Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 230 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 230: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of This Page This is a page of running verse poetry (not an illustration or title page) from what appears to be a historical or genealogical work titled "Albions England." The text celebrates England's legendary and historical rulers—Constantine, Arthur, Malgo, Alfred, and William the Conqueror among them—tracing their deeds and lineage. The verse emphasizes how these kings conquered territories, subdued enemies, and established England's glory. Notably, the passage concludes by asserting that English blood now combines Saxon, Danish, Norman, Roman, and Pictish ancestry, creating a "tripartite" national identity forged through conquest and mixture.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
4 . ah ee) Ps } ar Wee 2 we: ' x ‘ we a tr a -— too Sy . 4 . @ w 3 7 “> Pa , iz cere o> ’ - ° o * fei \ az Hy k ; ’ 4 | \ fs +yrTLA A oe : i = - 214 3 : 3 ¢ Lad a — “7 . a - ‘ * ‘ . ., - «4 ‘ ’ | He gaue the Liuers dwellings, leffe chan where they finceintru’de, | * Conftantins, wedding Coy/s heyre,was Monarke of the Welt, | Who,with this Hands Scepter,of Romes Empire was poffer, - | * Great Con/antine nat worthely a Worthie might be faid, | The Brirti[h Rowmaime Emperour,throughoutthe worid obayd, | He made his Siege Bizantiwm, that retaines his name ere fince, | And made(but fo vawitting marde)the Prieft of Romea Prince, | AMaximian as Emperiall and as valerous as my, | With Britt: armour did fabduc both Kings and Kingdomes many. | *Whar fpeake we of great 4rthur,ofhis Chivalrie or Court? } Precelling all,fole Prefident of vertue prow’s and port, | AKing of many Kings, his Knights in all Exploits were feene, } Hewasin deedea Worthie,and the Worthieft of the Neene, ee ‘Fiue Crownes King A4a/go prized. And in Battells Sftie fiue | Againftthe 44i/creants valiantly did King Cdlured thriue: ) Rollo(whofe Seede thould conquer vs)he hence did brauely beate : ; _ That,mauger Fraunce,i0 Normandte his Scythian Troopes did feate. | *He that re-monarchiz’d our lleKing srhel/fone did flay | 5 ean Dukes, and countiefle tale of Heathen irrone day + | Theone of Nyne,his Knight Sir Gay,we toucht but by the way, | Omitting other Kings and Knights, too long in fewro fay, | Of Britti{hrace andinany,and of Saxon Princes fome, | “Whofe blood by Norimame Mixture now is tripartite become. | Or(For,perhaps,froim fuch Confort the Brates feruice will be) Me | ‘Three blended blouds ot Nations three hath giuen vs Natures three, ~ The SAXON prowefli © ,Danifh pompe aud Normaine Pollicee: s | Andofthe Romanes and the Picts we are no portion {mall: _ Foure of which Nations Seythza bred,we thriuing in them all. Ae iy K Ing William, Englands Conquerour, from Rolla fixt, with pray BN Oftwice flue hundred Townes in Fraance vn-fo-met fayld away. _ * Henry the fecond,vpon whom the Seorch-Kingtendantwas, (Which Scots theic often ouerthrowes we henceforth seam ims ‘gis | Vho a al cboo "> EO