GENT. I'll do any thing now that is virtuous, but I am out of the road of rutting for ever.

 

Exeunt.

 

 

[Scene VI]

Enter three bawds [Pander, Bawd, and Boult].

 

PAND. Well, I had rather than twice the worth of her she had ne'er come here.

BAWD. Fie, fie upon her, she's able to freeze the god Priapus, and undo a whole generation. We must either get her ravish'd 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 puritan of the devil, if he should cheapen a kiss of her.

BOULT. Faith, I must ravish her, or she'll disfurnish us of all our cavalleria, and make our swearers priests.

PAND. Now the pox upon her green-sickness for me!

BAWD. Faith, there's no way to be rid on't but by the way to the pox. Here comes the Lord Lysimachus disguis'd.

BOULT. We should have both lord and lown, if the peevish baggage would but give way to customers.

 

Enter Lysimachus.

 

LYS. How now? how a dozen of virginities?

BAWD. Now the gods to bless your honor!

BOULT. I am glad to see your honor in good health.

LYS. 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 defy the surgeon?

BAWD. We have here one, sir, if she would – but there never came her like in Meteline.

LYS. If she'd do the deeds of darkness, thou wouldst say.

BAWD. Your honor knows what 'tis to say well enough.

LYS. Well, call forth, call forth.

BOULT. For flesh and blood, sir, white and red, you shall see a rose, and she were a rose indeed, if she had but –

LYS. What, prithee?

BOULT. O, sir, I can be modest.

 

[Exit.]

 

LYS. That [dignifies] the renown of a bawd, no less than it gives a good report to a number to be chaste.

BAWD. Here comes that which grows to the stalk, never pluck'd yet, I can assure you.

 

[Enter Boult with Marina.]

 

Is she not a fair creature?

LYS. Faith, she would serve after a long voyage at sea. Well, there's for you, leave us.

BAWD. I beseech your honor give me leave a word, and I'll have done presently.

LYS. I beseech you do.

BAWD [Aside to Marina.] First, I would have you note, this is an honorable man.

MAR. I desire to find him so, that I may worthily note him.

BAWD.