Digital Renaissance Editions

About this text

  • 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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    Whose goary mouthes but lately staind our Rounds,
    Bleed yet in me: for when great (a) Elfiline
    (a) Hen. 7.
    375(Our grand sire) fild this throne, your bowers did shine
    With fire-red steele, and not with Fairies eies,
    You heard no mu sicke then, but shriekes and cries,
    Then armed Vrchins, and stearne hou shold Elues,
    Their fatall pointed swords turnd on themselues.
    380But when the royall Elfiline sat crowned,
    These ciuill woes in their own depth lay drowned.
    He to immortall shades beeing gone,
    (Fames minion) great King (b) Oberon
    (b) Hen. 8.
    Titaniaes royall father, liuely springs,
    385Whose Court was like a campe of none but Kings.
    From this great conquering Monarchs glorious stemme,
    Three (in direct line) wore his Diadem:
    (c) A King fir st, then a paire of (d) Queenes, of whom,
    (c) Edw. 6.
    Shee that was held a downe-ca st, by Fates doome,
    (d) Q. Mar
    390Sits now aboue their hopes: her maiden hand,
    & Q. Eliz.
    Shall with a silken thred guide Fairie land.
    Omn. And may shee guide it,
    Fid. Euen till stooping time
    Cut for her (downe) long yeeres that shee may climbe
    395(With ease) the highe st hill old age goes o're,
    Or till her Fairie subiects (that adore
    Her birth-day as their beeing) shall complaine,
    They are weary of a peacefull, golden raigne.
    Titan. Which, that they neuer shall, your stately towers
    400Shall keepe their ancient beauty: and your bowers
    (Which late) like prophan'd Temples empty stood,
    The tops defac'd by fire, the floores by blood,)
    Shall be fill'd full of Chori sters to sing
    Sweet heauenly songs, like birds before the spring:
    405The flowers we set, and the fruits by vs sowne,
    Shall cheere as well the stranger as our owne.
    We may to strange shores once our selues be driuen,
    For who can tell vnder what point of heauen
    His graue shall open? neither shall our oakes,
    Trophies