue gone through for this peece you
    see, if you like her so, if not I haue lost my earnest.
    Bawd. Boult, has shee anie qualities?
    Boult. Shee has a good face, speakes well, and has ex-
    cellent good cloathes: theres no farther necessitie of qua-
    1570lities can make her be refuz'd.
    Bawd, What's her price Boult?
    Boult. I cannot be bated one doit of a thousand peeces.
    Pand. Well, follow me my maisters, you shall haue your
    money presenly, wife take her in, instruct her what she has
    1575to doe, that she may not be rawe in her entertainment.
    Bawd. Boult, take you the markes of her, the colour of
    her haire, complexion, height, her age, with warrant of her
    virginitie, and crie; He that wil giue most shal haue her first,
    such a maydenhead were no cheape thing, if men were as
    1580they haue beene: get this done as I command you.
    Boult. Performance shall follow. Exit.
    Mar. Alacke that Leonine was so slacke, so slow, he should
    haue strooke, not spoke, or that these Pirates, not enough
    barbarous, had not oreboord throwne me, for to seeke my
    1585mother.
    Bawd. Why lament you prettie one?
    Mar. That I am prettie.
    Bawd. Come, the Gods haue done their part in you.
    Mar. I accuse them not.
    1590Bawd. You are light into my hands, where you are like
    to liue.
    Mar. The more my fault, to scape his handes, where I
    was to die.
    Bawd. I, and you shall liue in peasure.
    1595Mar. No.
    Bawd. Yes indeed shall you, and taste Gentlemen of all
    fashions, you shall fare well, you shall haue the difference of
    all complexions, what doe you stop your eares?
    Mar. Are you a woman?
    1600Bawd. What would you haue mee be, and I bee not a
    woman?
    Mar. An honest woman, or not a woman.
    Bawd. Marie whip the Gosseling, I thinke I shall haue
    something to doe with you, come you'r a young foolish
    1605sapling, and must be bowed as I would haue you.
    Mar. The Gods defend me.
    Baud. If it please the Gods to defend you by men, then
    men must comfort you, men must feed you, men stir you
    vp: Boults returnd. Now sir, hast thou cride her through
    1610the Market?
    Boult. I haue cryde her almost to the number of her
    haires, I haue drawne her picture with my voice.
    Baud. And I prethee tell me, how dost thou find the in-
    clination of the people, especially of the yonger sort?
    1615Boult. Faith they listened to mee, as they would haue
    harkened to their fathers testament, there was a Spaniards
    mouth watred, and he went to bed to her verie description.
    Baud. We shall haue him here to morrow with his best
    ruffe on.
    1620Boult. To night, to night, but Mistresse doe you knowe
    the French knight, that cowres ethe hams?
    Baud. Who, Mounsieur Verollus?
    Boult. I, he, he offered to cut a caper at the proclama-
    tion, but he made a groane at it, and swore he would see her
    1625to morrow.
    Baud. Well, well, as for him, hee brought his disease hi-
    ther, here he does but repaire it, I knowe hee will come in
    our shadow, to scatter his crownes in the Sunne.
    Boult. Well, if we had of euerie Nation a traueller, wee
    1630should lodge them with this signe.
    Baud. Pray you come hither a while, you haue
    Fortunes comming vppon you, marke mee, you must
    seeme to doe that fearefully, which you commit willing-
    ly, despise profite, where you haue most gaine, to weepe
    1635that you liue as yee doe, makes pittie in your Louers sel-
    dome, but that pittie begets you a good opinion, and that
    opinion a meere profite.
    Mari. I vnderstand you not.
    Boult. O take her home Mistresse, take her home, these
    1640blushes of hers must bee quencht with some present
    practise.
    Mari. Thou sayest true yfaith, so they must, for your
    Bride goes to that with shame, which is her way to goe with
    warrant.
    1645Boult. Faith some doe, and some doe not, but Mistresse
    if I haue bargaind for the ioynt.
    Baud. Thou maist cut a morsell off the spit.
    Boult. I may so.
    Baud. Who should denie it?
    1650Come young one, I like the manner of your garments
    well.
    Boult. I by my faith, they shall not be changd yet.
    Baud. Boult, spend thou that in the towne: report what
    a soiourner we haue , youle loose nothing by custome.
    1655When Nature framde this peece, shee meant thee a good
    turne, therefore say what a parragon she is, and thou hast
    the haruest out of thine owne report.
    Boult. I warrant you Mistresse, thunder shall not so a-
    wake the beds of Eeles, as my giuing out her beautie stirs
    1660vp the lewdly enclined, Ile bring home some to night.
    Baud. Come your wayes, follow me.
    Mari. If fires be hote, kniues sharpe, or waters deepe,
    Vntide I still my virgin knot will keepe.
    Diana ayde my purpose.
    1665Baud. What haue we to doe with Diana, pray you will
    you goe with vs?
    Exit.