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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    2735My fellow souldiers I dare sweare youl'e fight,
    To the la st man, your Captaine being in sight. They shoote.
    Uolu: To the la st lea st mans little finger. A peale goes off.
    Fid. What flames through all your bloud your breath inspires.
    Tita: For that we come not: no bre st heere wants fires.
    2740Twas kindled in their cradles, strength, courage, zeale,
    Meete in each bosome like a three-fold floue,
    We come with yours to venture our owne bloud.
    For you and we are fellowes; thus appeares it,
    The souldier keeps the crowne on, the prince weares it.
    2745Of all men you we hold the mo st mo st deere,
    But for a souldier I had not beene heere.
    Fid. Doe not their gunnes offend you?
    Tita: How? we are tried,
    whim'e bome a souldier by the fathers side.
    2750The Cannon (thunders Zany) playes to vs,
    Soft mu sikes tunes, and more mellodious:
    And me more rarely like, because all these,
    That now can speake the language of sterne warre,
    Could not speake swords, or guns, nay scarce could go,
    2755Nay were not borne, but like to new sowne graine
    Lay hid i'th mold, when we went to be crown'd,
    Tho now th'are tall corne fields, couering the ground.
    Plaine Dealing.
    Plai. Roome, roome, newes, newes, the younge st newes that
    2760euer was brought forth amon st men at Armes: a woman (sweete
    mi stris) is brought to bed of a man childe it'h Camp: a boy that
    lookes as if he would shoote off already: the bed they haue swad-
    led him in, is the peece of an old torne Ancient: his blankets are
    two souldiers Mandilions: his cradle is the hollow backe-peece of
    2765a ru stie Armour: his head lies in a Murren thats quilted to keepe
    him warme, the fir st thing that euer he laid hold on, was a trun-
    cheon, on which a Captaine leand to looke vpon him, hee'le bee a
    warriour I warrant. A Can of beere is set to his mouth already,
    yet I doubt hee'le prooue but a victualer to the Camp: A notable
    2770fat double-chind bulchin.
    Tyta: A child borne in our Camp! goe giue him fame,
    Let