Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 44 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 44: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running prose poetry from "Albions England," Chapter 6, page 20. The text narrates the classical myth of Orpheus and Eurydice: King Pluto abducts the fair maiden Proserpine; Orpheus takes his harp to Hell's gate, where his music so moves Cerberus (graphically described as hideously ugly) that the demon escorts him to meet Pluto. Orpheus's heavenly harping makes Eurydice laugh, and Pluto grants her release on condition that Orpheus not look back at her until they leave Hell. The passage ends as they begin their passage through the underworld, with Orpheus fearing she might lag behind.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
fe '" we mé KLBIONS ENGLAND. King Plato fawe ve Palghat liking sabbiks fa ite: Concluding with his companie howto conuay her thence, Betwixt his boiftrous armes he tooke the faire and fearefull wench, ‘And doo what the Cicians migot,he fetteth her aboord: ( nd to his giltie Sailes the Aire did gentle Gales afoord., _ Anumbereyesin Crete forher did weepe,in vaine: _ Forher her Mother Ceres and her Louef-mate did complaine, | Her felfe(fweer Lady) of her moane did finde no meane,God wot, |. Though Dés to pleafe did fay and giue what might be (aid ot Pot. | Imbarked then with him his Harpe did wofull Orpheus take, | Andto Moloffi : Platos Realme with {peedie Sailes did make: | Where he,ynknowne,at gate of Hell did harp fuch Mufick fweete,, % As lumpith Cerberus could not but fhake his monftrous feete, | His foule and ae ill-fauoured face,ore-hung with cole-black haites, ~ Hishorflike teeth his lolling lips,bis Doglike banging eares, ; ‘His hooked nofe ‘his skowling eyes, his filthieknotted Beard, NS a ' ~ And what notin his voly fhape? but pref ently appeard I ~ More milder than his common moode,and leffer to be feard. S This hellith Porter,d ceming that fuch maulick would delight a “His weeping Mittris did conuay the Harpertoherfight: _ — Where Péuto {wore by dreadtull Srix,if Orpheus did by play Bur make her laugh,what fo he askt he thould receiue for pays ’ _ Anon fuch Heavenly Harmonie on skiff! Harpe he plaid, That the her husbands mufick knew,and ioyfullwas fhe made.. ‘Now Orpbews did a watch-word giue,and fhe to laugh began: _ And for reward to haue from thence his wifehe askedthan. $ KS “Although i it gawled P/utoes foule his fweet-heart to wis Yeat for to quit chim of his oath,he yeeldsitfhall be fo, Wit 1 this condition, thatbefore they fully paffed Hell, He fhould not achat s looke on her,what chance (5 ere ebefell, - Now asthey paffe through blinde by- -waies, he fearing lea tperchane At : Be: : he ere or rag,retarnesa a looke: and who thould marke that glance ip a /4 ‘ 4 . a f - mi ad ' ys . +4. 7 ( ‘ - , AN * p , . “P , - : e ° ’ ta . r : J - . * ‘ ia ~N es —— 5 . . , . : : " : ad A . 7