<WBAB The Whore of Babylon, by Thomas Dekker, 1605-07. from Reily, Marianne Gateson, Ed. New York: Garland, 1980. Scanned, proofed, edited by EE 8/93.> <PROLOGUE> The charms of silence through this square be thrown, That an unused attention, like a jewel, May hang at every ear, for we present Matter above the vulgar argument; Yet drawn so lively, that the weakest eye, Through those thin veils we hang between your sight And this our piece, may reach the mystery. What in it is most grave will most delight. But as in landscape, towns and woods appear Small afar off, yet to the optic sense The mind shows them as great as those more near; So, winged Time that long ago flew hence You must fetch back, with all those golden years He stole, and here imagine till he stands, Thrusting his silver lock into your hands. There hold it but two hours: it shall from graves Raise up the dead; upon this narrow floor Swell up an ocean, with an armed fleet; And lay the Dragon at a Dove's soft feet. The . . .