Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 247 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 247: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Analysis: Running Prose from "Albions England" This is a page of running verse from what appears to be Michael Drayton's *Albion's England*, a historical narrative poem. The text discusses Spanish political schemes and threats to England, specifically referencing plots against Queen Elizabeth and English Catholics. The passage describes Spanish ambitions to conquer England for profit rather than religious conversion, and warns of Spanish treachery and cruelty. The verse form uses rhyming couplets typical of early modern English narrative poetry, presenting this as serious historical-political commentary rather than the sensational fiction suggested by the query's framing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ig 7’. eee suntan BIONS: MENELAND. - an Might haue nshniaics thefe and more had helpt Avtonios cafe. But brybed Traytors,fraude,and forcehaue made the Spanyard int a q That Castile,from a Cronet leapt, thinks many Crownes not much, The great Nasarroi,Saropfon,ftauld the firlt Castilian King: © Butbadly Cafisle quits his loue whence did that honor {pring, And froin his Line by trecheriethe Diademe doth wring. 30, by what right or wrong fo- Care, Spayne clouteth Crownes togethe Ci a ue -Andaimeth cuen from Portugale,as is fuppofed, hether, ie Not wanting Exgé{h.willing to be holped in that Teither. a But Traytors,Fooles, & Fugitities, Whom prouendor doth pricke,> ae Enfew your proper forow,leane vpon that rotten fticke, ie Your kindnes fhall not mis,at leaft,thiskindly Spanifh Tricke. SY oui Spantards & their Partizens eare- while fhould vs innaideled In plotting of that Stratagemme in Councell much wasfaid: Some of our Queene to be deftroyde,of murthring vsfomefpake, Some this,fome that, bur all ofall an altred W orld to make: be Leatt Englif Papilts then {hut vp in Ee and elf-wheare, . ug Meane time by vs might lofe theirliues,fome One,by chace did feare. | Which fcruple was remoued foone by one,thatwelldidknow, Not for religion,buta Realme,did Spayne that coft beftow, “4 Our drift(quoth he)a Conquett: is,the Profit meant to Spaine, Not that the Ezeli{h Papitts fhould be Sharers of the gaine. So hope they,bur(fo helpe me. God)our pollicie wear {mall " That they fhould fourifh,nay,{bould line,could we procure their fall. 2 "Theare be they great alreadie,wheare we only great muft be, _ Whom, thoald they equall,woe to vs when wethall difagree: Now that therefore which we cannot with honeftie contrive, Our Foes (hall finifh,if of them they leane not onealiue. — Thus faid he,nor gaine- faide, for hang who fhall, fo they may thriue,d — This Aixime hath bildjand good,w heare they haue overthron€é _ Bytrecherous Agents,of the fame they haue not trufted one: | “ ‘ a Adde,than the Spantar d,prouder and more crucll People none,