Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 318 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 318: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of This Page This is a page of running prose poetry from Chapter 71 of *Albions England*, printed as the 12th book. The text is a lengthy verse monologue on marriage, virtue, and female comportment. The speaker (appears to be female, addressing concerns about virginity and chastity) argues that marriage is no sin if conducted chastely, that men and women are naturally formed for each other, and warns against both excessive prudishness and loose behavior in women seeking husbands. The passage references "Dorcas" and "Stafford" (likely a particular man), discusses fortune and virtue, and concludes with advice about matching virtue and love in marriage as the path to contentment. The language and style are early modern English, not Victorian penny dreadful.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
"<4 » % ‘ : ‘ . ‘ % ’ ‘ ; 7 : . a: eae? & of mi: ? 4 +s be “ei - a ae Wet, PARR Baht Peon. y $i ; > i UG ‘ \ & ;' en eo Jae ay ae Vevlr® Ne . is . > & r ‘. * 4 , ; bd . » - é 7 . a a aa ; ‘ oy a eine: though praifed,ts alike perform’d,for why ? — Whar,was it fayd to all but vs Increafe and Multiply ¢ _ For either Fortune worke we that we newer fhall repent. ri - For truc it is,as Veffels of Girft Liquors euer tafte, Tn Patience,tem porizing well informe,and erring, ftay, ws . ‘TS _ GO ~ As much the Fleth is fraile therein,as in the Sie to oe ~ Wecoyly may confume our Youth,till times may alter fo Or fore, friends, wealth,or fame that we out of Requeft may egroe, ~ Butlofe that lift cheir Pile finde now I have that may delight, He thall participate my bett that muft my badder Plighe, ey brad ailotl Dareds iat more nice abi i or none, I troe, That labour not of our difeafe :and why I pray yousnoe ? To be with God, what good more good ? For it weall fhouldaske, But for by death it muft be done sbut few affeé the Taske. - Lone, feafned fo with Sweets of Youth,the fame doth euer laft. * Nay (hould iny Stafford ( God forbid) leffekinde than think I proue, ~ Ineretheles would {till be his,in chafte and cheereful] Loue. No men,troe I ( the rafcall Sort except ) bnt women may, And reafon ( were there Scripture none fo baddiang ) we forbare (C iin ~ \ ~ No Clarke willfo expound that Text, God thield they fhould fyl I. 4 me yeeld that Marrage is no finne, if chaftly then we live, 4 _ And Man and wife theit Bodies each to other wholly giue, : if fo,as fo 1s granted what needs curious ftrugling then ; _ Since God and Nature formed Men for vs,and vs for Men,» - Tl match thofe dallying Girles,pray I that intertaine by Arte All Louers,giuing Hopes to all,ofall to make their Marte, ~ And,hauing blaunched a: any fo,in fingle Life take pride: When nota Strumpet Men fo much abhorre,and more deride. _ Afiwellas too remifle in choyce,we may be too precife, And lofejas 4E/ops {wimming Dogge,a Subftance for Surmife. But if we marke, in matching, this ( which perfeéteth Content) Thatinthe Man of Vertues pe and Lone a Complement, In (© OVO) <