Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 150 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 150: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running prose poetry from what appears to be Chapter 26 of *Albions England*. The text recounts historical and legendary narratives: it begins with Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, confessing to a hermit about England's decline under poor leaders, then shifts to cataloging various conquests and conflicts—the Spartans' war over a queen, changes in Assyria and Latin kingdoms, Tarquin's lust, the British king Vortigern, and attempts to conquer Ireland by various ancient peoples including those "Greece-bred" from Biscay. The passage employs archaic spelling and verse form typical of early modern English historical narrative.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The wrefted death,thofe fewe that liuelio'd mal-contentedheere, 4 Good Thomas Eatle of Lancafter,onwhom thereftrelye, O- 2 The chiefe and graveft of the Peeres,did,ouer-watred, flye cae Into the woods,whereas himfelfe and ftate he did bewray _ Vato an Hermite,vnto whom he,fighing thus did fay. Happy are you fequeftred thus: for (fo I may deuine) Our common wracke of common weale,for how it doth decline Through wilde and wanton Guydes in part! feele, in part I aime, _ By Prefidents toolike and fire too likely heere to flame, _ Heare (if youhaue not heard) what fire , our leifure fits the fame, ~ a rig. 4) Li CHAP. XXVL het SS ON OS bh SBR OM SV OnOe hen Shere EnearsS we ere He Spartanes war for rapted Queene , to ions| any ouerthrow, i | z The Monarke of Cafpria chang’d , and Latine ee . Kingsalfo iy For Targuins luft, yeahow with vs adouble| _ (‘(s-2,) chaungedid groe, _ a @ When Brittith Yortsger diddoat vponthe Sax- Be oo ons daughter, | | J ‘And Buerne for his forced wife fro Denmarke brought vs flaughter, -Touerpaffe s Who knoweth not Jre/and,our neighbour Ile, _ Where Woe his Neece,ere 2 0¢ his flood inhabited awhile? ‘The firft manured Wefterne lle,by Cham and Japhetsrace, Who ioyntly entring fundry times each other did difplace, j Till Greece-bred Gathelws his brood from Bé/cay did ariue, ] Attempting /relands Conqueft,and a Conqueft did atchiue: - he \ Fie kings at once did tule that Ile,in ciuill ftrife that droopes, When fierce Targe/iws landed with his misbeleeuing Troopes. “ i eg 6b ae : g is 4 .