Context:

Location: Broughton, Lincolnshire, England (SK9154)
Year: Dated 1824
Time of Occurrence: Christmas
Collective Name: [Not given]

Source:

C.R.Baskervill
Mummers' Wooing Plays in England
Modern Philology, Feb.1924, Vol.21, No.3, pp.250-258

Cast:

Text:

{Enter Merryman}

Merryman

Gentlemen and Ladies
Im' com'd to see you all
This merry time of Christmas,
I neither knock nor call;
I come in so brisk and bold
with confidence I say.
What can you expect of a Fool
wich knows no other way.
for A Fool I know I am
indeed and so do you.
for fools and little children
for most parts speaks true.
My name is noble Anthony
as live and as blyth and as mad
and as melancholy as A mantletree
make room for noble Anthony
and all his Jovial Company.

Lady

When I was a maid in blooming years
my pleasure was all in pride.
My tatling tongue could never lie still
in service to abide.
I thought it long all in my Arms
a young man to embrace
instead of a man I met with a Clown
is not that a sad pitiful Case.

Merryman

A very pitiful case indeed Madan
Heigh O were is all this paultry and poor
Still paultry in this place
and yet not perfect for shame
step forth
peoples eyes looks dim
with the very red expectations.

1st Ribboner

How now me Hamorous George
as live and as blyth and as mad
and as melancholy as a Mantletree.
What play have you got here today.

Merryman

play boy,

1st Ribboner

Yes play
I look upon the title of the spectimony once a year
you old scallibush
nothing but parch pennyworth
tuffcoat calely
old calleymufus
you rolling, bolling bangling fool
stand out of my sight.

Merryman

Zounds what a man have I got here

1st Ribboner

you quiet mistaken in me.
i'm no talker Im a Juggler.
I can shew you the trick of the twelves,
as many tricks as there is days in A year
toils and moils and motes in the Sun.
I have them all upon my Finger end
Jack and the loft quick and be gone.

Merryman

now man I warrent tee

1st Ribboner

Hey now man I see thou can do something,
hold thy hand,
here's a Shilling for thy labour;
take that to the paultry of thee poor and thus to them say,
thou hast quiet lost the title of this play,
callyflaskin jest shall slenge our sight
and you shall hear a new delight.
{1st Rbr. to the Lady}
Well met fair Lady in this place,
the exercise that is in the
shall over Shed the fairest face,
when beauty comes on high degree
since once to you I've told my mind
I pray fair Lady dont be unkind
It is your beauty makes me stay.
I shall go blind and loose my way.

Lady

Courteous Knight how must this be.
You will no answer take of me
you look so great I do declare
you come to me but in a jeer.

1st Ribboner

A jeer dear love it is not so.
I'll make it known before I go.
before I go hence from this place,
I will obtain your comely face.

Lady

Away away from me begone,
a witty man for me or none!

2n Ribboner

Aman for wit I am the best
that ever did to you express
I have such causes underhand
no man like I can understand

Lady

A lawyer as I suppose you be
you plead your cause so wittily
but by and by I'll tell you plain
the cause you plead it's all in vain

2n Ribboner

My wit it never did me fail,
if not for hopes it would prevail
If not for hopes my heart would burst
and in your love Il'l put my trust

Lady

Away away out of my sight,
go and talk along with yon fair Knight

1st Ribboner and 2n Ribboner

{Sing}
be she gone be she gone
farewell I care not
for if she has a pretty thing
I've had my share on't,
For if she's more Land than me
by one half acre
I'v plow'd and sown in her Ground
let the Fool take her -

3 Ribr.

I am my Fathers eldest Son
and heir to all his Lands
I hope in a short time
it will all fall in my hands.
I was brought up at linsey coat
all the days of my life,
I'm walking with this Lady fair
I wish she were my wife.
with fingers long and rings upon
are made of pure Gold.
good Master and good Mistress
I would have you here behold.

Lady

It is my clothing you admire
its not my company you desire
so farewell I'll bid adieu.
Step in kind sir here's room for you.

{Husdandman}

Husbandman

In comes I the Husbandman
upon my principal for to stand.
I'm come to woo this Lady fair
to gain her love thats all I care

Lady

To gain my love that never will do
you speak so clown if I to woo.

Husbandman

Hiv'e cart, Hiv'e plow, Hiv'e husbandry,
Hiv'e Gold and Silver enough for the,
Hiv'e something will do the good
will nourish thy veins and warm thy blood.
Hiv'e something else for the beside
if thou'l consent to be my bride

Lady

My fathers working in his loom
my Mothers spinning hard at home
their Dinners they'v got
their Suppers they want
so pray you be gone and give me your room.

Old Ancient Man

In comes I the Ancient Man
to speak for myself the best I can,
my old Grey locks they hing so low
speak for myself the best I know.

Lady

Cheer up old man and never fear
Wipe thy Eyes and thou'l see clear.

Old Ancient Man

I I me thinks me see the stars shine bright
me'e's com'd to yar me heart delight.

Lady

Does tee think I could fancy such an Old man as thee.
No I'll have one of an high degree.

Old Ancient Man

Why then kick mee Ladie out of the room.
I'll be hang'd over our Kitchen door
before I'll come to court y'a any more.

Lady

Take your porridge face away.

Old Ancient Man

My porridge face is as handsome as y'-rs and ugly enough too-)

Jane

I comes Jane with along neck'd Crane
com'd Dabling over the meadow
she's fib'd before to shew you some sport
look about you old Maids and Widows.
long have I sought but now I have found
my joy and only astard.
since you have said so and call'd me hore
Sarrah come take your Bastard

Merryman

Bastard T'is none of mine its not a bit like me.
I'm a valiant Knight just come from sea
you never heard talk of me before did ye.
I kill'd ten men with a mess of mustard,
ten thousand with my bright Sword.

Jane

I have a sheep skin
to lap them all in
look about you old maids and Widows,

Merryman

had I been aman in this country known
and my valoured been shown
Sound Music Sound.

{A Dance}

Merryman

Stop abit
I have abit of a Song to Sing to my Lady before I go
I'll snipe my Eyes and clear my Nose
and see what I can do before I go
{Sings}
My Love my dove my duck my dear
one pleasant smile my heart will cheer
but if on me you cast one frown
I greatly fear it will knock me down

{Lady sings}

Lady

Indeed kind Sir since you say so
to banter me that never will do.
when I become a Married Wife,
then after follows care and Strife

{Merryman sings again}

Merryman

Alas sweetheart you are mis-tain
for more than that I'll tell you plain,
A maiden she may come and go
through toil and moil through care and woe
where a married wife may sit at rest
pray tell to me wich lifes the best.

{Lady sings}

Lady

Indeed kind Sir since you have said so
Along and along with you I'll go.
I'll wed with none but only you
to all these gallants I'll bid adieu -

Merryman

Adieu and Adieu to all but you my Dear.
You may all behold and see
but its the fool that leads away the Ladie Away

Merryman

Im come to invite you to my Wifes Wedding and mine
and what you like the best you may bring along with you
how the duce should I know what you all like
some likes fish and some likes flesh
and some likes kissing and some likes, furmity
But Il'l tell you what me Lady and mee have
wee'l have A leg of A lark wel'l have A louse to roast
wel'l have a farthing loaf and A good thumping toast
we will provide for the wedding as fast as ever we may
we will have a jovial wedding the fiddle shall merrily play

{3 Riboners And Lady dance}

Merryman

now our sport is Ended
you'v heard our voices ring
I hope you'r well contented
so God save the King.
we're not the London acsters
that acts in London court,
we are the Country Plougboys
just com'd from plow and cart
we are not the London actsers
I told you so before
we have done the best we can
so the best can do no more
So I hope you'r well contented
with what we have shown you here
I wish you a Merry Christmas
and a happy New Year,
and what you please to my box
and a sup of your Strong Beer.

{3 Ribboners Sing}

[The Three Ribboners]

God bless the Master of this House
and send him long to reign
A many A merry Christmas
we wish to see him again,
amongst our Friends and Neighbours
that live both far and near.
I wish you a merry Xmas
and a happy New Year

{Thomas Carr 1824.}

Notes:

Peter Millington's Notes:

Although the play text is identified as coming from Broughton, in the geogaphical context of the whole collection of texts, this is likely to be a shortened representation of Brant Broughton near Bottesford. Plain Broughton is in northern Lincolnshire.

File History:

1996-08-06 - Entered by Peter Millington
2021-01-15 - TEI-encoded by Peter Millington

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