Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 340 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 340: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running prose poetry from what appears to be a religious polemic text titled "Albions England" (visible in the header). The visible text is a lengthy passage condemning pagan idolatry, arguing that ancient peoples—Egyptians and others—worshipped false gods that were actually invented by men, citing examples like Jupiter, Neptune, and Mars. The author contends that these deities were merely mortal men later deified for political or martial prowess, and suggests Satan exploited such superstitions. The passage draws parallels between pagan practices and contemporary Catholic veneration of saints. The language and typography suggest early modern rather than Victorian production, though the OCR source indicates Victorian publication.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
a ae ar y a fey (e ‘Th’ AEgyptians cowes, calues, cats,dogs,divels,trees,herbs, Slike let With other Ethnicks mé-a1ade Gods,whéce man corrupted was,(pas, (For as now-Romifts haue their Saints for euery Turne,{o thay Had houthold and peculiar Gods fans count for ech affay) And let our Turie fill of twelue thofe He-Gods,and thofe Shees, Hild of the greater Nations for their Arch-Gods ; which are thees. /Firft Zaprrer,that did vfurpe his father Saturns Throne, -Ofwhom euen his Adorers write euill Taches many an one. | Thelike ofall thefe other Gods and Goddefles they do: Ot Neptune, Mars,of Mersurie,V ulcan, Apolloto, Of Pe fta,Ceres,Dian,Ops,of Venus,and Alinerue: -Howalil thefe Deities than Men more bratithly did fwerue. So that an heathen Poet faid that,had thofe Gods their righte, From heauen & Temples for their faults they fhould be banith’t quite. ‘Sybil,afloiling Oracles in Caue where the did dwell, hell. Their beft Reporters fay ,thefe Gods were made by men,to make ‘Pofterities,for honors like, like ats to vndertake. For, whofoever profetted by Prowes or Policie, ‘The old Idolaters were wont the fame to deifie. How many Pennes Gencalogize their Godheads from their bearthes? All which implie them mearly Men,both by their lines and deathes, Which knowledge of the Pettigrees of Gods,fo eafely made, What moe did Alexander to be deified perfwade. | ~ To worfhip meare Inuentions, yea inferior Things of nought. Wherin permitted Sathan plaid,& plates his kindly parte, And fewels Superftitions fier with hels rnalitious Arte. How Wembroth,Belus,X snus by the names of Satwrne then, Of Jupiter,and Hercules(for fo were cald of men sesnae late The Father,Sonne,and grand-Childe of ech Nation-founder)were Eiiceimedin their Images,to Sathan did appeare : is Obferuing Did terme their Shrines but Graues of men,them Ghofts & Feendsof — Thus blinded men,that would be Gods, by verie God were brought . > » ‘ ay , ae hd Po, n {sAhpse ‘i Sifi,ei “ s te conmichooks.co