Overview
- Female: 2
- Male: 0
Context
Putana, Annabella’s servant, has been watching the arguments over who might marry Annabella from the window above the men. Annabella is with her, but shows little interest in the potential suitors or their discussions, so Putana tries to playfully entice her with the attributes of each man in order to gauge where Annabella’s heart may lie.
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PUTANA: How like you this, child? Here's threatening, challenging, quarreling, and fighting, on every side, and all is for your sake; you had need look to yourself, charge, you'll be stol'n away sleeping else shortly.
ANNABELLA: But, tutoress, such a life give no content
To me, my thoughts are fixed on other ends;
Would you would leave me.
PUTANA: Leave you? No marvel else; leave me no leaving, charge; this is love outright. Indeed I blame you not; you have choice fit for the best lady in Italy.
ANNABELLA: Pray do not talk so much.
PUTANA: Take the worst with the best - there's Grimaldi the soldier, a very well-timbered fellow: they say he is a Roman, nephew to the Duke Monferrato; they say he did good service in the wars against the Milanese, but faith, charge, I do not like him, an't be for nothing but for being a soldier; not one amongst twenty of your skirmishing captains but have some privy maim or other, that mars their standing upright. I like him the worse, he crinkles so much in the hams; though he might serve if there were no more men, yet he's no the man I would choose.
ANNABELLA: Fie, how thou prate'st.
PUTANA: As I am a very woman, I like Signior Soranzo well; he is wise, and what is more, rich; and what is more than that, kind; and what is more than all this, a nobleman; such a one, were I the fair Annabella myself, I would wish and pray for. Then he is bountiful; besides he is handsome, and by my troth, I think wholesome(and that's news in a gallant of three-and-twenty); liberal, that I know, loving, that you know; and a man sure, else he could never ha' purchased such a good name with Hippolita, the lusty widow, in her husband's lifetime: and 'twere but for that report, sweetheart, would 'a were thine. Commend a man for his qualities, but take a husband as he is a plain-sufficient, naked man: such a one is for your bed, and such a one is Signior Soranzo, my life for't.
ANNABELLA: Sure the woman took her morning's draught too soon.
Ford, John. 'Tis Pity She’s a Whore. http://www.johnwebster.galeon.com/writersworks/pity/act1.2pity.htm
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