Context:

Location: Cheshire (SJ----)
Year: Before 1788
Time of Occurrence: [Not given]
Collective Name: [Not given]

Source:

D.Broomhead
An Eighteenth Century Play from Cheshire
Roomer, 1982, Vol.2, No.4/5, pp.23-29

Cast:

Text:

{Enter Soldier}

[Soldier]

Open the Door & let us come in
I hope your favour we shall win
Whether we stand or whether we fall
We'll do our endeavour to please you all
Room Room brave Gallants make Room
For an act I do intend to shew
We have none of the wrangling sort
But some of the royal trade
If you cannot believe me what I say
Slip [step] in St. George and clear the way

{Enter St. George}

[St. George]

I am St. George that valiant knight
Who lost his Blood for England's Right
England's Right and England's Rise?
Makes me carry this bloody weapon

A Soldier

I am a valiant Soldier, Slasher is my name
With Sword and Buckler by my side I hope to win the Game
O'Slasher is my name & that I will make good
And Sirrah? from thy Body I'll draw thy noble Blood..

St. George

O Slasher Slasher dont thee be so hot
For in this room thou knows not who thou's got
It is I that will take thee & eat thee as small as flies
And send thee to the Devil to make Mince-Pies
Mince-Pies hot & Mince-Pies cold

Soldier

With the star upon thy Breast I will make thee fly
And send thy Carcase to Eternity

{they fight - Soldier falls}

St. George

A Doctor a Doctor ten pounds for a Doctor
{enter Doctor}
What is your fee?

Doctor

Ten pounds is my fee, but five I'll take of thee

St. George

What countries have you travell'd?

Doctor

I've travelled through Italy High Germany & Spain
And am now return'd to old England again

St. George

What cures can you cure?

Doctor

All Diseases, come as many as pleases
The Itch, the Stick [Stitch] , the Squint, the Gout
The pain within & the pain without
All Disorders, the Pox, & a thousand more than I can tell
Here Jack, take a few of my Pills & thoul't do will
Here Jack, take a little of Nip Nap
Rise up Slasher & fight again

{rises up}

Soldier

O horrible, horrible, the like was never seen
That a man should be frighten'd out of his seven senses into seventeen
Could I but boast one single man to kill
Blind Fortune is & blind Fortune shall be still
The strongest man that through the world can --ul?
I'll take his body from his trembling soul
The Trumpet sounds I must away
Farewell Saint George I can no longer stay
{Enter Prince Saladine & Blackamoor}
I am Prince Saladine the Black Morocco King
Whose famous Courage through the world doth ring
'Twas I that brought the fiery Dragon to the Slaughter
And won fair Sabra King of Egypt's Daughter
'Twas I that slew the seven Turkey Brethren but for them I did not care
For through their hearts I run my glittering Sword & Spear

St. George

God zooks & scooks thou lies I care not if I die
Pull out thy sword & fight
pull out thy purse & pay
For Satisfaction will I have before thou goes away

Prince Saladine

Thou silly ass that lives by Grass, does thou offer to abuse a Stranger?
I live in hope, to buy a rope, to tye thy red nose to the manger

St. George

Thou boasted man that lives by Bread
What makes my nose look so red
Thou silly fool can'st thou not tell
It is because I love good Ale so well
This Macclesfield Ale it is so stale
That it keeps my nose from looking pale

Prince Saladine

My head is made of Brass, my body is made of Steel
My legs are made of the best knuckle bone I challenge thee to feel

{Saint George & Saladine fight - Sal: falls}

St. George

Now Prince Saladine is dead what shall I do what shall I do
Take him away & give him to the flies
For I cannot behold him any longer with my Eyes
Now Gentlemen & Ladies my Act is ended
I hope none of you are offended
My Hat is dumb & cannot speak
Pray put something in it for St.George's sake

{Finis -}

Notes:

Douce's Preamble:

"Dramatis Personae
Saint George the Champion for England
Prince Paladine (In Ireland's copy, Saladine)
Soldier
Doctor"

Douce's Endnotes:

"The above interlude was performed some few years since in Cheshire, on the border of Wales. 1788
Communicated to me by Capt. Grose."

Indexer's Notes

Original in the manuscripts of Francis Douce, Department of Western Manuscripts, Bodleian Library (Shelf number: MS Douce 44 pp.1-7)

File History:

1995-09-24 - Entered by Peter Millington
1997-03-25 - File Named by Peter Millington
2005-01-01 - Proof-read & Douce's notes added by Peter Millington
2021-01-15 - TEI-encoded by Peter Millington

Extras:

Dramaturgical Chart

Dramaturgical chart for 78sj--df
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Other Information

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