Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 308 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 308: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# This Page Analysis This is a page of running verse prose from Chapter 67 of what appears to be an early modern narrative poem titled "Albions England" (not a Victorian penny dreadful, as the archaic typography and language indicate this is a much older text—likely 16th or 17th century). The visible text discusses a knight's conflicted thoughts regarding his affection for Eleanor versus Helen, meditating on female beauty's transience with age, the troubles of married life, and women's perceived faults and manipulations. The passage references a knight's exploits in Egypt and Persia, apparently by an author named Jenkinson.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
To wit,in forward ‘yt to whom the farthelt ache is) N age eatly haue bin wonne of him,not at an eafie rate, | Ifto his Faith aRecreanthad Mifcrenc bin his ftate. But he,immoueable afwell in Faith,as former Loue, ‘Did there fo well,as he from thence with honor did remoue, | On Elenor he ftilldeuifde : yeat fometimes,to alla | Thofe Moodes,by muftriag in his mind thefe thoughts, did thus affay, - Full foone the faireft Face thought he,wonld ceafe from being fuch, | Tfnot preferued curioufly with tendring more than much: Or age at leaft,and thatnot old,fo aleers it that was, | That Helen may difclaime her felfe for Helen in her Glas. | That great Phifition that had liu’d,in health,an age admirde, ‘Did anfwer,ask’t the caufe,he had not done as Fleth defi rde. | Then A ciakiadl bethinks bitin of the Labyrinth of Cares | pacumbring married Men,and neer thatlife and loue forfwares. | Howtedious werea Shroe,a Sloy,a Wanton,cra Foole, | ¢ All foure a-like threatning Miflike,when time fhould Dotage coole,) low feldome VWomencome vadow’d with one,or fome,or ail, Oranfwerable Faults to thefe(to men not Croffes fmall,) : he Flattries,and the Fooleries whereby are women wonne, | With fithing long to catch,perhaps,a Frog when al is done, And all that Sexs Infirmities his Thoughts did ouer-runne. Butlike as Mothers beate their Babes, and fing them when they crie, ' Loues Incaatations fo did he with Malice fuch deft : The Amorous with the fea-Crabs gaet doe angring Amours flie. This humour,and the honor by this Knightin —#£gypr wonne, ne pepo we,and in Per /a fee what Jeaksnfon hath done, d \ at