Complete Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker

by Thomas Dekker

  Cit.

  Such, that I warrant you, he wept more warme water, then euer he had at any countrie Barbers to wash his smutty Face on a Satterday night.

  Nor.

  You haue heard of some misfortunes, lately happening vnto certaine Grasiers?

  Cit.

  No indeede, Sir.

  Nor.

  Then take it for truth and on my credite, that a good company of them comming vp togeather to London, with great store both of Sheepe and Bullocks, they lost, by reason of the Snowes and deepe Wayes, so many of either (especially of Sheepe) that perished in great numbers, euen on the way, and before their faces, that if they had been sold to their value, it had been a sufficient estate to haue maintainde a very good man, and haue kept him rich all his life time.

  Cit.

  I beleeue you Sir: But I pray Sir, What is your opinion of this strange Winter? Giue mee your iudgement I beseeth you, of these Frostes and Snowes; and what (in the schoole of your Experience) you haue read, or can remember, may be the effects, which they may produce, or which of consequence are likely now to follow.

  Nor.

  I shall doe my best to satisfie you. When these great Hilles of Snow, and these great Mountaines of Yee be digged downe, and be made leuell with the Waters; when these hard Rockes shall melt into Riuers, and these white Fethers of Heauen sticke vpon the backes of Floodes; and that sodaine Thawes shall shew, that the Anger of these Winter stormes are mollified: then it is to be feared, that the swift, violent, and vnresistable Land-currents (or rather Torrents) will beare downe Bridges, beate downe Buildings, ouer-flow our Corne-fields, ouer-run the Pastures, drowne our Cattell, and endanger the liues both of Man and Beast, traualing on their way; And, vnlesse Gods hand of Plentie be held open, a Dearth, to strike the Land in the following Sommer.

  Citt.

  You say right. This Prognostication which your Iudgement thus lookes into, did alwayes fall out to be true.

  Nor.

  These extraordinarie Feauers (shaking a whole Kingdome) haue alwayes other mortall Diseases wayting vpon them.

  Cit.

  Wee are best to feare it; and by fearing, prouide against them.

  Nor.

  I pray God (at whose commaund, the Sunne sendes foorth his heate, and the Windes bitter Stormes to deface the fruites of it,) that in this last Affliction sent downe in Flakes from the angry Element, all other Miseries may be hidden, swallowed, and confounded.

  Citt.

  I gladly, and from my heart, play the Clarke, crying, Amen.

  Nor.

  But I pray Sir, now you haue melted a great part of our North-country Snow out of mee, How hath your Cittie heere (with all their Castles, and S. George a horsebacke to helpe it,) borne off the storme?

  Cit.

  Mary, I will tell you how, sir: Iust as our London Fencers often times doe in their Challenges: Shee has taken it full vpon the Head.

  Nor.

  Mee thinkes, and I see it with mine eyes, it cannot hurt you much; for your Strees are fuller of people then euer they were.

  Cit.

  True sir: but full Streetes, make Shoppes emptie: It’s a signe that Tradesmen and Handy-crafts, haue either little to doe, or else can doe little, by reason of the Weather, when they throw by their Tooles, fall & to flinging of Snow-bals. I assure you Father, the tyranny of this Season, killes all trading (vnlesse in villanie, which shrinks for no Weather,) so that all commerce lies dead. Besides, it lessens our Markets for prouision, so that all sort of Food was neuer more deare: It eates vp Firing, and almost starues the Poore, who are not able to buy Coale or Wood, the rates vpon euery Frostie Morning, being lifted vp and raysed at the pleasure of euery paultry Chandler. Men of Occupations, for the most part lie still; as Carpenders, Bricklayers, Playsterers, and such like: not one of these, nor of many other, turnes Alchimist, for (vnlesse they bee Shooe-makers) none can extract or melt a penny of Siluer out of all these heapes of Snow.

  Nor.

  You now haue giuen mee a large satisfaction.

  Cit.

  Nay, if you should walke but alongst one streete onely in London; and that is Thames streete, and to see their Cellers & Ware-houses full of rich Merchandize drownd, and vtterly spoyld, you would both wonder at the losse, which cannot be set downe; and lament it, albeit you know it to be none of your owne.

  Nor.

  I doe already (by your report, to which I giue much credite) lament it in others, as if it were mine one I loue not these Tragicall passions, I suffer for them vpon the reporting. But putting them by, I pray Sir, seeing I haue vnladen my selfe to you here in your shop, send not you mee home like a Colliers Horse, onely with an empty Sacke on my backe: let mee haue some good Newes to carry with mee.

  Cit.

  The best, & most noble, that I haue at this time, to bestow vpon you, is to request you to step into Smithfield, where you shall see by the carefull prouidence, care, and industrie, of our Honorable Senators (the Fathers of our Cittie) much Money buried vnder that durtie Fielde, by the hyring of hundreds of Labourers to reduce it (as it is reported) to the fairest and most famous Market-place, that is in the whole Kingdome.

  Nor.

  A Market-place! now trust mee, it standes fit for so noble a purpose, and will be a memorable Monument to after Ages, of the royaltie, diligence, wisedome, and brauerie, of this. But where shall your Cheapside Market be then kept, this must either hinder that, or that this?

  Citt.

  Cheapside shall by this meanes, haue her Streetes freed from that trouble, by sending it hither, if (as it is reported) it proue a Market place.

  Nor.

  It will adde that beautie to that spacious place, which in former times hath by Horses and Pa••ers, and Butter-wiues, been taken from it: Nay, the very Street it selfe, by this meanes, will shew like a large new Exchange, or Rialta; such a commerce of Gentlemen and Cittizens will be seene there dayly by walking vpon it: I thanke you for this Newes; this goes with mee into the North: And when I heare that the worke is finished, Ile take off one ten yeares of mine, because Ile come vp lustily to London once againe, to see such an honour to your Cittie.

  Cit.

  And when you doe, you shall finde (as Report already giues it out) besides the Market, two goodly Receiptes for Water, fairely vuilt, to adde vnto it the greater glory and beautie.

  Nor.

  Your Cittie is full of honourable deedes; and euer may it be so. I haue troubled you long: your Mony will I bring to you to Morrow morning; in the meane time, because (as durty your Streets are) I must trot vp and downe, to dispatch many businesses. I will for this time, take my leaue of you; and the rather, for that (you see) it hath now left snowing.

  Cit.

  Sir, you are most heartily wel-come.

  FINIS.

  DEKKER HIS DREAME

  In which, beeing rapt with a Poeticall Enthusiasme, the great Volumes of Heauen and Hell to Him were opened, in which he read many Wonderfull Things.

  Est Deus in Nobis, agitante calescimus Illo.

  LONDON, Printed by NICHOLAS OKES.

  1620.

  TO THE TRVELY-ACCOMPLISHED GENTLEMAN, AND WORTHY DESERUER OF ALL MENS LOUES, MASTER ENDYMION PORTER.

  SIR:

  IF you aske why, from the heapes of Men, I picke out you onely to bee that Murus ahaeneus, which must defend mee, let me tell you (what you know already,) that Bookes are like the Hungarians in Paules, who haue a Priuiledge to holde out their Turkish History for any one to reade. They beg nothing, the Texted Past-bord talkes all; and if nothing be giuen, nothing is spoken, but God knowes what they thinke. If you are angry, that I thrust into your hands a Subiect of this Nature; O good Sir, take me thus far into your pardon; that it was impossible for me to beget a Better: For, the Bed on which seuen years I lay Dreaming, was filled with thornes instead of fethers, my pillow a rugged flint, my Chamberfellowes (sorrowes that day and night kept me company) the very, or worse than the very Infernall Furies. Besides, Iherein imitate the most
Courtly Reuellings; for if Lords be in the Grand Masque, in the Antimasque are Players: So in these of mine, though the Diuell bee in the one, God is in the other; nay in Both. What I send you, may perhaps seeme bitter, yet is it wholesome; your best Physicke is not a Iulep; sweete sawces leaue rotten bodies. There is a Hell named in our Creede, and a Heauen, and the Hell comes before: If we looke not into the first, we shall neuer liue in the last. Our tossing vp and downe (here) is the Sea, but the land of Angels is our Shoare. Sayle so long as we can beare vp, through Honors, Riches, Pleasures, and all the sensuall Billowes of the World: yet there is one Harbour to put in at, and safely to arriue (There) is all the Hardnesse, all the Happinesse. Bookes are Pilots in such voyages: would mine were but one point of the Compasse, for any man to steere well by I doe not thinke, but euen those Courtiers, who are most taken with the glittering of Pallaces, doe from those glorious Enter-viewes, masques, tilt-triumphs, & such like, (with which their eyes are so often banqueted) reade sometimes excelle¯t lectures to their soules, by a comparatiue laying those transitory Ones, and those immortall beauties of heauen together. The very Roofes of kings Courts, do almost draw vs vpto such a contemplation: For when the Pauements of such Places are at the best but Marble, yet the vpper seelings are like Firmaments of Starres: There you see the golden Embosments, and curious Enchainings: The true brauery is aboue.

  An excellent Dinner was that in France, when the King and Queen sáte at Table, and with them, Thomas Aquinas and Bonauentura (the two great Schoolemen.) whilst the others were feeding, one of these cast an earnest and fixed eye vpon the beauty of the Queene: at which the King wondring, asked, why hee did so? O (quoth he) if the great Worke-maister, out of a peece of clay, can mould and fashion so admirable a creature as your Queen is; I am rapt into an astonishable amazme¯t, to thinke, how glorious those Bodyes are, who are Courtiers attending vpon his Maiesticall Throne. If I hold the Pen longer in my hand, I shall fall asleepe againe: But howsoeuer I wake, or haue mine eyes closed, — Irest

  Euer ready to do you seruice,

  Tho. Dekker.

  TO THE READER.

  OVT of a long Sleepe, which for almost seuen yeares together, seized al my sences, drowning them in a deep Lethe of forgetfulnesse, and burying mee to the World, in the lowest graue of Obliuion: Meeting in that drowzy voyage with nothing but frightfull Apparitions, by reason (as now I guesse) of the place in which I lay, beeing a Caue strongly shut vp by most Diuellish & dreadfull Enchantments; I did at last fall into a Dreame, which presented to my waking Soule, infinite Pleasures, commix’d with In-vtterable Horrors. More did I behold thus Sleeping, then euer I could before, when my eies were wide open. I climbed to the tops of all the trees in Paradise, and eate sweeter Apples then Adam euer tasted. I went into the Star-Chamber of Heauen, where Kings and Princes were set to the Barre, and vvhen the Court arose, I fed vpon Manna, at a table vvith Angels. Ierusalem vvas the Pallace I liued in, and Mount Sion the hil, from vvhose top, I vvas dazled vvith glories brighter than Sun-beames. This vvas my Banquet: The Course-meate vvas able to kill mee. For I vvas throvvne (after all this Happinesse) into a sea Infernall, and forced to svvim through Torrents of vnquenchable fire. All the Iayles of Hell vvere set open. And albeit the Arraignements vvere horrid, yet the Executions vvere ten-times more terririble. Ioyes tooke me by the hand in the first dance, but feares & sorrovves vvhipt me forward in the second. I must not novv tell, vvhat I savv, neither can I now see so much as I haue told. What Musicke led both these measures, do but open my song-Booke, and the Lessons are there set downe.

  If the Notes please thee, my paines are well bestowed. If to thine care they sound vntuneable, much are they not to be blamed, in regard they are the Aires of a Sleeping Man.

  Farewell.

  DEKKER HIS DREAME.

  WHICH BEEING TRUELY INTERPRETED, IS ABLE TO COMFORT THE GOOD, AND TERRIFIE THE BAD.

  WHEN downe, the Sun his golden Beames had layd;

  And at his westerne Inne his iourney stayd,

  That Sleepe the eyes of man and beast did seize,

  Whilest Hee gaue light to the Antipodes:

  I slep’d with others, but my Sences stream’d

  In frightfull formes, for a Strange Dreame I Dream’d.

  SIGNES BEFORE THE LAST DAY.

  PEACE fled to Heauen (me thought.) And as she went,

  Her Roabe fell from her, which Warre finding Rent

  Into a thousand Ragges, dying them in Gall,

  Mix’d with Mans bloud, and chargd the World to call

  Those spoyles his Ensignes: then (all-Arm’d) bestriding

  A Canon, and with Thundring voyce diuiding

  Nations Colleagu’d, downe fell the Golden Chaine

  Of Sweete Commerce, linck’d both by Loue & Gaine:

  Order ran mad, Disorder fild his Roome,

  When beating at Hell gates the Fatall Dromme,

  Out-yssued Vengeance, Horror, Incest, Rape,

  Famine and Death, in the most vgly shape

  That Hell could send them out in. At these Sights

  Seas threatned Shores, The Earth (in strange affrights)

  Shooke at the Center: then (me thought) one drew

  From his Full Quiuer, poysned shafts, which flew

  With burning feat ••••s of Hot Pestilence,

  Filling the wide-worlds vast Circumference

  With blaines, and blisters, whilest each Kingdome raues,

  To see the whole Earth but one field of Graues.

  Anon (me thought) Treason, and Murther cry’de

  Kill, Kill; wilde Vproares Gates flew open wide:

  The Father stabd the Sonne, the Sonne the Brother,

  Man was not Man, till he destroyd Another;

  Each man was both the Lyon and the Prey,

  And euery Corne-field, an Aceldema:

  A Citty on a Citties ruines stood,

  And Townes (late peopled) now were Lakes of Bloud.

  As boystrous billowes, boystrous waues confound,

  So Nations, are in Nations glories drownd

  The Turkish Halfe Moone on her siluer Hornes,

  Tosses the Christian Diadem, and adornes

  The Sphaere of Ottoman with Starry light,

  Stolne euen from Those, vnder the Crosse who fight:

  The Sacred Empire did it Selfe o’re whelme,

  State, on State trampled, Realm did beat downe Realme:

  Religion (all this while) a Garment wore,

  Stayn’d like a Painters Apron, and turn’d Whore

  To seuerall Countries, till from deepe Abysme

  Vp her Two Bastards came (Error and Schisme),

  She in That motley Cloake, with her Two Twinnes,

  Trauell’d from land to land, sowing Ranck Sinnes,

  Which choak’d the Good Corne, and from them did rise,

  Opinions, Factions, black leau’d Heresies;

  Pride, Superstition, Rancor, Hate, Disdaine,

  So that (me thought) on earth no good did Reigne.

  All this afore named (and more terrible praedictions then the weake Pen of a silly man can set down) are liuely written in Gods Eternall Calendar: where his Prophet Ezechiel thus thundereth forth the Terrors fore-going the later Day.

  The fish of the Seas, Birds of the aire, Beasts of the field, and al that creepeth on the ground, together with all humane generations, which liue vpon the face of the earth, shall be in an vproare. Hils shall bee ouerturned, Hedges broken downe, euery strong wall fall to the ground. I will call against them the sword from the tops of all Mountaines, and euery mans sword shall bee bent against his owne brother; my Iudgement shalbee in pestilence and bloud, &c. And I will raine fire and brimstone.

  Marke, how an Euangelist seconds a Prophet, with this new battry vppon the world. When (saith hee) you shall heare the fame or bruite of warres and vproares, be not afraid, for that these things must bee. And yet presently the end of the world shall not ensue. One Nation shall rise against another, and one Kingdome shall inuade ano
ther; there shall be great earth-quakes, pestilence, and famine, most terrible Signes and tokens from Heauen.

  THE LATTER DAY.

  THESE transitory, poore Terrestriall terrors,

  Seru’d but as Heralds to sound forth the Horrors

  Of woes Eternall: this, was but a Sceane

  To the Great following Tragedy. So that then

  (Me thought) one fitting on a Raine-bow, sounded

  A trumpet, which in earth-quakes Earth confounded.

  And then a voyce, shrill (but Angelicall)

  Full of Command and Dreade, from heauen did call,

  To Summon the whole world to stand toth’ Barre,

  Both All that euer haue beene, and now are,

  To giue a strict account how they had spent

  That Tallent of their life, which was but lent.

  We must All be Summoned before the Tribunall Seate of Christ, and euery man receiue either Good or Euill, according as he hath behaued himselfe whilst he liued vpon earth. Christ taketh Account of all his Tallents, Luke 12. 16. 19. 10. Math. 26.

  TERRORS OF THE LATER DAY.

  THE Leaues of Heauen (me thought) the¯ rent in sunder,

  Out of which, Lightning brake, and Horrid Thunder,

  Which pash’d (in peeces) Kingdomes: whizzing flakes

  Of Brimstone rain’d, that Seas seem’d Burning Lakes:

  Rocks crumbled into powder; Scalded Mountaines

  In their drie Iawes, dranck riuers vp and fountaines:

  Fury, with Snaky locks, and Smeared hands,

  (Tossing about her eares two firy brands)

  Met Wrath, and Indignation, raving-mad,

  Tearing each others flesh, and wildly clad

  In Skins of spotted Tygers: vp and downe

  They ran, and spied (at last) Confusion:

  With whom swearing a League, black stormes they Hurl’d.

  With whirlewind violence to crush the world,