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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    And shortens all those beames of Maie stie,
    1455Which in this oblique and Zodiacall Sphere
    Moue with Titania now, shall loose their heat,
    Where mu st the next Sunrise but here? from whence
    Shall Fairie land get warmth? meerely from hence.
    Let but the taper of her life burne out,
    1460We haue such torches ready in her land
    To catch fire from each other, that the flames
    Shall make the frighted people thinke earth burnes,
    And being dazled with our Copes of Starres,
    We shall their temples hallow with such ease,
    1465As 'twere in solemne gay proce s sion.
    Com. Some lyne sea cards, that know not the seas ta st,
    Nor scarce the colour: by your charmes I gather
    You haue seene Fairie land---but in a Map:
    Can tell how't stands: but if you giue't a fall,
    1470You mu st get bigger bones: for let me whisper
    This to your eare; though you bait hookes with gold,
    Ten thousand may be nibbling, when none bites,
    And those you take for Angels, you'le find sprites.
    Say that Titania were now drawing short breath,
    1475(As that's the Cone and Button that together
    Claspes all our hopes) out of her a shes may
    A second † Phoenix rise, of larger wing,
    K. Iames.
    Of stronger talent, of more dreadfull beake,
    Who swooping through the ayre, may with his beating
    1480So well commaund the winds, that all those trees
    Where sit birds of our hatching (now fled thither)
    Will tremble, & (through feare strucke dead) to earth,
    Throw those that sit and sing there, or in flockes
    Driue them from thence, yea and perhaps his talent
    1485May be so bonie and so large of gripe,
    That it may shake all Babilon.
    Emp. All Babylon!
    Com. Your pardon: but who'le swear this may not be?
    Emp. How the preuention?
    1490 Com. Thus; to fell downe their Q. is but one stroake;
    Our axe mu st cleaue the kingdome, that's the Oake.
    Emp. The manner.
    Com.Ea sie: