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The Whore of Babylon (Quarto, 1607)
2386
Tytania, Elfyron, Parthenophil, Parydel, Florimell.
2389Their heads and handes togither, at one pull
2390To heaue you from your throne: that manni
sh woman-Diuell,
2391That lu
stfull bloudie Queene of Babylon,
2392Hath (as we gather ripe intelligence)
2393Rigd an Armd fleete, which euen now beates the waues,
2394Boa
sting to make their wombes our Cities graues.
2395
Tyta.
Let it come on: our Generall leades aboue them,
2396Earth-quakes may kingdomes mooue, but not remooue them.
2397
Fideli.
2399The little Captaine that's made all of fire,
2400Sweares (Flemming-like) by twenty thousand Diuels,
2405With such big bellies, all the linnen's gone,
2406To finde them linnen and in Babylon,
2407That ther's not one ragge left,
2410Which from their riuers beate their water-fowle,
2412And pluckt the Halcions winges that roue at sea,
2413And made their wilde-duckes vnder-water diue,
2414So long, that some neuer came vp aliue.
2415This Sea-pie Babylon, her bug-Beare calles,
2418For him thei'le cudgell vs: will you ha the troth?
2420But yours, and ours (sweete maide) can doe her good.
2423
Flor.
Good Lady dread not you, what ere befall.
2427Feare a Tyrants Arme?
2428Tyrants may kill vs, but not doe vs harme.
2431We entertaynd your speech (as we remember)
2433To fire which you were praid.
2435Albeit it were again
st our life.
2437
Tyta.
We forget them not: at that time
2438Here was but one, (true) but one counceller,
2439Who
stood aloofe, heard nothing; and though a bloud
2443Yet of our princely grace (tho twas not fitte,
2446Tis in our eare: the hammers lie not
still,
2447But that new clubs of iron are forging now,
2448To bruife our bones, and that your selfe doe knowe,
2449The very Anuile where they worke.
2450
Pari.
I.
2453To bla
st our Faiery circles by the Moone,
2454Are your Familiars.
2456Thee therefore I coniure (if not by faith,
2457Oathed allegeance, nor thy conscience,
2458Perhaps this ranckling vlcerateth them)
2459Yet by thy hopes of bli
s
s
e, tell, and tell true,
2461
Pary.
O vnhappie man;
2463I open now my bre
st euen to the heart,
2464My very soule pants on my lips: none, none,
2465I know of none.
2467They are no common droppes when Princes bleede.
2468What houre is this? does not my larum
strike?
2469This watch goes false.
2470
Pari:
This watch goes true.
2471
Tyta:
All's naught.----what houre is this?
2473The worke you haue begun: where art thou heart?
2475
Pari:
Tis downe.
2477Why was thine armed hand reard to his height?
2478What blacke worke art thou doing?
2481Heere, heere that
stickes which I feare will not out
2483Turnd backe vpon me, I had long ere this
2486Thou mak'
st my good thoughts of thee now declyne,
2487Who loues not his owne bloud, will ne're spare mine,
2488Why doe
st thou weepe?
2489
Pari.
When on your face I looke,
2492(Your fathers father, and your grandfather,)
2494Gnawing the branches of that glorious tree,
2495The griefe melts euen my soule, O pardon me.
2497Take a full man into thee, for beholde
2498All these blacke clowdes we cleere: looke vp, tis day,
2503As towers of flint. All traytors are but waues,
2504That beate at rockes, their owne blowes digge their graues.
2507Halde, tortured, and growne wilde? on leaues eternall
2509So texted them in characters capitall,
2510I cannot race them but I blot my name
2512On your court-roles. Then keepe it, vp to heauen
2513Thy ladder's but thus hie: courage, to kill
2514Ten men I
should not freeze thus: yet her murder
2515Cannot be named bloud-
shed, for her Faieries
2516Are all of faith, and fealty a
s
s
oyled,
2518Her crowne is now not hers; vpon the paine
2520I climbe to heauen by this, climbe then and
slay her.
2522Ran mad for
sleepe, and died Princes that plunge
2526And make mine arme reuolt) I might haue colour
2528An Angel thru
sts this iron into my hand,
2529My warrant
signd from Babylon to kill her,
2534Tis done, tis done, All you ble
st powers I charme,
2535Now, now, knit all your
sinewes to this arme.
2537Fidely, Florimel, Parthenophil, Elfiron, the Ladies,
2538
a Guard, and the Doctors Cozen.
2540
Fid.
The hand of Angels guide vs: Shees not heere,
2548This learned knaue is sworne to murder thee.
2556
Fid.
Better, his yeas goe naked, and your noes
2557Very well clokd: off, come, truth naked goes,
2558And heres his naked truth.
---Shewes his drawn dagger.
2559
Tyta.
Againe.
2562May grieue at traytors falles but not forgiue.
2565
Omn.
Away with him.
2567We haue one foote.
2568
Fid.
I, I, looke to the head.
2569The hangman cures those members.
2570
Tita.
What is done?
2572Haue raisde an Armie both by sea and land.
2574That the world owes (true hearts:) their wōbes are ful,
2575Of noble spirits, each man in his face
2577So thickly on the decke, so brauely plum'd,
2578(The Silken
steamers wauing ore their heades)
2580And that the iollie young
sters of your townes,
2581Had flockt togither in gay multitudes,
2582For May-games, and for summer merriments,
2584So many Faieries neuer dwelt at once,
2586The drum that gaue the call, could not be heard
2587For iu
stling armours: er'e the call was done,
2588It was so ringd about with groues of pikes,
2589That when they brake on both
sides to giue way,
2590The beating of the drum was thunders noise,
2594From the huge Cyclops-hammer, when they sweate
2595To forge Ioues thunder: And in such a heate
2600
Parth.
Old grandams that on crutches beare vp age,
2601Full nimbly buckled Armours on their sonnes,
2602And when twas on,
she clapt him on his backe,
2604Thy bloud can neuer be more brauely
shed.
2605
Tita.
How are the numbers you haue leuied?
2607
Elf.
We haue rais'd double walls to fence your land.
2608The one the bodie of a
standing Camp,
2609Whose tents by this are pitcht in Beria,
2610On the
shores point, to barre the foe from footing.
2612Your Florimell Lieuetenant Generall;
2617Footemen 22000. The mouing Army, which attends on you,
2618Is thus made vp: of horsmen & of foote, Launcers 481.
2619Light horse-men 1421. Footemen 34050.
2622Lambes may beate Lions in a warre not right.
2623The Generall of all armies be our leader,
2624Be full of courage Lordes as ya're in yeares.
2625For this be sure weele not out-liue our peeres.