P.T.Millington Collection (1971, A.Dakin)
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Transcription
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UNDERWOOD - CHRISTMAS GUYSERS PLAY
Collected 22nd Dec 1971 from Mr. A. Dakin of Newthorpe, Notts, by Peter T.
Millington.
SAINT GEORGE I am Saint George from Old England sprang,
My famous name throughout the world hath rung.
Many great deeds and wonders have I made known,
And made tyrants tremble on their throne.
I followed a fair lady to a giants gate,
And dungeons near to meet her fate,
When a giant almost struck me dead,
But by my valour I cut off his head.
I've searched the world all round. and round,
But a man to equal me I've never found.
SLASHER I am a gallant soldier, and Slasher is my name,
And fought a fight with me. (?)
? ?
?
? ?
(They fight and Slasher falls.)
SAINT GEORGE (?) A doctor, a doctor,
Ten pounds for a doctor !
DOCTOR Here am I.
SAINT GEORGE (?) Are you a doctor?
DOCTOR Yes that you may plainly see,
By my art and activities.
SAINT GEORGE (?) Well what's your fee to cure this man?
DOCTOR Ten pounds is my fee.
But if you are an honest man,
I'll only take five off thee.
SAINT GEORGE (?) You'll be wonderous cunning if you get any.
How far have you travelled ?
DOCTOR From Italy, Titaly, High Germany, France and Spain,
And now returned to old England again.
SAINT GEORGE (?) What diseases can you cure?
DOCTOR The itch, the stitch, the palsy and gout,
If a man has nineteen devils in his skull,
I'll cast twenty of them out.
(Curing Slasher)
Take a drop out of my bottle,
And let it run down thy throttle,
If thou be not quite slain,
Arise Jack and fight again.
SLASHER Oh my back!
SAINT GEORGE (?) What's amiss with thy back?
SLASHER My back is wounded, my heart confounded.
To be struck out of seven senses into four score,
The like was never seen in old England before.
Oh hark Saint George, I hear the silver trumpet sound,
That summons off this bloody ground,
Farewell Saint George I can no longer stay,
Down yonder is the way.
BEELZEBUB In comes I old Beelzebub,
In my hand I carry a club,
In my hand a frying pan,
I think myself a jolly old man.
DEVIL DOUBT In comes I little Devil Doubt,
With my breeches inside out.
Money I want, and money I crave,
If you don't give me any money,
I'll sweep you to your grave.
(Devil Doubt sweeps round with a broom.)
Accuracy:- Mr. Dakin was unable to remember much of Slashers first speech or
of the dialogue between him and Saint George that followed it. there could
have been another character who presented the actors and who may have been
the person who cross-examined the doctor. One or two pieces seem to be out of
sequence, but otherwise the words correspond closely with the chap-book texts.
Notes:- Costumes were as folLowg:- All had blackened faces and were covered
with strips of crepe paper sewn around an old shirt or suchlike (not strips
hanging dorn.) Saint George and Slasher carried swords, and Beelzebub
besides carrying his club and pan, ras padded out with pillows. Devil
Doubt carried a brootm.
Mr. Dakin said that they used to learn the words from a booklet,
bought from Britains in neighbouring Eastwood (this would have been just
before the first World War.) Judging by the words of this account of the
play, and others form the same area, the booklet must have been very
similar if not identical to chap-books publidhed in Sheffield and in Leeds. |
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