TPTT Pericles, Prince of Tyre: ACT IV
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
ACT IV
[Prologue]
SCENE I. Tarsus. An open place near the sea-shore.
SCENE II. Mytilene. A room in a brothel.
SCENE III. Tarsus. A room in CLEON's house.
SCENE IV
SCENE V. Mytilene. A street before the brothel.
SCENE VI. The same. A room in the brothel.
ACT V
About the Play
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SCENE II. Mytilene. A room in a brothel.
Enter Pandar, Bawd, and BOULT
Pandar
      Boult!
BOULT
      Sir?
Pandar
      Search the market narrowly; Mytilene is full of
      gallants. We lost too much money this mart by being
5     too wenchless.
Bawd
      We were never so much out of creatures. We have but
      poor three, and they can do no more than they can
      do; and they with continual action are even as good as rotten.
Pandar
      Therefore let's have fresh ones, whate'er we pay for
10    them. If there be not a conscience to be used in
      every trade, we shall never prosper.
Bawd
      Thou sayest true: 'tis not our bringing up of poor
      bastards,--as, I think, I have brought up some eleven--
BOULT
      Ay, to eleven; and brought them down again. But
15    shall I search the market?
Bawd
      What else, man? The stuff we have, a strong wind
      will blow it to pieces, they are so pitifully sodden.
Pandar
      Thou sayest true; they're too unwholesome, o'
      conscience. The poor Transylvanian is dead, that
20    lay with the little baggage.
BOULT
      Ay, she quickly pooped him; she made him roast-meat
      for worms. But I'll go search the market.
Exit
Pandar
      Three or four thousand chequins were as pretty a
      proportion to live quietly, and so give over.
Bawd
25    Why to give over, I pray you? is it a shame to get
      when we are old?
Pandar
      O, our credit comes not in like the commodity, nor
      the commodity wages not with the danger: therefore,
      if in our youths we could pick up some pretty
30    estate, 'twere not amiss to keep our door hatched.
      Besides, the sore terms we stand upon with the gods
      will be strong with us for giving over.
Bawd
      Come, other sorts offend as well as we.
Pandar
      As well as we! ay, and better too; we offend worse.
35    Neither is our profession any trade; it's no
      calling. But here comes Boult.
Re-enter BOULT, with the Pirates and MARINA
BOULT
      (To MARINA) Come your ways. My masters, you say
      she's a virgin?
First Pirate
      O, sir, we doubt it not.
BOULT
40    Master, I have gone through for this piece, you see:
      if you like her, so; if not, I have lost my earnest.
Bawd
      Boult, has she any qualities?
BOULT
      She has a good face, speaks well, and has excellent
      good clothes: there's no further necessity of
45    qualities can make her be refused.
Bawd
      What's her price, Boult?
BOULT
      I cannot be bated one doit of a thousand pieces.
Pandar
      Well, follow me, my masters, you shall have your
      money presently. Wife, take her in; instruct her
50    what she has to do, that she may not be raw in her
      entertainment.
Exeunt Pandar and Pirates
Bawd
      Boult, take you the marks of her, the colour of her
      hair, complexion, height, age, with warrant of her
      virginity; and cry 'He that will give most shall
55    have her first.' Such a maidenhead were no cheap
      thing, if men were as they have been. Get this done
      as I command you.
BOULT
      Performance shall follow.
Exit
MARINA
      Alack that Leonine was so slack, so slow!
60    He should have struck, not spoke; or that these pirates,
      Not enough barbarous, had not o'erboard thrown me
      For to seek my mother!
Bawd
      Why lament you, pretty one?
MARINA
      That I am pretty.
Bawd
65    Come, the gods have done their part in you.
MARINA
      I accuse them not.
Bawd
      You are light into my hands, where you are like to live.
MARINA
      The more my fault
      To scape his hands where I was like to die.
Bawd
70    Ay, and you shall live in pleasure.
MARINA
      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
75    Are you a woman?
Bawd
      What would you have me be, an I be not a woman?
MARINA
      An honest woman, or not a woman.
Bawd
      Marry, whip thee, gosling: I think I shall have
      something to do with you. Come, you're a young
80    foolish sapling, 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 must stir
85    you up. Boult's returned.

Re-enter BOULT

      Now, sir, hast thou cried her through the market?
BOULT
      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
90    inclination of the people, especially of the younger sort?
BOULT
      'Faith, they listened to me as they would have
      hearkened to their father's testament. There was a
      Spaniard's mouth so watered, that he went to bed to
      her very description.
Bawd
95    We shall have him here to-morrow with his best ruff on.
BOULT
      To-night, to-night. But, mistress, do you know the
      French knight that cowers i' the hams?
Bawd
      Who, Monsieur Veroles?
BOULT
      Ay, he: he offered to cut a caper at the
100   proclamation; but he made a groan at it, and swore
      he would see her to-morrow.
Bawd
      Well, well; as for him, he brought his disease
      hither: here he does but repair it. I know he will
      come in our shadow, to scatter his crowns in the
105   sun.
BOULT
      Well, if we had of every nation a traveller, we
      should lodge them with this sign.
Bawd
      (To MARINA) Pray you, come hither awhile. You
      have fortunes coming upon you. Mark me: you must
110   seem to do that fearfully which you commit
      willingly, despise profit where you have most gain.
      To weep that you live as ye do makes pity in your
      lovers: seldom but that pity begets you a good
      opinion, and that opinion a mere profit.
MARINA
115   I understand you not.
BOULT
      O, take her home, mistress, take her home: these
      blushes of hers must be quenched with some present practise.
Bawd
      Thou sayest true, i' faith, so they must; for your
      bride goes to that with shame which is her way to go
120   with warrant.
BOULT
      '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.
BOULT
      I may so.
Bawd
125   Who should deny it? Come, young one, I like the
      manner of your garments well.
BOULT
      Ay, by my faith, they shall not be changed yet.
Bawd
      Boult, spend thou that in the town: report what a
      sojourner we have; you'll lose nothing by custom.
130   When nature flamed 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.
BOULT
      I warrant you, mistress, thunder shall not so awake
      the beds of eels as my giving out her beauty stir up
135   the lewdly-inclined. I'll bring home some to-night.
Bawd
      Come your ways; follow me.
MARINA
      If fires be hot, knives sharp, or waters deep,
      Untied I still my virgin knot will keep.
      Diana, aid my purpose!
Bawd
140   What have we to do with Diana? Pray you, will you go with us?
Exeunt
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