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  • Title: The Whore of Babylon (Quarto, 1607)
  • Editors: Frances E. Dolan, Anna Pruitt

    • Copyright Digital Renaissance Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: Thomas Dekker
    Editors: Frances E. Dolan, Anna Pruitt
    Not Peer Reviewed

    The Whore of Babylon (Quarto, 1607)

    The Whore of Babylon.
    265But wiselier.
    Tres. How?
    1. Card. Thus: those that fill our roomes,
    Hold Beacons in their eies (blazing with fire
    Of a hot-seeming zeale) to watch our entrance,
    270And to arme all again st vs: these we mu st quench:
    They are counted wels of knowledge, poyson these wells:
    They are the kingdoms mu sicke, they the Organs,
    Vnto whose sound her Anthems now are sung,
    Set them but out of tune, alls out of square,
    275Pull downe the Church, and none can it repaire,
    But he that builds it: this is the faggot band
    That binds all fa st: vndoo't, vndoe the land---
    Card. omn. Mo st certaine.
    1. Card. You therefore (the be st consort of the soule)
    280Shepheards (whose flocks are men, lambs, Angels,) you
    That hold the roofe of yon Starre-chamber vp,
    From dropping downe to grinde the world to du st,
    You shall to Fairie land.
    Card. omnes. A joyfull voyage.
    285 1. Card. Those that sing there the holy Hymnes, as yet
    Haue not their voyces cleere, the streame of ceremony
    Is scarcely settled, trouble it more: bayte hookes
    To take some, some to choake: ca st out your net
    At fir st, for all the frie: let vs spread sayles
    290To draw vnto our shores the Fairie whales.
    That Truth, whose standard-bearer Babylon,
    And all we are, is not cleane driuen from thence,
    Whither we send you: there shee liues, but liues
    A widdow; steps not forth, dares not be seene
    295During her moneth of mourning: here we write you
    How, and with whom to finde her: what shee bids,
    That doe: your hire's aboue.
    Card. omnes. We know it well.
    1. Card. And when you see those Fairy fi shermen
    300Rowe in your streames, when they grow cold in working,
    And weary of their owne waters, that the sayles
    (which
    B3
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