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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    Plai. Yonder's one infection new broke out, if it be not stopt
    From running, will choake vs all.
    Time, Name it, ile mini ster the remedie.
    Plai. Time may do it, this tis: A Broker and his wife that dropt
    2665out of the Hangmans budget but la st day, are now eating into the
    Camp, and are victualers to it: their very Cannes haue hoopes of
    gold lace now, that hangd Captaines Ierkins all or'e but ye ster-
    day: 15. Liefetenants haue eaten vp their buffe Ierkins with
    cheese and mu stard: Nay this villaine of fourescore ith hundred
    2670has set vp three Armourers shops with harne s s e caps, and pewter
    coates, that are linde cleane out with Ale: the Rogue lies euery
    night vpon as many fethers which grew in souldiers hats, as will
    vndooe foure hundred Schoolema sters to hire them for their boyes
    to goe a fea sting,
    2675 Time, Breede such disorders mong st the souldiers?
    Play. They swarme like lyce: nay his wife tickels it too, for
    three Muskateeres came but to drinke Tabacco in her cabbin, and
    she fired their flaskes and tuch-boxes.
    Time, Goe ridde the Camp of these, and al like these.
    2680 Play. If any souldier swere ile ca sheere him too.
    Time, You will scarce leaue two in the Army then.
    Play. What shall I doe with those Pyoners yonder?
    Ti. You know the ground, lead them to ca st vp trenches. Away.
    Play. They are by this time leading one another, for when I
    2685left them, I left them all ca sting, ile now goe see what it comes
    to. Exit.
    Time, Ile flie hence to the fleete of Babylon,
    And from their tacklings and their maine-ma st tops.
    Time shal shoote vengeance through his bow of steele,
    2690Wedge like to split their Nauie to the keele.
    Ile cut their Princes downe as blades of gra s s e,
    As this gla s s e, so the Babilonian power,
    The higher shall runne out to fill the lower. Exit.
    The Seafight.
    2695 3. Ki. The sulphurous AEtna belcheth on our ships,
    Cut Cables, or the whole fleete drownes in fire. 1. King. Holla.
    2 Ki. Of Babilon. 1. Ki. What Hulkes ar these, that are on fire?
    3. King. The