Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 71 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 71: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Description This is a page of running prose poetry from what appears to be a narrative work titled "Albions England" (visible at top). The text is printed in early modern English verse and tells the story of a man named Battus who marries an elderly, deformed woman named Trot (or "Troi"). The passage describes their wedding day—including the bride stumbling repeatedly on the way to church—and her subsequent death, after which Battus quickly takes a second bride. The language and typography suggest this is from a historical literary work rather than a Victorian penny dreadful, though the sensational content (marital dysfunction, the bride's death) aligns with melodramatic themes.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VB - ALBIONS- +7 NGLAND. | a The efit with besiiti did ste te latter with her Gold, (line, | But ftormes (thought Bart ws haue their ftops, notlong the Croencan— } Orif my kindenes length her life,my kindenes God forgiue. ee } Refoluing therefore on fuch hope,with eafie fute,he got ie Affurance to be wedded to the old deformed Trot. nee | Medeacharmed 4E/on yong, Battus Medea-like, bef } Did workeno lefle acuer vpon this vaine vnweldie Tyke. } Nowonthe bridle played the: yeatas fhe laughes fhe lookes VY ith iclious eyes,1f Omphida be blotted out his bookes. | Yeathe that could not moue before,now crauleth euery wheare, _ | Topryeif Bartws play notfalfe, and caufe there was to feare, | Burall this whileno mariage was,nor witnes of their match: Pa | And well he knewe that widdowes thtinke, if men for flowe diff patch. i _ Sohafting whats he hindred not,come was theweddingday: ge _ The Morning thaw‘d the eauening froft,and flipprie was the way : i -Yeat,hobling on her ruftie ioynts,to Churchward goes the Bride, e Whofe feete(her harts vnequall gides) could nothing els butflide. E is Then Battws kindly leadeth her,and euer as fhe trips, God blefle thee Moufe,the Bridegroome faid,& {makt her onthe ips. } _ The oftner ftumbled then his Beaft,the oftner to be kift, ; a And thinketh in her gentle Choyfe her felfe not meanly blift. | | | im But when the prieft had done his part,and that they homeward Conny it The Bride, for Bartus,might falute the Pauement with her bomme. g She reeled: oftsand looked backe: he fawe,but would notfee: c At length the {tumbled headlong downe shoyft vp againe,quoth hee: ; The fecond time fhe did the like,hoyft Brock,her good-manfaide, _ os ; And thirdly falling,kindly bad her breake her necke,olde ladey : sid ee The old- wife tooke it atthe hartjand home fhewentanddyde: | | : Lk His left from Cacws ftrayndea finyle,but quickly was it doiness 2) a : yvpeetaming to her Sifters twaine,the yongelt thus begonnes . ar . ve ce p 14 lias “ — ' 7 ree % é ves e- “ . > 3 : ~ wy S~ } But Battws,cre his firft was ficke,had owed his fecond Bryde. zi com