University of Virginia Library

A Prelude to THORNY-ABBEY.

Enter a Fool with a Paper in his hand for a Prologue.
Fool.

Ha! ha! I'me come now at last, or at
first, which you will: for I am first here.
D'ye call't a Tragedy? so they tell me it is, and
that no fools must be in Tragedies: for they are serious
matters, forsooth. But I say there may, and
there must be fools in Tragedies, and you call them
Tragedies, or there will be no Tragedies. And I tell
you more, they are all fools in the Tragedy; and
you are fools, that come to see the Tragedy; and
the Poet's a fool, who made the Tragedy, to tell a
Story of a King and a Court, and leave a fool out
on't; when in Pacy's, and Sommers's, and Patche's,
and Archer's times, my venerable Predecessours,
a fool was alwayes the Principal Verb; and, as I suppose,
was so too long before that; and, as I suppose,
when Thorny built his Abbey too; I, and as
I suppose, we shall by his good leave, or without
it, continue so still to the end of the Chapter.
But, now I talk of the Principal Verb, I have a part
to say to you, if the Prompter would come to tell
me, when I am out.

Enter Prompter, and takes the Fool's Paper, and stands behind him.
Fool.

We're to present you—(Ha! ha! he
thinks I have pigs in my belly.)

Prompter.

Sirrah! go on. We're to present you—

Fool.

I won't have't non-sence We're to present you—but I'le hav't I am to present you—

Prompter.

And what are you to present them,
I pray?

Fool.

A P—a P—a P—a Pick-pocket.

Prompter.

A fools' head: are not you? a Pick-pocket,
quoth he; a Prologue you mean.

Fool.

Why? I was sure, it began with a P. And
though you will have it a Prologue, I say, it is a
Pick-pocket too, I and a Pick-pocket Prologue too: for
ask um, if all their pockets be'nt the worse for it.

The Prompter offers to strike him, and he runs in.
Prompter.
Though he's unready in's part, I dare say,
He did intend so bid you Welcome to our Play,
What more he had to tell you in his mind,
I finde not by the Notes h'has left behind:
But within gather from their studied parts,
And tiring-habits, they will use their arts,
To shew how Royal bloud's reveng'd when spilt,
And THORNY-Abbey first came to be built,
A place for great devotion of much fame,
Which since to Westminster hath chang'd its name.
Then, if you'l silent sit, and mum not say,
The Actors enter, and begin the Play.