Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 38 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 38: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Page from *Albions England* This is a page of running verse poetry, not a title page or illustration. The text recounts a mythological narrative in which Hercules accepts a king's challenge to combat a monstrous sea-creature (described as a "fiend-like fifth") to rescue a lady. After defeating the beast through prolonged combat, Hercules is celebrated in Troy—but the jealous king, fearing his subjects' affection for the hero, treacherously excludes him from the city and withholds the promised reward (two white horses). The passage ends with mention of Alemena's distress at this ungrateful treatment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
, « 8. J : 5 ae . te : , : . am PebieNe . | ALBIONS. TENGLA: D. w is Daughter and his kingdome of that bloody monthly fee. s The kine(whomn now a doubted hope of profered helpe made glad) ade promife of two milk-white Steedes as chiefeft gemmes he had. 2 Braue Hercules, whofe ventrous heart did onely huntfor fame, Ee Accepts th’ aflumpiit, and prepares the fiend-like fifth to tame. Anone the dreadfull Diuell driues the Sea before his breft, 4 D And {pitting mightie waues Abroad, difgorgde from monftrous cheft, : Lifts vp his vgly head aboue the troubled watles to catch _ Thetrembling Lady, for which pray his yawning iawes did watch, ; But he,whofe ftrength exceeded fenfe with yron Club ia filt, _Didbootrleffe long with brufing waighrthe boiftrous W hale refitt, _ The greater ftrokes,the fiercer wasthe monfters awlefle fight: — Sothatthe Greekes and Troyans all mif{doubt their dreadlefle knight, | Still Hercules didlay on load,and held the fight folong, | some Ob _ [hatin the end the Sea retird,and left the fith among _ The bared fands : and fo for want of water,not offtrength, - Good fortune honours Herew/es withviGtorie atlength. § Now whenthe King, his Froyans and the Grecians had behild __ The fubftance of the vgly thape, euen dreddfull being kild, * : They bring the Champion to the towne with trium gifts, & praifes j) _ Andwho but be belou’d in Troy,whiles that in Troy he ftaye $20 a _ Alonethe King(aman no doubt predeftinatetoill) oe || _ Obferuing how his Subiedts bore to Hercules good will, 7 _ And fearing leaft their loue to him might turne himfelfe to hate, 3 And {eeing now himfelfe and land in profperous eftate, j _ Vnftiendly did exclude his friend from out his City (trong, : ] — Whileft with his Greekes he hunts abroad, miftruftleffe of fuch wrong _ Andwhen the Champion and his men did from their f portreturne, — | Ht _ Notonely did gain-fay in Troy that longer they foiourne, a ~ But alfo(impudent in guiles ) withheld the Corfers twaine, a ‘Which Hercules {o dearly wonne,inhazatdtobeflayne, = ss pe — Alemenas soatie abafhed then to finde fo lewda meede, roe sa) ‘ Eomicibooks:com — ’ > _ ‘ iA! 2 eo ee eee? ees. er + eee See, Pewee ere ee TT ee sa