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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    1415 Rop. What phy sicke can I dare onely to grow
    (But as I merit shall) vp in your eye.
    Emp. Weele erect ladders for you strong and high,
    That you shall climbe to starrie dignitie.
    Both. We take our leaue dread Empre s s e. Exeunt.
    1420 Emp. Fare you well:
    Our benediction goe along with you----
    Our malediction and your soules confu sion
    Like shiuer'd towers fall on your luckele s s e heads,
    And wedge you into earth low as the deepe
    1425Where are the damned, if our world you fire,
    Since desperately you'le ride and dare aspire.
    1. King. But is this all? shall we thus bend our sinews
    Onely to emptie quiuers, and to shoot
    Whole sheafes of forked arrowes at the Sunne,
    1430Yet neuer hit him?
    2. Car. And the marke so faire!
    Com. Nay, which is more, suppose that al these torrēts
    Which from your sea of Greatne s s e, you (for your part)
    And all those stragling flouds which we haue driuen
    1435With full and stiffe winds to the Fairie Stronds,
    Should all breake in at once, and in a deluge
    Of Innouation, rough rebellion, factions,
    Of ma s s acres, and pale de struction
    Swallow the kingdome vp, and that the bloud
    1440Euen of Titania's heart should in deepe crimson
    Dye all these waters: what of this? what share
    Is yours? what land shall you recouer?
    1. King. All.
    Com. All!
    1445 1. King. I, all:
    Betweene the Transuersaries that doe run
    Vpon this cro s s e staffe, a dull eye may find
    In what degree we are, and of what height
    Your selfe (our brighte st Ariadne) is,
    1450Being vnderneath that Tropicke: as those jewels
    Of night and day are by alternate course
    Worne in Heauens fore-head,
    So when Deaths Winter comes,
    And
    Fij
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