Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 115 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 115: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Analysis: Running Prose from "Albions England" This is a page of running verse text from what appears to be Michael Drayton's *Albions England*, a historical narrative poem in English. The visible text recounts the legend of King Arthur—his delegation of power to his nephew Mordred, their subsequent conflicts, Arthur's death in victory, and the subsequent decline of the British kingdom under Saxon pressure. The passage then traces later British rulers including Cadwallader, who apparently abandons Britain due to plague, bidding farewell to his nation in emotional verse. The text uses early modern spelling and typography typical of seventeenth-century publication.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
wee a BIO} ’ |) NG i ay A. ND. ye Did Prekcée, gi many In ea came to paffe fades a Now Arthur chiefe of Chivalrie,had fet his Crowne at ftay, es And to his Nephew Adordred did commit thereof the fway, When with his Knights ( che wonders of the world for Martiall set) Beyond the feas in forren fights he luckely proceedes: Tillfaithleffe Aordredcal’dhim backe that forward went with fame, | For at his Vncles Diadem he traiteroufly did aime. 4 | Twife Arthar wonne of him the field,and thirdly flewehisFoe, When,deadly wounded, he himfelfe,victorious, died fo. Sa { Nterred then with publique plaints sand iflules .enfewes te A drouping of the Britrifh ftate : the Saxon ftillfubdewes, Howbeit worthy Kings fucceed : but deltiny withftood oa ‘The auncient Scepter toiniure in Brates fucceeding blood, Volou'd Careticws was he that loft the Goale at length : Whenceforth,in vaine, to win their loffe the Brutons vie their feet Yea God,that as it pleafeth him doth placeor difpoflefle, fy When f5es.n0r foiles,nor any force, their courage might fupprefle, A Seem’d partiall in the Saxon Caufe,and with a Plague did crofle © The Brutons,that had els at leaft rebated from their loffe: For Cadwane,and Cadwallyn,and Cawallader, the laft, Butnotthe leaft for valorous of Britti{h Princes patt, Brought out of (Vales fuch Knightly wars as made their foes agaft.D The Plague (worfe fpoyler then the Wars)left Cambre almott walle, | Which to auoid,the remnant Brafes vnto their fhips did hafte. : 3 Cadwallader in \eauing thus his native fhoore,he fixe ( His cies from whence his body fhould, and with his fighes hemixt His royall teares,which giuing place,he fpeaketh thus betwixt. 3 Sweete Brutaine(for I yet mutt vfe that fweet,and ceafing name) Adew,thy King bids thee adew,whofe flight no weaponsframe: But God commands, his wrath commands,all counter-maund is vaine. Els, for tly lone,to die in thee were life to thy Remaine, 4