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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    From foote-cloth nags, on which gay fellows ride,
    Saue that such gallants gallop in more pride.
    1185Away. Stow vnder hatches that light stuffe:
    Tis to be worne in Babylon. Exit Sayler.
    At this groue,
    And much about this howre, a slaue well moulded,
    In profound, learned villany, gaue oath Enter Coniurer.
    1190To meet me: Art thou come! Can thy blacke Arte
    This wonder bring to pa s s e?
    Con. See, it is done.
    3. King. Titaniaes picture right.
    Con. This virgin waxe,
    1195Burie I will in slimie putred ground,
    Where it may peece-meale rot: As this consumes,
    So shall shee pine, and (after languor) die.
    These pinnes shall sticke like daggers to her heart,
    And eating through her brea st, turne there to gripings
    1200Cramp-like Convul sions, shrinking vp her nerues,
    As into this they eate.
    3. King. Thou art fam'd for euer,
    If these thy holy labours well succeed,
    Statues of molten bra s s e shall reare thy name,
    1205The Babylonian Empre s s e shall thee honour.
    And (for this) each day shalt thou goe in chaines.
    Where wilt thou burie it?
    Coniur. On this dunghill.
    3. King. Good:
    1210And bind it down with mo st effectuall charmes,
    That whosoeuer with vnhallowed hands,
    Shall dare to take it hence, may raue and die.
    Con. Leaue me.
    3. King. Farewell and prosper: be blinde you skies,
    1215You looke on things vnlawfull with sore eies. Exit.
    Dumbe shewe. The Hault-boyes sound, and whil st hee is burying the pi-
    cture, Truth and Time enter, Fideli, Parthenophil, Elfiron, and a
    Guard following aloofe. They discouer the follow, hee is taken, the picture
    found, hee kneeles for mercy, but they making signes of refusall,
    1220 he snatcheth at some weapon to kill himselfe, is preuen-
    ted, and led away.
    Trumpet
    E3