Originally prepared for textual analysis during his PhD research on the 'Origins and Development of English Folk Plays' by Peter Millington (2002).
Original spelling and typography is retained, except that superscripts, long s and ligatured forms are not encoded.
Line identifiers are those used for line types in the Folk Play Scripts Explorer.
"It is customary in North Wales, about Christmas, for the young farmers, both men and maids to go about their neighbours houses, disguised in each others clothes, and sometimes in masks. They are called Gwrachod, probably from their affirming old characters, or wizards. They act various antic diversions, and dance, and sing; for which they get good cheer; or ale, apples and nuts. Likewise, to convey a more perfect idea of the Mummers in England, I shall insert here a traditional sort of thing, which is still acted in Oxfordshire, about Christmas, by the Mummers."
"In former times, it appears that the first nobility went about at Christmas, in the character of Mummers. See Brand's Popular Antiquities, chap. XVI. p.196, &c. In the third year of Henry the VIIIthe an act was made against Mummers; vide the statutes."