Context:

Location: Belfast, Antrim, Ireland (IJ3474)
Year: Col. 1913-1916
Time of Occurrence: Christmas
Collective Name: [Not given]

Source:

R.J.E.Tiddy
The Mummers' Play
Oxford, University Press, 1923, pp.141-143

Cast:

Text:

A Kind of Jester

Room room brave gallant boys,
Come give us room to Rhime.
We are come to show our activity in Christmas time.
Active youth and active age
the like was never acted on a stage,
and if you don't believe what I say
enter in Prince George and clear the way.

Prince George

In come I Knight George from England have I sprung
one of those noble deeds of valour to begin.
Seven long years in a close cave have I been kept
and out of that into a prison leapt,
and out of that unto a rock o stone
where there I made my grievous moan.
Many a gallant I did subdue:
I run the fiery dragon through and through.
I freed fair Sabra from the stake,
what more could mortal man then undertake?
I fought them all courageously
and still have gained the victory
and will always fight for Liberty;
here I draw my bloody weapon;
shew me the man that dare me stand,
I'll cut him down with my courageous hand.

Turkish Champion

I am the man that dare you challenge whose courage is great
and with my sword I made dukes and earls to quake.

Prince George

Who are you but a silly lad?

Turkish Champion

I am Turkey Champion, from Turkey Land I come
to fight you the great George by name.
I'll cut you and slash you
and send you to Turkey to make mince pies baked in an oven,
and after I've done I'll fight ever a champion in all Christendom.

{They fight.}

Prince George

A doctor, a doctor £10 for a doctor:
is there never a doctor to be found
can cure this man of his deep and mortal wound?

Doctor

I am a doctor pure and good
and with my sword can staunch his blood.
If you have a mind this man's life to save,
full fifty guineas I must have.

Prince George

What can you cure, Doctor?

Doctor

I can cure the plague within the plague without
the palsy and the gout.
Moreover than that
if you bring me an old woman
and huckle bone of her toe be broke,
I can set it again
and if you don't believe what I say,
Enter in Saint Patrick and clear the way.

Saint Patrick

Here come I Saint Patrick in shining armour bright,
a famous champion and a worthy Knight.
What was Saint George but Saint Patrick's boy?
he fed a horse seven long years and afterwards he run away.
Pull out your sword and try, sir,
pull out your purse and pay sir
I'll run my sword thro' your body
and make you run away sir,
so enter in Oliver Cromwell and clear the way.

Oliver Cromwell

Here comes I Oliver Cromwell, as you may suppose
I conquered many nations with my copper nose
I made my foes for to tremble and my enemies for to quake,
and beat all my opposers till I made their hearts to ake,
and if you don't believe what I say,
Enter in Beelzebub and clear the way.

Beelzebub

Here comes I Beelzebub,
over my shoulder I carry my club
and in my hand a dripping pan
and I think myself a jolly old man.
If you don't believe what I say,
Enter Devil Doubt and clear the way.

Devil Doubt

Here comes I little Devil Doubt,
if you don't give me the money
I'll sweep you all out.
Money I want and money I crave,
If you don't give me money
I'll sweep 'ee all to the grave.
Gentlemen and Ladies since our sport is ended,
our box now must be recommended.
Our box would speak if it had a tongue,
nine or ten shillings would do it no harm,
all silver and no brass.

{They all sing.}

[All]

Your cellar doors are locked and we're all like to choak
and it's all for the drink that we sing, boys, sing.

Notes:

Tiddy's Note:

"THE communicator of this text wrote that it was copied from a small leaflet called 'The Christmas Rime', printed in Belfast. This seems to be inaccurate, an almost identical version being given in The New Christmas Rhyme Book: Belfast, printed for the Booksellers by J. Nicholson, Cheapside, Church Lane, Belfast."

File History:

1995-07-01 - Scanned & OCRed by Peter Millington
1998-05-09 - Encoded by Peter Millington
1999-09-15 - Year of collection adjusted by Peter Millington
2021-01-15 - TEI-encoded by Peter Millington

Extras:

TEI-encoded File

A TEI-encoded XML version of this text can be downloaded here.

Other Information

There may be more about this text at:
https://folkplay.info/resources/texts-and-contexts/belfast-christmas-rime-rjetiddy-1923-1913-1916.