Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 109 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 109: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running verse poetry from what appears to be an early modern work titled "Albions England" (not a Victorian penny dreadful as suggested). The text, printed in period typeface, discusses Constantine Caesar's marriage to Helen, daughter of a British king, and their son Constantine, who turned the declining Roman Empire toward prosperity. The passage criticizes a prelate (Catholic priest) for overreaching authority, then describes a dream vision where the dreamer passes through classical underworld gates and witnesses infernal figures like Hecate, the Furies, and demons in a satirical religious allegory. The verse employs rhyming couplets in Early Modern English.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
| | | | i} | : | | | a 4 s Pa ° > a 4 ; iP es | ae d Af ‘ y ‘ y Bae ; . , Ae, ae - . | Si trbufineshan ging, Zeseina,here the firft baptiz | Arlength Constantius C afar (tor the Bratons yeelded fo) } ! — And wasa Prince Religious : yeat(with reverence be it aid) —s If leffe religions,then not he the Empire had decaid, not be i By largefle to a pompeous Prieft, Apoftolique ere then, e But now intruding euen on God, infulting over men. a Nor fpareft thou his natiue Realme that feazed thee of Rome: ATraytors Tutor isa K. norforce we fucha. T, Jae be Ee cut stl < : a 7) Bee id “m ’ . oi v ‘> rel. { : ig oH 2 h ‘ YY in * a tH, . bi Ged 18, ae vt ¥ " ; mre! Le ate Aa AOE oY A rt cA, vi) ‘ : — d PIG ‘ . i 2 i ce 7 i , ‘ “s) AF eine! a ay: ate y \ ae es ny ye { A basi : Apes a.) f iy iP: neg oa Sah 3 c ° Fe AG - f a 4)” Sr. 4 o ‘ewe : ‘ ae . 3 aE . Oy . Pa) 7 . 2 . A * ‘ ‘ a ¥, r { FP P f { ./) i = : } : a ” ‘ ¥ - st] Died iffuleffe : and for the Crowne did long contention fpring, Did Helin, Colisdaughter wed, Of her do praifes go For finding of the holy Crofie,and for deuotion rare. From thefe proceeded Constantine,the moft vndoubted heire Bothto the Romane Monarchie and this his Parents Reame. He turn’d the Empires ebbing pompe into her flowing ftreame,, Admit his franknefie were a fault(as is their common doome, That fay he made a Pazle a Saule that made a Prieft a Prince, And in that grace the Empires grace difgraced euer fince) Find thou no faule with fuch a fault whereby he fitted thee: But,ifthou wilt vngrateful prooue,vngracious ceafe tobe, Let fuch a Prelate blefle or banne,with Candle,Booke,and Bell, He cannot raife himfelfe to heauen,nor ridaKnaue fromhell, = Vaine are his Buls eng¢@fdring Calues, fent hither from his Stals,, . / To feed(mad Sots ) the Foule that by his namethe Sendercals, Nor thinke hedreatned thisin vainethat dreamed thus oflate:. One feemed to haue pafled stix,and entring Plutoes gate, P Saw Hecat new canonized the Sourantiffe ofhell,. ea And Pie bad it holliday for all which there did dwell, _ oe Sterne Aémos and grim Radimant, defcend their duskie roomes: Me The Docke was alfo. cleave of Ghofts,adiorn’dto after doomes: The Furies and the deadly Sinnes,with their inuectiue {croles 1 Depart the Barre : the Feends rake vp their ever-burning Coles; > - The Elues,and Fairies,taking fifts,did RerANCR YE Round 29.9 ps | 5 Comicboo! -cOn