Four Birds of Noah's Ark

A Prayer Book from the Time of Shakespeare

A timeless, little-known literary classic. As the Black Death ravaged London in 1608, the theatres closed, many people moved out of town for safety, and playwrights scrambled to find other outlets for their talent. While Shakespeare retreated to his hometown of Stratford, Thomas Dekker wrote Four Birds of Noah's Ark, a book containing fifty-six prayers for the people of London and all of England. Dekker's prayers bear witness to his deep faith and profound understanding of human psychology with a power and poignancy that few written prayers in English literature achieve. Bringing this devotional classic back into print for the first time since 1924, editor Robert Hudson has included a fine introduction, annotated the prayers, and modernised the language without sacrificing any of its beauty and simplicity. This lovely book at once surprises and enchants with its literary voice, devotional heart, and accessible writing.