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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    For you and for your Faieries sweete delight
    2810Time shall doe this,
    Tyta: Twill be a glorious sight.
    Time, Vnseene you shall both see and heare these wonders.
    On the greene Mount of Trueth: let the Armie moue,
    And meete you in the vale of Oberon,
    2815Your captiues are sent thither: quicke as thought
    You shall flie hence vpon my actiue winges,
    Time at one in stant sees all Courts of Kings. Exeunt.

    Time descending: Enter the Empre s s e, three Kings,
    and foure Cardinals.
    2820 Emp. Hence: sting me not: y'are Scorpions to my bre st,
    Diseases to my bloud: he dies that speakes.
    3. King. Y'are madde.
    Ambo. Y'are madde.
    4. Card. ô falles not heauen!
    2825 Emp. Be silent:
    Be damned for your speech: as y'are for Act,
    You are all blacke and close conspirators
    In our disgrace.
    3. King. You lie:
    2830 4. Card: O horrible!
    3. King. You Raue yet know not why,
    Emp. Thou sai st all's lo st.
    3. King: Drownd, burnt, split vpon rockes, ca st ouer bord,
    Throates cut by Kernes, whose haires like else-lockes hang,
    2835 2. King. One of those shamrock-eaters at one break fa st,
    Slit fourescore wezand-pipes of ours,
    1. King. Of yours:
    Oquendo burnt, Piementelli Slaine,
    Pedro de Valdes tane,
    2840 1. Card. Could dwarfes beate Gyants?
    3. King. In one day fell 500. Galleous 15.
    Drownd at the same time; or which was worser taken,
    The same day made 1000. prisoners.
    Yet not a cherry stone of theirs was sunke.
    Not