Prologue To "the Prophetess."[1] By Beaumont And Fletcher Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BCDDEEFFGGHIDDJBKLMN OMPPQRSTUUVWXXYYZZA2 A2B2B2B2C2C2A2A2OD2G G| SPOKEN BY MR BETTERTON | A |
| - | |
| - | |
| What Nostradame with all his art can guess | B |
| The fate of our approaching Prophetess | C |
| A play which like a p rspective set right | D |
| Presents our vast expenses close to sight | D |
| But turn the tube and there we sadly view | E |
| Our distant gains and those uncertain too | E |
| A sweeping tax which on ourselves we raise | F |
| And all like you in hopes of better days | F |
| When will our losses warn us to be wise | G |
| Our wealth decreases and our charges rise | G |
| Money the sweet allurer of our hopes | H |
| Ebbs out in oceans and comes in by drops | I |
| We raise new objects to provoke delight | D |
| But you grow sated ere the second sight | D |
| False men e'en so you serve your mistresses | J |
| They rise three storeys in their towering dress | B |
| And after all you love not long enough | K |
| To pay the rigging ere you leave them off | L |
| Never content with what you had before | M |
| But true to change and Englishmen all o'er | N |
| Now honour calls you hence and all your care | O |
| Is to provide the horrid pomp of war | M |
| In plume and scarf jack boots and Bilbo blade | P |
| Your silver goes that should support our trade | P |
| Go unkind heroes leave our stage to mourn | Q |
| Till rich from vanquished rebels you return | R |
| And the fat spoils of Teague in triumph draw | S |
| His firkin butter and his usquebaugh | T |
| Go conquerors of your male and female foes | U |
| Men without hearts and women without hose | U |
| Each bring his love a Bogland captive home | V |
| Such proper pages will long trains become | W |
| With copper collars and with brawny backs | X |
| Quite to put down the fashion of our blacks | X |
| Then shall the pious Muses pay their vows | Y |
| And furnish all their laurels for your brows | Y |
| Their tuneful voice shall raise for your delights | Z |
| We want not poets fit to sing your flights | Z |
| But you bright beauties for whose only sake | A2 |
| Those doughty knights such dangers undertake | A2 |
| When they with happy gales are gone away | B2 |
| With your propitious presence grace our play | B2 |
| And with a sigh their empty seats survey | B2 |
| Then think on that bare bench my servant sat | C2 |
| I see him ogle still and hear him chat | C2 |
| Selling facetious bargains and propounding | A2 |
| That witty recreation call'd dumfounding | A2 |
| Their loss with patience we will try to bear | O |
| And would do more to see you often here | D2 |
| That our dead stage revived by your fair eyes | G |
| Under a female regency may rise | G |
John Dryden
(1)
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