Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 207 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 207: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Description This is a page of running prose poetry from what appears to be *Albion's England*, a historical poem. The text is printed in early modern English verse and presents a narrative dialogue between bird and animal characters—an Owl, a Bat, a Swallow, and a Cuckoo—discussing matters of service, pride, and courtship. The visible lines tell of the Bat's flight to holes, his subsequent service to Dame Owl, and the Swallow's account of how the Bat was prevented from delivering the Owl's amorous message. The archaic spelling and elaborate metaphorical language are typical of the period's allegorical poetry rather than Victorian penny dreadful sensationalism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ldeceulasanstl “ALBIONS: ENGLAND. : No daunger but in high eftate,none enuy meane degree. ~ The Crckooe telleth what the Owle vnto the Bat did doe, ’ C eas ‘ets a8" Then fled I tomy wonted Holes,ofhoorded food to get, Too narrow by mine added wings that did mine entry let. A Now Mife fled me,not to the Moolel would returneforfhame, > To Dé durft not,mong’ft the Birds was alaughing game: a Then curft I mine afpiring minde,then knewl Désa Diuell - The Diuell the Prince of Pride,and Pride the roote of ever Yi i Hell Earth, Aire, Heauen,and what not ? then confpiring mine vorelt, What might remaine but death for me that lined fo vnbleft ? a Butas I,fainting;flew that night your Ladifhip, DameOwle, Did call me to your Todd jand glad tofecanewnight-fowle, = Did take meto your feruice,thence your Chamberlaine robe: i‘ Ha Jupiter reward tt youthat fo relecued mee. e It is a fweete continuall featt to live content I fee: a Then all this proceffe (quoth the Owle) doth tend,belike,to this, That I fhould eate no Moufe-flefh : Nay ,Sir Bat,fo (weete itis That thou,fo neere of Kinneto them,fhaltalfoferuemy]uft: And therewithall in rutheles clawes the haplefle Batfhetruft. : it i. H Ere meant the Courtiortohaueleft,whom Perkens Lady prayes es To tell what end fuch wowing had,And thus hereof he fayes: The Swallow faw that cruell pranke, and Ayes aloofe and payee, Vogratefull Glutton what offence hath that thy Seruant made ? Choke mayft thou with the murther : So he left her,and vnto fi By in Ki ne v ’ ee Varlet (he waxed cholericke)and what of that,quoth he Was not the Bat her bond-Slaue,fuch as thou art now to me ? What tel’{t me then of other newes then what her an{were is Vnto mine amourous Meflage,fayes my Lady nay or yis? The Swallow told him that through fuch occurrant of the Bar, ° He, interrupted,came away vnan{wered in that. a mifchiefe,quoth pisses on that and thee ill-fauoured Elfe: hal boo