Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 248 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 248: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running prose poetry from what appears to be an early modern text (likely 16th or 17th century, not Victorian as stated in the prompt). The page, numbered 224 and marked "Chap. 48" and "10. Booke," contains verse in English discussing the rise and fall of various empires—Cortes and Spain, the Medes, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, and others—warning that Spain's power will not last perpetually. The text moves toward criticism of Spanish and papal authority in Christendom, suggesting God has protected England ("our Ile"). The material is historical-political commentary in verse form rather than penny dreadful fiction.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
| Euen Cortes that,with coft and payne,tich India did fubdew, And gaue to Spayne his Conquedt, found falfe Meede for Seruice trew, - Sothey that wonnethem Portagale and Naples {pead,in few: 7 | Andtoo imperioully doe they ,opprefle their Conquefts new :¢ ? Pe | , . ’ oO oy ac - : ‘ e — \ | y » | Yeat boaft not perpetuitie,but(spayne this Patterne vew. 7) | Caldeapriz’d Afiria, and W4eria priz’d the fame, 2 ¢ Medes and Perfians both,and them the Adacedons orecame, . |) The Romaines chen,that Empier next had France,the Germaines now, | Which onely Title hardly doe the Spamparas them alowe, i > iat hath Wawarre, that once had Spayne, wheare once crown’d wee | Andonce did Spani{h-Irifh-Scots vsto {ubieCtion bring, (their King, | We Scots, French, Irifh: too and fro thus often Sceptets flye, | Yea to Pofteries old names of Lands and Peoples dye: : | Sicambries,Gawles,Pidts, V andels,Gorhes,and A ftrogothes,known late | In Europ by thofe names, haue chang’d thofe names and Europs Sate, | And with the Spanyards,partofthofe,mayalterinlikerate, = | Each Birde fhal then remaunde her Plumes,and naked Jeaue your Iaye, | Atleaft when Phillip thall deceafe: and why not eare thatdaye? j* | | For power and prowfe lackt Turvws Peere, yeat when his Fates with- | Jaturnano not Junos-{elfe,could doe him any good. — (ftoode; | — But Godhoode none in Jadian Golde, & pope-buld hopes fhall mis, 7 ~ Nor Macedonian Phillips Sonne Castilian Phillip is, } | But one who, whil'ft he warres for ours, hath loft euen part of his. _ Notonely Spayne thinke deftinate in Pompe not to impaier, - Orliuedlong, that breathes,enuied,not els but odious Ayer: _ And(which is monftroufly too trew) Religion is pretext, (vext: ~ Where through the Spanyard and the Pope all Chriftendome haue _ ~ Witnes their Powers,by Landand Seas,thatthreatned vs er’ while: ~ Ofita word,and note how God did patronize our Ile, CHAP.