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The Whore of Babylon (Quarto, 1607)
672
Fideli, Florimell, Parthenophill, Elfiron,
674Like hideous dreames, yet haue they left behind them,
675Throbs, and heart akings, in the generall boosome,
676As omynous bodings. Fairy Lackeyes.---
677
4. Footmen
Here.
679(On paine to be into an vrchin turnd)
682
Fidel.
Theis to the Spirits that our waters keepe,
686Where Lyons, Panthers, and the kingly heardes
687Feede in one company; that if wild Boares,
688Mad Buls, or rauing Beares, breake in for prey,
689Hoping to make our groues their wildernes,
691
Parth.
Theis to the Shepheards on our Fairie downs
693And Iolly pipings driue into fat pa
stures
696And is the be
st at kenning) in our Nauy,
697Courage
shall wait on her.
699To goe with vs.
702And kil our fairie deare, or change themselues
703Into the
shape of Fawnes, being indeed Foxes,
704Range all the forre
st danger to preuent,
707
Manent Titania, and her maides.
710Deepe rooted is a
state, and growes vp hie,
711When Prouidence, Zeale, and Integritie
712Husband it well: Theis fathers twill be said
713(One day) make me a grandame of a maid.
714Meane time my farewell to such gaudy lures
715As here, were thrown vp t'haue me quite ore-thrown,
716I charge you maids, entertaine no de
sires,
718Oh, they ha snakes
sleeky tongues, but hearts more rugged
719Then is the Russian Beare: our Fairie bowres
721(Mortall as killing Hemlocke) here
should grow,
722Which to preuent, Ile haue you vow.
723
Aur.
We vowe
724By the white balles in bright Titaniaes eies,
725We their inchantments skorne.
727To bind it sure, Strew all your meades with charmes,
728Which if they doe no good,
shall doe no harme.
730
Enter Plaine dealing.
731
Titan.
Now Sirra, where haue you bin?
737ued euery day with woodcockes there, lie there in a manner vp-
738on Execution: they dare not peepe out of doores for feare of
739Serieants.
742nūber of your courtiers are deare in their acquaintāce: why they
743are certaine men-midwiues, that neuer bring people to bed, but
744when they are sore in labour, that no body els can deliuer them.
746what is the true fa
shion of them, whats their order?
750dinarie.
755a young countrey gentleman, and that I were to come in (like an
757
Titan.
What then?
758
Plain.
Mary then doe all the gylt rapiers turne their Tobacco
761
salt to throw vpon them, and to make them leaue gaping, but
766matter.
768of Babylon.
770knaues & fooles here: for your Ordinary is your I
sle of Gulles,
776Che
s
s
e-board in the world.
777
Titan.
Why?
779then pawnes, but here a good pawne is better then a knight.
781
Plain.
Wonders? why this one little Cocke-pit, (for none come
783your kingdome, in a few Apes of the kingdome.
790better know how to heale others: then haue you other fellowes
791that take vpon them to be Surgeons, and by letting out the cor-
793them in places as big as this, and before a thousand people, rip
795at an Execution, that can endure to see men quartred aliue) the
796beholders learne more villany then they knew before: others
798bribed, they whip, but draw no blood, and of these I haue made
803ly pointed) to looke through and through that our great Citie,
806
Plain.
If I giue you the copie of the Cities countenance, Ile
809But liue with vs, and be our Officer.
810
Plain.
Haue I any kinred in your Court? is there any one of
812good, to haue two of the Plain-dealings in one office, they'l bee
813beggars if they doe.
817the
signe of the Holy Lambe.
819To haue her labour in our Vineyards:
821But of her fining. Set your hand to hers,
822Liue with her in one house, fetch from our Court
823Maintenance to serue you all: t'will be to her
826That you will count your fore
st labour light,
828Away loose no more minutes.
830
Elfiron. Paridel.
831
Titan.
Whats yonder man that kneeles?
837You by your heauenly Influence change his vileues
839
Tita.
Oh: we remember it; you are condemnd?
840
Elf.
To Death.
842
Tita.
You had your hand
843Not coulored with his bloud.
845Vpon my vowed Loyalty.
847It was no actuall nor commenced violence
848That brought death with it, but intent of ill.
851Who pardons, hath a
share in halfe the guilt.
852You
strooke, our lawes not hard, yet what the edge
853Of Iu
stice could take from you, mercy giues you
854(Your life.) Yo haue it
signed, rize.
855
Pari.
May yon Clouds
858
Pathenophill with Campeius.
866When Princes giue life, they so bind men to 'em,
867That tru
sting them with too much, they vndo 'em.
869Great fortunes (eanrd thus) are great Slaueries:
870Snatcht from the common hangmans hands for this?
871To haue my mind feele torture! now I see,
873That tho we haue them, yet we scarce beleeue them.
875Thart quicke enough, yet liue
st within a tombe.
876
Tita.
His name.
879But with it heare (from some whome we haue weied
880For iudgement and experience) that he caries:
882Yet not one
steddy.
883
Parthe.
It may be the rumor
885
Tita.
Belieue vs no: of his, and tothers fate,
886The threedes are too vnlike, to haue that wouen.
887
Camp.
To gaine her crowne Ile not kneele thus.
890We haue be
stowed it.
893That bay tree will endure a little fire,
894My Lord, my Lord,
896Are kingdoms poysons, hung on golden hookes,
898
Tita.
Such men oft proue.
899Valleyes that let in riuers to confound
900The hils aboue them, tho themselues lie drounde,
901My Lord, I like not calme and cunning seas
906
Camp.
Thrown downe, or raizd?
907
Parth.
All hopes (for this) are gone,
912Where beggers once take almes, they looke for't euer.
914
Pary.
Tenne yeares.
916To let you goe with life, that
should want liuing,
917What is it we can grant you.
918
Pary.
I ha beene by two great Fayries in your land,
921That all my happy thoughts lie in the du
st,
923Begge I your gratious leaue that I may vary,
924This natiue Aire for Forren.
925
Tita.
Oh you would trauell,
926You may, you haue our leaue: Challenge our hand.
928
Fideli Florimell.
933
Tita.
What people are they?
934
Fidel.
Neighbours: tis the nation, The Netherlanders.
935With whome our Faries enterchange commerce,
936And by negotiation growne so like vs,
937That halfe of them are Fayries: th'other halfe
938Are hurtfull Spirits, that with sulphurous breath
939Bla
st their corne feilds, deface their temples, cloth
940their townes in mourning, poyson hallowed founts,
942Full of dead bodies, or (like pallaces,
943From whence the Lords are gone) all desolate.
944They haue but 17. danghters young and faire,
945Vowd to liue ve
stalls, and to know the touch
946Of any forced or vnreuerend hand.
947Yet Lu
st and Auarice (to get their dowers)
949Threaten to raui
sh them, to make their bodies
950The temples of polution, or their bedds,
951Graues where their honors
shall lie buried,
952They pray to haue their virgins wait on you,
953That you would be their mother, and their nurse,
954Their Guardian and their Gouernour; when Princes
955Haue their liues giuen 'em, fine and golden threds
956Are drawne and spun (for them) by the good fates,
957That they may lift vp others in low
states.
962Not how they ha bin, but how I might relieue them.
963
Parthenophill.
965(Ri
sing but onely in this poynt of heauen,
966Spred through the world, So that a Prince (made wretched,
967By his vnhappy father, that lies
slaine
968By barbarous swords, and in his goary wounds,
969Drownes all the hopes of his po
steritie)
970Hether, is like an orphan come (from farre)
972That would defeat him of his portion.
973
Tita.
Pittie and we had talke before you came,
974She hath not taken yet her hand from ours,
976Behold that Prince: good workes are theirs, not ou'rs;
979
Fideli Florimell the
states of the countries,
980
Parthenophill Elfyron, the Prince of
981
Portugal.
982
To the States.
983
Auxilio tutos dimittam, opibusque Iuuabo.
984
Non ignara mali, miseris succurrere disco.
Exeunt.