Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 54 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 54: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Description This is a page of running verse text from Chapter 7 of what appears to be an epic or heroic poem titled "Albions England" (visible in header). The visible text recounts mythological battles and romantic episodes involving classical figures: Theseus fights in combat, Hercules aids King Oeneus against the tyrant Achelous who seeks the king's daughter, and various marriages and ransoms of captive women occur. The narrative moves from martial contests to dynastic negotiations, written in early modern English verse with archaic spelling and typography.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Diftrme: at site his tt Taske-and shad was their fife, But T hefeus with his Combatteffe in doubrfull battell fights, 3 ‘Till,bluthing at the Maidens blowes, he checks his mending fprights ; $ - And laid fo hardly to her charge, notable to fuftaine — His freth-got force,that he alfo the fecond Prize did gaine. Q ‘ «Antiope, a third vnro thofe warlike Sifters twaine, * Beholding how finifterly the double fight had paft, _ Makes forow,whilft the 4 fecanes reioice for itas faft. The Seythrans to the A fricanes did homage then,and pray - | Their Ladies might be ranfomed, That fute did 7 hefews flay, - Forhe through launce,his Foe through loue went victorefle away, ~ And therefore when th’ Athenian Knigt oht and Amazon were matcht In mariage, AZenalippe then from durance was difpatcht. _ And Hercules (then which to him no greater prize could be) ~ Had Queene Aariope her Bealt and armour for his fee, _ And fets the dames of Thermodon from other ranfome free. — And Thefeus with Hippolite at Athens landing takes, _ And Hercules to Calhidona Difinall viage makes. 2 : ay Heare did King Oeneus bounteoully receaue fo greata Guelt: Where fcarcely had he any time from pafled toiles to reft, ~ Burthat proud Achelows fent Ambafladors to knowe - Ifthat King Oesews on him his daughter would beltowe, — Tfnot, tothreaten wreakfull warres : which much abafhe1 the King, ‘Till Hercules, who then was come about the felfe fame thing, ‘ _ (For louc to Desamira both competitors did bring) ¢ _ Expelledtfeare by offring aide to backe him from the Foe, By meanes whereof vnfatisfide away the Legats goe. _ The Tyrant Achelows then, with all Epirus force es -Tnuades the bounds of Calidon, and{poylswithoutremorfe, 6 - But Hercules then leading forth his Armie got the day, eae! | F And well was he amongft his foes that fafteftran away. te i why and their Kin g, with hard efcape,! inure themfelues at length