Contrary to custom, it was spoken by a woman.
2. In allusion to his being deprived of the office of poet laureat.
3. The Inniskilling horse, who behaved with great courage against King
James, joined Schomberg and King William's forces at Dundalk, in
1689, rather resembled a foreign frey-corps, than regular troops.
"They were followed by multitudes of their women; they were uncouth
in their appearance; they rode on small horses, called _Garrons_;
their pistols were not fixed in holsters, but dangled about their
persons, being slung to their sword-belts; they offered, with
spirit, to make always the forlorn of the army; but, upon the first
order they received, they cried out, 'They could thrive no longer,
since they were now put under orders.'--_Memoirs_, Vol. II. p. 133.
The allusion in the next verse is to the dreadful siege of
Londonderry, when the besieged suffered the last extremities of
famine. The account of this memorable leaguer, by the author just
quoted, is a most spirited piece of historical painting.
PROLOGUE,
SPOKEN BY A WOMAN.
The judge removed, though he's no more my lord,
May plead at bar, or at the council-board:
So may cast poets write; there's no pretension
To argue loss of wit, from loss of pension.
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