Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 53 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 53: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of This Page This is a page of **running prose poetry** from *Albions England*, Book 2, Chapter 7 (page 29). The text describes an expedition where Hercules encounters an Amazon warrior who challenges him on behalf Scythian ladies. She proposes a combat wager: two champions from each side shall fight, with tribute or obedience as stakes. Hercules accepts, and the next day mounted knights meet in combat—Hercules fights Menalippe while Theseus fights Hippolite. The passage details their clash: horses and riders fall, and the combatants, dishonored, take up hand-to-hand fighting with swords, striking helms and armor. The text concludes with Hercules described as never having faced such a formidable opponent.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
: ak lea as Ne di ‘het Saws v ere & v4 . Zz SAND hii aie . > Ree td, Corr, . ay A : ~~ ‘ , Vvran + yh oe A Lad , t ‘ = Se ee, : Zz : heey a ys! (a? 4 . ‘ & 4 , Bs ; ~ , é 5 St ey . - % a . : : 2 , 7 * = Ld . 4 ; . az : 5 . - > A - rN expedition i ta warre aiedhae ni ante dwell: Fie: ¥ ni No longer time,but purpofed to bid his friends farewell, A warlike wtiiahights Amazon falutes him by his name, | And faid: know Hercules (if it thouknowell not by fame) | How that the Sethian Ladies, late expeld their native Land | By King of Eg ypt,haue contriu’d amongft themfelues a bande,, | And with the fame haue conquered all A/a, Egypt,and | All Cappadocia,N ow for that we, Victors dadacdind | The Africans are our Allies,we niinding to proceed | In further Conquetts endring them, haue therefore thus decreed. That youtwo Champions fhall elect,and we will alfo fend Two Ladies, that for victorie fhall with your Knights contend: And ifyour Champions vanquith ours sthen we will tribute pay, But if that ours doe vanquith yours, then you fhall vs obay, But hope not fo,more profite giues our bountie then our bloes, And vninforced tribute ma ay procure your friendly Foes, - Then Herca/es,admiring awch the Chalengers,did yeeld Two aduerfe Knights the morrownext fhould meetthem in thefield. And mounted well on Corfers twaine nextlightbydawneofday Into the Liftes came Hercules and Thefers : Mid the way ae - Vponabraceofmilke white Stecdes the two /iragoes meete The Knights,and each the other did with ciuill Congies greete, Then either part retiring backe began to make theic race, oe And couching well their valiant Speares didrunawondrous paces With Menalippe Hercules the fight did vadertake, ANN And Thefeus with Hippolite did his encounter make. ; They meetiog,either part both Horféand load to ground were caft,. re oe Whiereatthe 4fricanes did mule,and Seythians were agatt. ul : Vahorfed thas ,difdainfully each Knight defendant tooke it: “ie And either Ladie fo difgrac’das fcornefully did brooke it. wee _ Then fettle they to handy Armes,the which was longandfierce, ES ~ And with their cutting weapons did both Helmes and Har nefle pice _ : But Hercules, thoughneuer matcht fo harsie in his lifes) ox be YY ibe Deere. 1h y Eom ick DOKS: com ae Ps A oh . , ; 4 ae a a Head a + =