William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (491 page)
Read William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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BAWD Here comes that which grows to the stalk, never plucked yet, I can assure you. Is she not a fair creature?
LYSIMACHUS Faith, she would serve after a long voyage at sea. Well, there’s for you. Leave us.
⌈
He pays the Bawd
⌉
BAWD I beseech your honour give me leave: a word, and I’ll have done presently.
LYSIMACHUS I beseech you, do.
BAWD (
aside to Marina)
First, I would have you note this is an honourable man.
aside to Marina)
First, I would have you note this is an honourable man.
MARINA I desire to find him so, that I may honourably know him.
BAWD Next, he’s the governor of this country, and a man whom I am bound to.
MARINA If he govern the country you are bound to him indeed, but how honourable he is in that, I know not.
BAWD 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 receive. LYSIMACHUS (
to Bawd
) Ha’ you done?
to Bawd
) Ha’ you done?
BAWD My lord, she’s not paced yet. You must take some pains to work her to your manège. (
To Boult and Pander
) Come, we will leave his honour and hers together. Go thy ways.
Exeunt Pander, Bawd, and Boult
To Boult and Pander
) Come, we will leave his honour and hers together. Go thy ways.
Exeunt Pander, Bawd, and Boult
LYSIMACHUS
Fair one, how long have you been at this trade? MARINA What trade, sir?
LYSIMACHUS
I cannot name it 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?
MARINA E’er since I can remember.
LYSIMACHUS
Did you go to’t so young? Were you a gamester
At five, or seven?
At five, or seven?
MARINA Earlier too, sir,
If now I be one.
LYSIMACHUS Why, the house you dwell in
Proclaimeth you a creature of sale.
MARINA
And do you know this house to be a place
Of such resort and will come into it?
I hear say you’re of honourable blood,
And are the governor of this whole province.
Of such resort and will come into it?
I hear say you’re of honourable blood,
And are the governor of this whole province.
LYSIMACHUS
What, hath your principal informed you who I am?
MARINA
Who is my principal?
LYSIMACHUS Why, your herb-woman;
She that sets seeds of shame, roots of iniquity.
⌈
Marina weeps
⌉
O, you’ve heard something of my pow‘r, and so
Stand off aloof for a more serious wooing.
But I protest to thee,
Pretty one, my authority can wink
At blemishes, or can on faults look friendly;
Or my displeasure punish at my pleasure,
From which displeasure, not thy beauty shall
Privilege thee, nor my affection, which
Hath drawn me here, abate with further ling’ring.
Come bring me to some private place. Come, come.
Stand off aloof for a more serious wooing.
But I protest to thee,
Pretty one, my authority can wink
At blemishes, or can on faults look friendly;
Or my displeasure punish at my pleasure,
From which displeasure, not thy beauty shall
Privilege thee, nor my affection, which
Hath drawn me here, abate with further ling’ring.
Come bring me to some private place. Come, come.
MARINA
Let not authority, which teaches you
To govern others, be the means to make you
Misgovern much yourself.
If you were born to honour, show it now;
If put upon you, make the judgement good
That thought you worthy of it. What reason’s in
Your justice, who hath power over all,
To undo any? If you take from me
Mine honour, you’re like him that makes a gap
Into forbidden ground, whom after
Too many enter, and of all their evils
Yourself are guilty. My life is yet unspotted;
My chastity unstained ev’n in thought.
Then if your violence deface this building,
The workmanship of heav‘n, you do kill your honour,
Abuse your justice, and impoverish me.
My yet good lord, if there be fire before me,
Must I straight fly and burn myself? Suppose this
house—
Which too too many feel such houses are—
Should be the doctor’s patrimony, and
The surgeon’s feeding; follows it, that I
Must needs infect myself to give them maint’nance?
To govern others, be the means to make you
Misgovern much yourself.
If you were born to honour, show it now;
If put upon you, make the judgement good
That thought you worthy of it. What reason’s in
Your justice, who hath power over all,
To undo any? If you take from me
Mine honour, you’re like him that makes a gap
Into forbidden ground, whom after
Too many enter, and of all their evils
Yourself are guilty. My life is yet unspotted;
My chastity unstained ev’n in thought.
Then if your violence deface this building,
The workmanship of heav‘n, you do kill your honour,
Abuse your justice, and impoverish me.
My yet good lord, if there be fire before me,
Must I straight fly and burn myself? Suppose this
house—
Which too too many feel such houses are—
Should be the doctor’s patrimony, and
The surgeon’s feeding; follows it, that I
Must needs infect myself to give them maint’nance?
LYSIMACHUS
How’s this, how’s this? Some more. Be sage.
MARINA ⌈
kneeling
⌉ For me
kneeling
⌉ For me
That am a maid, though most ungentle fortune
Have franked me in this sty, where since I came
Diseases have been sold dearer than physic—
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!
Have franked me in this sty, where since I came
Diseases have been sold dearer than physic—
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 ⌈
moved
⌉ I did not think
moved
⌉ I did not think
Thou couldst have spoke so well, ne’er dreamt thou
couldst.
⌈
He
lifts her
up
with his
hands
⌉
Though I brought hither a corrupted mind,
Thy speech hath altered it,
Thy tears so well hath laved that they’re now white.
I came here meaning but to pay the price,
A piece of gold for thy virginity;
Here’s twenty to relieve thine honesty.
Persever still in that clear way thou goest,
And the gods strengthen thee.
couldst.
⌈
He
lifts her
up
with his
hands
⌉
Though I brought hither a corrupted mind,
Thy speech hath altered it,
⌈
He
wipes the wet from her
eyes
⌉ and my foul thoughts
I came here meaning but to pay the price,
A piece of gold for thy virginity;
Here’s twenty to relieve thine honesty.
Persever still in that clear way thou goest,
And the gods strengthen thee.
MARINA The good gods preserve you!
LYSIMACHUS
The very doors and windows savour vilely.
Fare thee well. Thou art a piece of virtue,
The best wrought up that ever nature made,
And I doubt not thy training hath been noble.
A curse upon him, die he like a thief,
That robs thee of thy honour. Hold, here’s more gold.
If thou dost hear from me, it shall be for thy good.
Fare thee well. Thou art a piece of virtue,
The best wrought up that ever nature made,
And I doubt not thy training hath been noble.
A curse upon him, die he like a thief,
That robs thee of thy honour. Hold, here’s more gold.
If thou dost hear from me, it shall be for thy good.
⌈
Enter
Boult standing ready at the door, making his obeisance unto him as Lysimachus should go
out
⌉
BOULT I beseech your honour, one piece for me.
LYSIMACHUS
Avaunt, thou damned door-keeper!
Your house, but for this virgin that doth prop it,
Would sink and overwhelm you. Away. Exit
Your house, but for this virgin that doth prop it,
Would sink and overwhelm you. Away. Exit
BOULT 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.
MARINA Whither would you have me?
BOULT I must have your maidenhead taken off, or the common executioner shall do it. We’ll have no more gentlemen driven away. Come your ways, I say.
Enter Bawd and Pander
BAWD How now, what’s the matter?
BOULT Worse and worse, mistress, she has here spoken holy words to the Lord Lysimachus.
BAWD O, abominable!
BOULT She makes our profession as it were to stink afore the face of the gods.
BAWD Marry hang her up for ever!
BOULT The nobleman would have dealt with her like a nobleman, and she sent him away as cold as a snowball, saying his prayers, too.
⌈PANDER⌉ Boult, take her away. Use her at thy pleasure. Crack the ice of her virginity, and make the rest malleable.
BOULT An if she were a thornier piece of ground than she is, she shall be ploughed.
MARINA Hark, hark, you gods!
BAWD She conjures. Away with her! Would she had never come within my doors.—Marry, hang you!—She’s born to undo us.—Will you not go the way of womenkind? Marry, come up, my dish of chastity with rosemary and bays.
Exeunt Bawd and Pander
Exeunt Bawd and Pander
BOULT ⌈
catching her rashly by the hand
⌉ Come, mistress, come your way with me.
catching her rashly by the hand
⌉ Come, mistress, come your way with me.
MARINA Whither wilt thou have me?
BOULT To take from you the jewel you hold so dear.
MARINA Prithee, tell me one thing first.
BOULT Come, now, your one thing.
MARINA
What canst thou wish thine enemy to be?
BOULT Why, I could wish him to be my master, or rather my mistress.
MARINA
Neither of these can be so bad as thou art,
Since they do better thee in their command.
Thou hold‘st a place the painèd’st fiend of hell
Would not in reputation change with thee,
Thou damned doorkeeper to ev‘ry coistrel
That comes enquiring for his Tib.
To th’ choleric fisting of ev’ry rogue
Thy ear is liable. Thy food is such
As hath been belched on by infected lungs.
Since they do better thee in their command.
Thou hold‘st a place the painèd’st fiend of hell
Would not in reputation change with thee,
Thou damned doorkeeper to ev‘ry coistrel
That comes enquiring for his Tib.
To th’ choleric fisting of ev’ry rogue
Thy ear is liable. Thy food is such
As hath been belched on by infected lungs.
BOULT What would you have me do? Go to the wars, would you, where 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?
MARINA
Do anything but this thou dost. Empty
Old receptacles or common sew’rs of filth,
Serve by indenture to the public hangman—
Any of these are yet better than this.
For what thou professest a baboon, could he speak,
Would own a name too dear. Here’s gold for thee.
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 from boast,
And I will undertake all these to teach.
I doubt not but this populous city will
Yield many scholars.
Old receptacles or common sew’rs of filth,
Serve by indenture to the public hangman—
Any of these are yet better than this.
For what thou professest a baboon, could he speak,
Would own a name too dear. Here’s gold for thee.
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 from boast,
And I will undertake all these to teach.
I doubt not but this populous city will
Yield many scholars.
BOULT But can you teach all this you speak of?
MARINA
Prove that I cannot, take me home again
And prostitute me to the basest groom
That doth frequent your house.
And prostitute me to the basest groom
That doth frequent your house.
BOULT Well, I will see what I can do for thee. If I can place thee, I will.
MARINA But amongst honest women.
BOULT Faith, my acquaintance lies little amongst them; but 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. ⌈
The
sign is
removed
⌉
Enter Gower
GOWER
Marina thus the brothel scapes, and chances
Into an honest house, our story says.
She sings like one immortal, and she dances
As goddess-like to her admired lays.
Deep clerks she dumbs, and with her nee‘le composes
Nature’s own shape, of bud, bird, branch, or berry,
That e’en her art sisters the natural roses.
Her inkle, silk, twin with the rubied cherry;
That pupils lacks she none of noble race,
Who pour their bounty on her, and her gain
She gives the cursed Bawd. Here we her place,
And to her father turn our thoughts again.
We left him on the sea. Waves there him tossed,
Whence, driven tofore the winds, he is arrived
Here where his daughter dwells, and on this coast
Suppose him now at anchor. The city strived
God Neptune’s annual feast to keep, from whence
Lysimachus our Tyrian ship espies,
His banners sable, trimmed with rich expense;
And to him in his barge with fervour hies.
In your supposing once more put your sight;
Of heavy Pericles think this the barque,
Where what is done in action, more if might,
Shall be discovered. Please you sit and hark. Exit
Sc. 21Into an honest house, our story says.
She sings like one immortal, and she dances
As goddess-like to her admired lays.
Deep clerks she dumbs, and with her nee‘le composes
Nature’s own shape, of bud, bird, branch, or berry,
That e’en her art sisters the natural roses.
Her inkle, silk, twin with the rubied cherry;
That pupils lacks she none of noble race,
Who pour their bounty on her, and her gain
She gives the cursed Bawd. Here we her place,
And to her father turn our thoughts again.
We left him on the sea. Waves there him tossed,
Whence, driven tofore the winds, he is arrived
Here where his daughter dwells, and on this coast
Suppose him now at anchor. The city strived
God Neptune’s annual feast to keep, from whence
Lysimachus our Tyrian ship espies,
His banners sable, trimmed with rich expense;
And to him in his barge with fervour hies.
In your supposing once more put your sight;
Of heavy Pericles think this the barque,
Where what is done in action, more if might,
Shall be discovered. Please you sit and hark. Exit
Enter Helicanus ⌈
above;
below,
enter
⌉ to him at the first door two Sailors, ⌈
one
of Tyre, the other of
Mytilene
⌉
SAILOR OF TYRE (to Sailor of
Mytilene
)
Mytilene
)
Lord Helicanus can resolve you, sir.
(To Helicanus) There is a barge put off from Mytilene.
In it, Lysimachus, the governor,
Who craves to come aboard. What is your will?
(To Helicanus) There is a barge put off from Mytilene.
In it, Lysimachus, the governor,
Who craves to come aboard. What is your will?
HELICANUS
That he have his.
⌈
Exit
Sailor of Mytilene at first
door
⌉ Call up some gentlemen.⌈
Exit Helicanus above
⌉
⌈SAILOR OF TYRE⌉
Ho, my lord calls!
Enter ⌈
from
below the
stage
⌉ two or three Gentlemen; ⌈
to
them, enter
Helicanus
⌉
FIRST GENTLEMAN What is your lordship’s pleasure?
HELICANUS
Gentlemen, some of worth would come aboard.
I pray you, greet him fairly.
I pray you, greet him fairly.
Enter Lysimachus ⌈
at
first door, with the Sailor and Lords of
Mytilene
⌉
⌈SAILOR OF MYTILENE⌉ (to
Lysimachus
)
Lysimachus
)
This is the man that can in aught resolve you.
LYSIMACHUS (to
Helicanus
)
Helicanus
)
Hail, reverend sir; the gods preserve you!
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