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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    So many huge ships neere our coa sts are come,
    An Oy ster-boate of ours will scarce finde roome.
    He sweares the windes haue got the sailes with childe,
    2405With such big bellies, all the linnen's gone,
    To finde them linnen and in Babylon,
    That ther's not one ragge left,
    Tyta. Why swels this fleete?
    Fid. Thus they giue out, that you sent forth a Drake,
    2410Which from their riuers beate their water-fowle,
    Tore siluer feathers from their faire st Swannes,
    And pluckt the Halcions winges that roue at sea,
    And made their wilde-duckes vnder-water diue,
    So long, that some neuer came vp aliue.
    2415This Sea-pie Babylon, her bug-Beare calles,
    For when her ba stards cry, let the nurse cry
    But this, the Drake comes, they hu sh presently,
    For him thei'le cudgell vs: will you ha the troth?
    That scarlet-whore is thir stie and no bloud,
    2420But yours, and ours (sweete maide) can doe her good.
    Tyta. That drake shal out againe: to counsel Lords.
    Fid. Come, come, short counsell: better get long swordes.
    Flor. Good Lady dread not you, what ere befall.
    Fid. Weel'e die fir st, yours is the la st funeral: away, away, away. Exeunt.
    2425 Omn. Po sts, po sts, cal me s s engers, po sts with al speed.
    Tyta. How? feare? why should white bosomes
    Feare a Tyrants Arme?
    Tyrants may kill vs, but not doe vs harme.
    Are we your prisoners that you garde vs thus? Exeunt,
    2430Stay, And you too, we are alone: when la st Manet Paridell.
    We entertaynd your speech (as we remember)
    Close traines and dangerous you did discouer
    To fire which you were praid.
    Pari. I was. Tyta. And yeelded.
    2435Albeit it were again st our life.
    Pari. Mo st true.-----my reasons.---
    Tyta. We forget them not: at that time
    Here was but one, (true) but one counceller,
    Who
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