Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 46 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 46: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Description This is a page of running verse poetry from "Albions England," a narrative poem about the hero Hercules. The text, printed in early modern typeface, describes Hercules' arrival to aid the wounded Theseus against the monster Cerberus, their subsequent battle, and Hercules' slaughter of a wicked king and corrupt citizens in a city—which the poet compares to Hell itself. The page contains no illustrations or title elements, only densely printed poetic couplets in an archaic style typical of early modern English literature.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
a Fe " Ns a “54 4 z" ¥ . ia ) i ae sia ar 3 LBI 10 N: 5. E ENt GI Sor Hereules at Theffalie did feare fo hard inal. ‘AND. | Vhence lanching out,he made in fhoweas ifto Thebes he went, : But with Philodes all his traine and Lycushome he fent: 4 And he himfelfe to aide his friends did to Moloffa oe, _ Wheare,like as did his minde prefage,he found it very fo. - For euen as currifh Cerberus with gorie bloes did chace _ The wounded and the wearieKnight,came Hercules in place. _ Anvnexpected happie fight to 7 hefeus at that tide: — Whom Cerberus forfaking then at Hereules he flide, aM pbraiding him with threatning words, and like himfelfe did raue,, j Andreacht bim many acrabbed rap Her his prefumptious Gites _ The Danter then of Trefpaflers perceiving Thefeus drie _ His grievous wounds,and at his feete Pirithous dead to lie, D eGeokis torevenge ther both Jaies luttie lode about, — And with his till vitorious Club did Cerberus fo cloute, a Sse difmaid at fuch a match,he reeling to the ground, ‘ ~ Did fend from out his Doggtih Hicie aloud and diuelifh found. ~ Bur when the Victor fure enough the vanauithed had bound, He leauing Thefexs weake without into the Cittie went: » Wher eas he found the wicked King and Citizens,that {pent . Their fruiteleffe time in vices foule,and dealings moit iba _ As thofe that in their Porters ftrength repofed all their truft.. — 'Withthefe did Hercules play Rex,and leaning Dé for dead, b No one efcapes his deadly hand that dares to nr ee his bial: 2 ‘¢ . . ’ While thoufands thé did breath their laft, & who had feene the fi ight, ; Migist well haue faid it Hell indeede : for euerie thing out-righr, ) “Befides that fullen Mew iefelfe,did gine a figure plaine Of felfe fame Hell where damned ‘Soules abide in endleffe paine. _ Save howlings out & fhuddering feare came novght to eare or fight, | With gtieuons grones of dying ghofts:8 fo much more their fpighte &B y bow much more he found them then in pleafures and dclighe en horror hanging, Hercules: in buskiing vp and downe — in G