SORANZO Come, strumpet, famous whore! W...

SORANZO Come, strumpet, famous whore! Were every drop

Of blood that runs in thy adulterous veins

A life, this sword (dost see't?) should in one blow

Confound them all. Harlot, rare, notable harlot,

That with thy brazen face maintainst thy sin,

Was there no man in Parma to be bawd

To your loose cunning whoredom else but I?

Must your hot itch and pleurisy of lust,

The heyday of your luxury, be fed

Up to a surfeit, and could none but I

Be picked out to be cloak to your close tricks,

Your belly-sports? Now I must be the dad

To all that gallimaufry that's stuffed

In thy corrupted bastard-bearing womb,

Why must I?

ANNABELLA Beastly man! Why, 'tis thy fate.

I sued not to thee; for, but that I thought

Your over-loving lordship would have run

Mad on denial, had ye lent me time,

I would have told 'ee in what case I was.

But you would needs be doing.

SORANZO Whore of whores!

Dar'st thou tell me this?

ANNABELLA O yes, why not?

You were deceived in me; 'twas not for love

I chose you, but for honour; yet know this,

Would you be patient yet, and hide your shame,

I'd see whether I could love you.

SORANZO Excellent quean!

Why, art thou not with child?

ANNABELLA What needs all this

When 'tis superfluous? I confess I am.

SORANZO Tell me by whom.

ANNABELLA Soft, sir, 'twas not in my bargain.

Yet somewhat, sir, to stay your longing stomach,

I am content t'acquaint you with; the man,

The more than man, that got this sprightly boy—

For 'tis a boy, and therefore glory, sir,

Your heir shall be a son—

SORANZO Damnable monster!

ANNABELLA Nay, and you will not hear, I'll speak no more.

SORANZO Yes, speak, and speak thy last

ANNABELLA A match, a match!

This noble creature was in every part

So angel-like, so glorious, that a woman

Who had not been but human, as was I,

Would have kneeled to him, and have begged for love.

You! Why, you are not worthy once to name

His name without true worship, or, indeed,

Unless you kneeled, to hear another name him.

SORANZO What was he called?

ANNABELLA We are not come to that.

Let it suffice that you shall have the glory

To father what so brave a father got.

In brief, had not this chance fallen out as't doth,

I never had been troubled with a thought

That you had been a creature; but for marriage,

I scarce dream yet of that.

SORANZO Tell me his name.

ANNABELLA Alas, alas, there's all.

Will you believe?

SORANZO What?

ANNABELLA You shall never know.

SORANZO How!

ANNABELLA Never; if you do, let me be cursed.

SORANZO Not know it, strumpet? I'Il rip up thy heart,

And find it there.

ANNABELLA Do, do,

SORANZO And with my teeth

Tear the prodigious Iecher joint by joint.

ANNABELLA Ha, ha, ha, the man's merry!

SORANZO Dost thou laugh?

Come, whore, tell me your lover, or, by truth,

I'll hew thy flesh to shreds; who is't?

ANNABELLA [Sings] Che murte piu dolce che morire per amore?

SORANZO Thus will I pull thy hair, and thus I'll drag

Thy lust-be-lepered body through the dust.

Yet tell his name.

ANNABELLA [Sings] Morendo in gratia Dei, morirei senza dolore.

SORANZO Dost thou triumph? The treasure of the earth

Shall not redeem thee; were there kneeling kings

Did beg thy life, or angels did come down

To plead in tears, yet should not all prevail

Against my rage. Dost thou not tremble yet?

ANNABELLA At what? To die? No, be a gallant hangman.

I dare thee to the worst: strike, and strike home;

I leave revenge behind, and thou shalt feel't.

SORANZO Yet tell me ere thou diest, and tell me truly,

Knows thy old father this?

ANNABELLA No, by my life.

SORANZO Wilt thou confess, and I will spare thy life?

ANNABELLA My life? I will not buy my life so dear.

SORANZO I will not slack my vengeance.

Ford, John. 'Tis Pity She’s a Whore. http://www.johnwebster.galeon.com/writersworks/pity/act4.3pity.htm

Read the full text of 'Tis Pity She's a Whore here at Galeon.com