Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 146 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 146: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Page This is a page of running verse prose from what appears to be an early modern work titled "Albions England" (visible at the top), not a Victorian penny dreadful as specified in the prompt. The text is a dramatic monologue urging a woman against remaining unmarried and childless. The speaker argues that virginity is wasteful, that marriage brings joy and spiritual fulfillment through children and household companionship, and that refusing these roles offends God by hiding one's talents. The passage concludes with a narrative turn describing a woman who accepts marriage despite claiming low birth. The archaic spelling and Early Modern English syntax confirm this predates Victorian penny dreadfuls by centuries.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
What letaiciee none may sia thee more csutleffe perhaps this Cell, » 5 Too firi& a place wherein thy felfe,euen Beauties felfe,(houldft del Let nature hide her barren formes and imperfections thus, A nd in fuch Puritanes as thou commend her skill to vs. Thou wrongeft Nature,molding theeto molde by thee as faer, 4 ‘hou wrogeit men,that would beget the fruit which thou fholdgt baer, Thou wrong’ ft thy Balad of increafe, thouwrone’ft me in like fort, ‘Thou wrong’ft thy Kin of kindred, and thou wrong ‘tt thy felfe of {port. Shoulda thou but dreame what marriage were, thou would’ft netliuea One heart of two two Soules to one by wedlockeiscOuaid: (maid; Au husbands open kiffings;and his fecret coyings,nay, ‘The very Soule of Loue,more fweet then thou or I can fay, Theioy of babes which thou fhould’ft beare,the Service at thy becke, 4 ‘The {weet conforted common-weale of houfholdatthy checke, Would make thee feeme a Goddeffe,who,becaufe thou artnot luch, Offendeft God in hiding of thy Tallent: Too too much Thou doteft on Virginitie,permitted,notimpos'd - 3 Cc nany,faue on fuch as for no fuch thy felfe thouknoeft : Els what fhould meane this penning vp,fuch vowing,and thefe Vailes, a Since Veffels onely are of worth that beare in ftormes their failes. The Seedfters of thine Effence had they beene as thou would’ftbe ‘Thou hadft not beene, Then gratifie the fame, thy felfe and me, 4 And leaue thefe fuper! ttitious walles: Thou profitft not hereby, |} or are we male and female borne that fruitlefle we fhould dy: ‘Then loue me, for,beleeue me, fo will proue a Iubilie. . Her red,difperft in fhadowed white,did adde to either more, © To her of beautie,and to him Loue greater than before. s IShe claimes the places priuiledge,and faintly citesa Tex: ar She pleads her birth too bace,and playes the No-I of her Sex, | And fighteth’as fhe would be foyld : But,prized, Danftone makes reece for towife the Reclufe Edgar takes, are yeeres would he not annoyntor crownae him Kin geansdinigke, . Enioynes. G Boo <s7GOomM