Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 378 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 378: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running prose from what appears to be a historical or antiquarian work (not a penny dreadful, despite the prompt's framing). The text discusses Roman military fortifications in Britain, describing defensive walls and structures built by Roman emperors and generals—including those attributed to Agricola, Adrian, and others—to protect against "Picts" and barbarian incursions. The passage details two major walls extending across Britain, garrison fortifications at regular intervals, and an ingenious brass pipe communication system connecting distant towers and castles, allowing whispered messages to travel across miles for military alerts.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
md > . _ 2 _ borneIncolents,became afterwards the moft magnificent of | a a V ye ret a ‘ 1 {es eS — © Ge ge Ys ‘ c = ¥ ‘* r : hy Oe Ds ae, ; 2 ~~ j - \wa ee »£ bed) , 2 HS r * st } i a) : + e 2 y Me - A } Sv ¢ ' ’ ¥ i< eT 4 4 é 7 ‘ % ns - ‘ £ aa the Emperors: yea divers of the powerfulleft Rovsaine Empe- rors,to hold this Iland theirs , were often perfonally forced hither. VWVherefore,cuen now, when their owne civuill watres were roit inteftine, and the Barbarians mott infeftiue to their Empire, Britaine was neuerthelefle by them not neg- lected, WWVitnes ( befides the often tranfmitting , even in thofe then troublefome times of Legions in defence of this Land)their admirable works and prouifions heere againft the © umpacabie Incurfions of thofe barbarous & vndanted Préfes then threatning, in partnot vnacted , the extirpation hence both of the Emperiales and Britezs. Torpafle, by in filence Tulius Agricola, Adrian, LollinsVrbicus, Senerus and others their feuerall workes and walles , ereGted heere in the Nor- thern Regions for the fame purpofe: of which, befides Sesc- rus \vis forced vallie, with other {trong and huge labors and fabrications,were reared at feverall times two walles, the one of Turfle,and the other of Pyles and Tymber ftrongly and. artificially interpofed, extending from Sea to Sea ouer-. thwarts the Countrey,eftimated in length fowerfcore, or, as haue fome aboue fiuefcoore myles, incredible may st feeme that out of autenticke Authors is extant, were it not even vii- tothisdayto bee feene in the Ruines, of the wall yet called the Prées-wall, raifed of firme ftone, containing inlength as | is aforefaid,in bredth throughout eight foote , andinheight twelue. Areuerie myles diftance thereof was a {trong andi} {quaire-built Caftell, well furnifhed with men and munition: | betwixethe Caftels were divers watch- Towers, and through) thewalles of euery Tower and Cattell was fo artificially con- ueied atrunke or pipe of brafie, that from which focuer of f the Caftles or Towers was but wifpered intothe Pype , theif voice diftin@ly and without interruption was {peedely re] ceived from watch to watch, andthereby the whole Garifon, fo many myles{undered, were {uddenly aduertifed of thein} ' } Gomicboo RECHIS x p= ea Kite.