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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    2365Vpon your certaine ruine?
    Pari: Goad? sharp ponyards,
    Why should I spare her bloud?
    Coz: She gaue you yours.
    Pari: To ha tan'e it had bin tyrany, her owne lips
    2370Confe st I strucke her lawes not hard: I ha spent
    My youth, and meanes in seruing her: what reape I?
    Wounds (discoutents) what giues she me? good words
    (Sweet meates that rotte the eater:) why, la st day
    I did but begge of her the mai ster ship
    2375Of Santa Cataryna, twas denied me.
    Coz: She keepes you to a better.
    Pari: I tu sh, thats not all:
    My bonds are yonder seald; And she mu st fall.
    Coz: Well coz, ile hence.
    2380 Pari: When shall I see you? Coz: Hah.
    Soone: very soone: sooner than you expect,
    Let me but breath, and what I meane to doe,
    I shall resolue you.
    Pari: Fare you well,
    2385 Coz. Adue. ———— Exit.
    Tytania, Elfyron, Parthenophil, Parydel, Florimell.
    Flor. Newes; thundring newes sweete Lady: Enuy, Ambition,
    Theft sacrilegious, and base treason, lay
    Their heads and handes togither, at one pull
    2390To heaue you from your throne: that manni sh woman-Diuell,
    That lu stfull bloudie Queene of Babylon,
    Hath (as we gather ripe intelligence)
    Rigd an Armd fleete, which euen now beates the waues,
    Boa sting to make their wombes our Cities graues.
    2395 Tyta. Let it come on: our Generall leades aboue them,
    Earth-quakes may kingdomes mooue, but not remooue them.
    Fideli.
    Fid. He yonder, he that playes the fiend at sea,
    The little Captaine that's made all of fire,
    2400Sweares (Flemming-like) by twenty thousand Diuels,
    If our tongues walke thus, and our feete stand still,
    So