Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 118 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 118: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Page This is a page of running verse narrative poetry from what appears to be "Albions England" (Chapter 20, Book 4), not a Victorian penny dreadful as stated in the prompt. The text recounts a romantic tale: a Danish prince named Curan falls in love with a maid guarded by the king. Unable to access her through noble means, Curan is reduced by "Controller Love" to a kitchen drudge, which paradoxically grants him access to speak with her. The king, unaware of Curan's identity, eventually supports the match to a peasant. The maid flees to poverty rather than accept this fate, and Curan abandons everything to follow her, consumed by love.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
DE ae eee a) Se a He Pee Re ee Amany Princes feeke her loue,but none mighther obtaine: For grippell Ede/ to himfelfe her Kingdome foughtto gaine, ¢ And for that caufe from fight offuch he did his Ward reftraine, __ Bychance one Caran,Sonne vnto aPrince in Danske,didfee. _ The Maid,with whom he fell i oue asmuchas man might bee, _ Vohappic youth,whatfhould he doe? his Saint was keptin Mewe, ~ Norhe,nor any Noble-man admitted to her vewe, ~ One while in melancholy fits he pines himfelfe away, ~ Anon he thought byforce of Armes to win her, ifhe may, _ And ftill againft the Kings reftraint did fecretly inuay : ~ Atlength the high Controller Loue,whom none may difobay, _ Imbafed him from Lordlines,into a Kitchin Drudge : _ That fo atleaft of life or death fhe mightbecome his Iudge. _ Acceffe fo had to fee,and {peake,he did his louebewray, And tels his bearth : her anfwer was fhe husbandles would flay. _ Meane while the King did beat his braines his booty to atchieue, ~ Norcaring what became ofher,fo he by her might thrive: — Aclaft his refolution was fome Peffant fhould her wiue : _ And (which was working to his with)he did obferue with ioye, _ How Caran,whom he thought a drudge,fcapt many an amorous toy. _ TheKing,perceiuing fuch his vaine promotes his Vaffall till, ~ Leaft thatthe bafenefle of the man fhould|et,perhaps, his will : _ Affured therefore of his loue,but notfufpeaing who - _ The Louer was,the King himfelfe in his behalfe did wowe. _ The Lady,refolute from ae takes that he _ Should barre the Noble,and vnto fo bafe. a Match agree: _ And therefore thifting out of doores,departed thence by ftealth, _ Preferring pouertie before'a dangerous life in wealth. | When Caraz hard of her efcape,the anguith in his hart vey Bh Was more then much,and after her from Courthediddepare: F orgetfull of hinifelfe his bearth,his Country,friends,and all,» 9.. _ Andonely minding (whom he mift)the Foundrefle ofhisthrall. o © ee Comicbooks.cc