A Prologue, Billet To A Company Of Players Sent With The Prologue Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AB CCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJKKLM NNOOPPOOFFOODDDQRRST OOUVKWOOXXYYZZOOA2A2| The enclosed prologue is formed upon the story of the secretary's not allowing you to act unless you would pay him per annum upon which you got a license from the Lord Mayor to act as strollers | A |
| The prologue supposes that upon your being forbidden to act a company of country strollers came and hired the playhouse and your clothes etc to act in | B |
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| Our set of strollers wandering up and down | C |
| Hearing the house was empty came to town | C |
| And with a license from our good lord mayor | D |
| Went to one Griffith formerly a player | D |
| Him we persuaded with a moderate bribe | E |
| To speak to Elrington and all the tribe | E |
| To let our company supply their places | F |
| And hire us out their scenes and clothes and faces | F |
| Is not the truth the truth Look full on me | G |
| I am not Elrington nor Griffith he | G |
| When we perform look sharp among our crew | H |
| There's not a creature here you ever knew | H |
| The former folks were servants to the king | I |
| We humble strollers always on the wing | I |
| Now for my part I think upon the whole | J |
| Rather than starve a better man would stroll | J |
| Stay let me see Three hundred pounds a year | K |
| For leave to act in town 'Tis plaguy dear | K |
| Now here's a warrant gallants please to mark | L |
| For three thirteens and sixpence to the clerk | M |
| Three hundred pounds Were I the price to fix | N |
| The public should bestow the actors six | N |
| A score of guineas given underhand | O |
| For a good word or so we understand | O |
| To help an honest lad that's out of place | P |
| May cost a crown or so a common case | P |
| And in a crew 'tis no injustice thought | O |
| To ship a rogue and pay him not a groat | O |
| But in the chronicles of former ages | F |
| Who ever heard of servants paying wages | F |
| I pity Elrington with all my heart | O |
| Would he were here this night to act my part | O |
| I told him what it was to be a stroller | D |
| How free we acted and had no comptroller | D |
| In every town we wait on Mr Mayor | D |
| First get a license then produce our ware | Q |
| We sound a trumpet or we beat a drum | R |
| Huzza the schoolboys roar the players are come | R |
| And then we cry to spur the bumpkins on | S |
| Gallants by Tuesday next we must be gone | T |
| I told him in the smoothest way I could | O |
| All this and more yet it would do no good | O |
| But Elrington tears falling from his cheeks | U |
| He that has shone with Betterton and Wilks | V |
| To whom our country has been always dear | K |
| Who chose to leave his dearest pledges here | W |
| Owns all your favours here intends to stay | O |
| And as a stroller act in every play | O |
| And the whole crew this resolution takes | X |
| To live and die all strollers for your sakes | X |
| Not frighted with an ignominious name | Y |
| For your displeasure is their only shame | Y |
| A pox on Elrington's majestic tone | Z |
| Now to a word of business in our own | Z |
| Gallants next Thursday night will be our last | O |
| Then without fail we pack up for Belfast | O |
| Lose not your time nor our diversion miss | A2 |
| The next we act shall be as good as this | A2 |
Jonathan Swift
(1)
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