Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 271 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 271: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Page 247 from "Albions England" This is a page of running verse from what appears to be a historical narrative poem titled "Albions England" (not a Victorian penny dreadful, but an early modern work). The text describes Parliament's debate over executing a female prisoner—likely a historical or legendary figure—where mercy and political necessity conflict. The passage details how the Queen, perplexed by the dilemma, ultimately receives Parliament's recommendation that the woman must die for state security, though the Queen reportedly responds with characteristic ambiguity, neither fully deciding to execute nor pardon the prisoner (compared to Alexander cutting the Gordian Knot).
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
" y {4 fi A AS se vy fae ads - ; “ALBIONS ENGLAND. ™ Wherefore han! Either Houfe w were fent the chiefeft men to crane | . Her Highnes that the pafled Doome might Execution haue: ae Whereof She asktto be aduifde,and(earneft her to fane ) a ~ Difmiffed them with loving words,and biddeth them expe& " “a 4 “% ont , < * © ay i . Fier anfwer fhortly,nor did She the fending itnegleGt: of) Though contrarie to it that all did,hopingly affect. oY For fhe,perplexed in that cafe,did laftly them dire a To ftudie meanes bow both might line,the Peril ouer-paft,, | ‘ere Which much amaz’d :yeatfolemnly they handell ic atlatt, a Mercieto hex Malice in her might happily preuent, a Was faid,but not refolu’d, for oft ihe Mercy vnder-went, ae When rofe the Eadessand other times,yeatneuerdidrepent, But of our Queene to be deftroyd had made her Teftament. fi A ftraiter Garde,Bonds, Hoftages, were alfo nam’d in vaine : 2 _ For,fhould the prize our Queene, who then durft her or thé detainee Or what were thefe to recompence the Lofie we fhould fuftaine? For Loyaltie to take her Oth,was thought to purpofe {mall a Such Othes the oft had falfifide,nor thought it finne at all a To breake them to.an Heretike(our Queene fo Papifts call.) eA: To banifh her,were to pofleffe our Foes of their defier, For vsto rid away the {nioake,and runne into the fier, To fet her free to make a Head for them againft our Queene: In few,no fafetie for vs but in her deathrwas feene: _ So wholly by the Parliament concluded was, and fo Reported to her Maieftie,ftill pittying her Foe. ‘ol In more fententious learned sand delibratefort,than I a ~ Can fet it downe, paft all toucht heer : So did her Maieftie a In anfwering carft,and now to them her Aunfwer Aunfwer-lefle a Sweet Adumbrations of her Zeale,Mercie, and Wit exprciic, 9 But with her Oracle thatbod themdo,anddoeitnot, Play’d they as Alexander didwithKing GordiansKnote ' - ry : »t A, TOS AES ye: Sr GOmicoooks.cc