Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 240 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 240: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Description This is a page of running verse poetry from what appears to be an early modern (not Victorian) allegorical work titled "Albions England." The text describes mythological and infernal figures—including Minos, Radamant, the Furies Tisiphone and Alecto, Echo, and Narcissus—being commissioned to travel Earth and corrupt human society. The verse catalogues various forms of corruption: how authority becomes tyrannical, how lawyers prioritize rhetoric over justice, how religious prelates are misled, and how Mars and Venus influence human behavior toward disorder. The language and typography suggest this is from the 16th or 17th century, not the Victorian penny dreadful era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“ If) tant . - oS " - ' x ‘ ORME MNES ie UN ORR lia a p. Luto; M1n0s,Radamant,and all th’infernall States, ‘i Did pytcha Seffion,to corre& Remifnes in debates, | Deuiftng Orders that on Earth mi ght more Diforders be. Tifphone, Aleécto,and Mezera,thelefamethree Fb all Weare threwdly checkt, becaufe it was obie&ted,though vntruely, _ That they weare ydle, Helllackt Guefts, and men on Earth waxt ruly. | Theheilith Porentates therefore a new Commiffion framed, | k DNarei/ms gholtand Ecchos voice therein of Qusramnamed. | Thefe twayne and thofe three Faries thus,Copattentees,leaue Hell, And diuerfly throughout the Earth to Soule-in fecting feil. - Leaue we thofe others labouring their Mifchiefes farre and neere, Wahilit Eecho and Narcifws are more badly bufie heere. apes ~Crab’d Saturne & too-boyttrous Mars direct thofe Formers matter, | Soft Venus and fincoth Azercurie,gine Method to thefe latter: _ Thofe Furies roughly doe effect their tragicke Taskes,thefe Twoe | So flyely worke,that fweetely men their proper forrowes wowe. | Heer-hence our gold-imbafed World in view and valew fayld, | Bor Eecha and Navey/s much inmany things prevayld. : Hence is itfome of high eftate themfelues doe over-like, ({trike, | Whilftdeadlier wound then ecchoing toongsthen fhoulda foe them - Hence(whence dithonorde)fome of them beleeue of men belyed | Their glazing Groomes,as Tyrants fo by them they wrong enuied. | Hence oftentitnes Authoritielookes biglierthanaBull, With Suters poore too fternely quicke,in helping them too dull. - Hence both in preaching, harboring,and humilitie,it is | Some Prelates footh,be foothed,leade,and they be lead amis. Hence Lawe,fometimes, as formde of waxe, through new refined wit | OfTudge or Pleador,altereth fans certaintie in it. Hence Martialifts in Difcipline and ordering their war, _ Lefle happely the auncient vfe,conceitedly,doe bar. Hence is it thatthe Lawyers more affect their duent Tayle, 4 ‘hen what is right,or whom they wrong,or how they {peed, or fayle: ‘That Lawyer though who more by Are than rightdoth ouerthroe, Ee | ML aE pe ne ="... Contents: 4 “om in ?- "| ry varewY * 4 ' gfe o 4 Mf . Sea . ‘ ’ , Conmnichooks cd