Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 202 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 202: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page from "Albions England" This is a page of running prose poetry, presented in dense black-letter typeface on aged paper. The text is a narrative verse tale featuring anthropomorphic animals—an Owl, Swallow, Bat, and Mouse—engaged in dialogue and action. The Owl recounts her family history, describing how her ancestors were preyed upon by Kestrels, Kites, Cats, Weasels, and other predators, and how her grandfather, despite his scientific knowledge, misapplied it. The passage discusses princes' favor toward animals and concludes with references to her father's position at court. The language is Early Modern English with archaic spelling and syntax.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
; ~ ae ed. Bodh pong ae | S.) 558 ‘ f KT es & h ‘ AT, Ne. 4 > hie) P as a > » ~t 7) ‘ [rt ae My vow ss n OP ad ‘ a a OC . > G) L iL ; is ow. cee, a4 r 2 d 5 d ‘ @ rivers ia : The Pinko cabot the an iit the Swallow was his Page) “ib L id fend the Owle a fucking Moufe,a tydie for the age: ea ‘The Bat(the Bat then feru’d the Owle)preferd the Bringer and _ , The Prefentto her Miftres fight,that inher Todddidftand. = hs maifterto your Owle(hip,quoth the fwallow,fends by me _ This Modicum,defiring you to take the fame in gree, - The Owle,that never till chat day had tafted fleth of Moufe, Had quickly lopte a Limbe or two,and feafteth in her houfe | The Swallow with a curfee of her then difgorged wheat: When, talking of the daintie fleth,and elfwhat,as they eate, _ The Bat(then waiting at the boorde)fetcht figes a two.or three: : 2 - The Owle did aske the caufe, And dec youaske the caufe, quoth he, Why thus I figh when thas in fight my kindred murthred be? S : My feife was fometimes fuch, and fuch am till faue now fly : : oY ith that fhe frefhly wept: and thus proceeded by andby. . Aftefh quoth the now comesto minde mine Aunceftors il hap, Who pride made praies to Keftrels,Kites,Cats, Weafels,Baé,& trap: My Grandfier ( for wheare Nature failes: in ftrength theaddsin wit) ~— Was full of Science : But,infooth,he mifapplied ir. ~The Weafell Prince of Vermen(though befides a vertuious Beaft) 4 By fhrewdnes of my Grandfters wit his Holes with hoords increafte, _ ‘And feem’d to conn him thankes,who none befides had caufeto thank 4 TFot Princes Fauours ofren inake the fauoredtoocranke. | ON ot only Mice,but Lobfters,Cats,and noble Vermen paide In comming Coram Nobis for fome crime againft them aide, Bar, God, it is a world to fee,when purpofes be {ped, _ How Princes, hauing fatted Such, are with their fatnes fed + “The Wealel f erurd m y Grandfter nde euery Vermen laughe. To fee himfelfe in Snare that had in Snares{o niany caught. -Nowalfoliuefome wylic Beafts,and fatly do they feede “Monet Beafts of chace & birds of game,with lefie then needful] heed. iMy Graundfier dead,my Father was in favour nerthelefle, s Nor did his Father more than he for high Promotion prefie : PY 1 SS US ie nv a . € Le Med 'a . ; ye ra. A '