Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 326 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 326: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# This Page This is a page of running verse poetry from *Albion's England*, a historical poem (not a Victorian penny dreadful, but an Elizabethan or early Jacobean work). The text presents a polemical critique of Rome and the Pope, arguing that papal influence corrupted European power from France through Italy and Germany. It then catalogues Italian cities—Venice, Genoa, Florence, Ferrara, Urbino, Mantua, Placentia, and Parma—praising their wealth, fertility, and magnificence while noting Italy's abundance of resources. The verse is densely packed with geographical and political references presented in a tone of Protestant anti-Catholic polemic mixed with admiration for Italian civic splendor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ose ella Tia ae ; 7 64. MaeTere ls la e oo ae B —— ALBIONS ENGLAND, — A Bootie to each barbarous Force that would the fame inuade. | Sn vaine the Romaine Emperors their ancient Right defend, | For through feditious P8pesthe French begun where Thofe did end From Pharamonds to Pc pins Houle they foytt the Crowne of Frazee, . And to the Wefterne Empier then did Charles-le-maine aduance, | From Fraace to Italy againe,to Germanie from thence, | Whereas the naked Title hath inured euer fence. ___Thuserring Rome hath,doth,& will our chriftian World vnqueate : | May therefore Princes ioyne to race that Montter from his Scate. | What,willye fee a glorious God of earth ? goe fee the Pope: | Afpiring Lucifer ? whoels? Truth fals’t 2 reuerfethe Cope: (Sort, | Queanes like to Queenes ? There halfe-mile Streets attoord no other | And skarlet Hats ,Scoles,and Coules too much ingrofte the fport, . | Fall fortie Thoufand Curtizans there,Ladies-like,doe line, | That to the Pope for wantoning no {mall Reuenew giue. — Whilft were thofe Broyles in /taée,did many there reiect Obedience to the Emperors,who could not them prorea. ‘So diuers Citiesdid themfelues infranchize, growing States: » Andeach ofthem Dominion to her Common-wealth delates.: - | Veare ouerlong,although we fhould but briefely ouer-ronne | The free-Ztalian States ,of which the Spanyards part haue wonne, As Naples, Atpllainexovall That,and Duchie This,both twaine. | So peop!d, fertile pleafant,rich,as neither {hew their waine, But fhould we {peake of Vemc’s Pompe,the Citte,and the Scite, Too little fhould we {peake, although too much we here fhould write. But,Gallants,will you view the Courte of Venzws,andnotfo, 7 But Myrrorstoo of Courtefie ? to rich-built Genoa goe:' But farrefrom drifting Florence keepe,lealt ALachinels ye groew Ferrara v rbine, Mantua,Placence,and Parmaare i ts Braue,Cities,ereat for State,and pleafe thofe which to them repare, [ wot not whiat this fpatious Land doth lacke that Man can with Ayretéprate, fertile Grounds, vamatch’t for Sala HOO KS €O