Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 198 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 198: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Page This is a page of running poetry text from *Albions England*, a historical narrative poem (not a Victorian penny dreadful as initially suggested—the archaic typography and language indicate this is an early modern work, likely 16th or 17th century). The visible text presents a dramatic love story in verse: a man and woman exchange passionate declarations and kisses, but the woman (Gynetta) deceives him through outward sweetness while harboring inner treachery. The passage culminates in the betrayed lover's bitter curse against women's faithlessness, declaring their love merely superficial ("a Mummerie, or as an Aprils dew"). The speaker rails against feminine deception and vows women cannot be trusted, despite appearing fair and loving.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
~-ALBIONS” ENG LAND: Atlength he flatly fayes he loues : when(words to fweet fort ttew) ter an{were was the liked him,and fo attonement grew, Then vacontroulled kiffes and imbracings(often mixt Freie With leffe then loue too erofle, though morethan fhouldbe fuch be- |. Were currant: And ifeuer man did fith before the net, | Ifeuer man mightcredit herdid by her credit fer, ~-Tfeuer man for heartie loue deferued honeft meede, | Ervickwion might beleeue himfelfe to be belou'd indeede. | More arguments of earneft loue gaue neuer Mayde than fhe, | Leffecaufe to falfifie that loue gaue neuer Man than he. Howbeit,on aduantage play'd Gynettaall thiswhile, | #Andby external fmoothnes did ob{eure internall guile. b Thus whilft he hopt he hild her leatt,fo altereth te cace | With fuchas fhe, Ah fuch it is to build on fuch a face, } This fayd he,and for this hefayd,] for the ruth of this E ‘Did vowe that who fo once were mine I would be onely his. } 4 Whyethis concern’d not him,nor fhewd ainda diftranght,(quothhee | Nay heare the reft of his vnreft,itfolloweth thus(quotht thee.) va, y Then(fheading teares he to the Tree fo fpoken to would fay, | | Was not Gynetta falle that did Erickmon fo betray 2 — Bathath my Miftreffe caufe to change? what caufe,thinke you, fhould | Ifram’d me hers,fhe fayn’d her inine,my loue iseuerloue. . (moue May # faire face proue one foule botch,thofe fhining eies prouebleard That fweete breath ftench,like proofe to all that faire or fweete appeard Inher that wrongs her true-loue: ler her loathed euer lutt, —L Begge may fhe,and,vnpittied ,pine,tot,perifh on the duft, And,dead,be damned,that vnto her true-loue is vniufk, ; ‘ec men fay all Amen,or if aniend your felues ye mutt, Curfe not(this Mad-man fayd)but fweare that women be viatrew, Their! joue is buta Mummerie,oras an Aprils dew, 30t with a toy,gon with a toy, gifts, flattrie,cawdes,or wine 7 ill make her checke & fliero game lefle faire, perhaps,than thine, A ore amorous than men,and men meal their love Icfle fines... a eS a, comiebooks=ct eg 2 RT TO TREE TT ee see 7