M.W.Barley Collection (1953, Atkins)
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Transcription
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Shelford. Collected by Mr.L .Butler from Mrs. Atkins
December,1953. Fragments. only
First Man, Farmer's Boy, Belsey Bub, Eezum Squeezum, (K)?
Old Dame Jane (D), Doctor. ( Order uncertain, another man?)
Ploughboys toured village in morning and afternoon,
dressed in 'fool' clothes, with red faces - did not take a
plough with them ,but only asked from door to door 'for the
plough-boys', 'remember the plough-bullocks", practice still
kept up until c.1925.
Farming-men turned out in the evening; two bands - one of
actors, the other of farmhands, etc. The farmhands in workaday
dress took a cleaned plough round behind the team of actors,
carried lanterns. Didn't Join in acting or dancing. Informant
could not remember plough-team Joining in singing (as in
1876)
J. Potter Briscoe, Notts. Facts and Fictions. 1876.
p.6.
"Immediately follow the men, who are fantastically
arranged, actually drawing the plough itself, which is well
cleaned end decorated for the occasion. Its exhibition is
accompanied by the singing of the words; -
"My back is made of iron, my body's made of steel,
And if you don't believe it, put your hands on and feel."
In past years, if any refused to present them with anything,
they would plough up the ground round about the doors of such
persons."
The practice of ploughing the ground or garden of the
ungrateful was still remembered.
Seven or eight actors - with blackened faces, in foolery
odd clothes and headgear, stockings and shoes. No memory of
masks of those with unblacked faces, or of streamered hats.
Words imperfectly remembered, only occasional couplets,
general course of action was told in verse, prose and song.
Squabble over parentage of child, woman slain, revived by
doctor.
First Man - In ordinary clothes to announce the players;
Farmer's Boy - follows, ordinary farm-clothes with
gaiters, and a whip to crack and clear space for other actors.
Another man - ?
Belsey Bub - definitely to act the fool because of dress
and of bladder on a stick.
"In comes I, old Belsey Bub,
And on my shoulder I carry a club."
Eesum Squezum - also comically dressed, with broom
and a frying-pan (to collect the money).
"In comes I, old Eezum Squezum,
On my shoulder I carry a besom,
In my hand a wick leather frying-pan,
Don't you think I'm a funny old man?
And if you don't, I do."
(wick - strong
( Derbys.
- hollow
( Notts. )
Old Dame Jane - the only man to portray a female
part; with a baby in a sling on her back or carried over
her arm.
"Here comes I, old Dame Jane,
- - - - - - - - - - any crane
- Order of appearance of three last actors uncertain -
Some sort of fight about the baby, combatants unsure, in
which Dame Jane is knocked down.
Belsey Bub - Five pounds for a doctor.
Eezum Sq. - No. Make it ten.
Doctor arrives, dressed in black clothes, top hat',
large bottle in his hand.
Doctor - In cones I, the Doctor,
In my hand I have my bottle,
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - ( line missing ? )
- - - - - - to cure all ills.
Belsey Bub - Where did you travel to learn your skill?
Doctor - To England, Ireland, France and Spain,
Over the hills snd back again.
Belsey Bub - And what can you cure?
Doctor - Hipsey, pipsey, palsy, gout,
Pains within and pains without.
Draw a tooth and set a leg,
And bring the dead man to life again.
"or somewhat like that."
Dame Jane is cured, a little more singing, no words or tunes
remembered to any song. ( No musician taken round.)
Performance ended in a general song - 'Good master and
good mistress, --', followed by a dance, "a sort of jigging,"
needing no rehearsing but for which they laid down their
implements, ( either to circle round or to dance inn pairs )
since E. Sq. and B. B. might have a mock fight in picking them
up again. The crowd pulling the plough with its rosettes and
paper ribbons, and those with them apparently sang or said
nothing at all.
Last performed in 1912 or 1913.
Simlar plays at East Bridgford, Radcliffe-on-Trent, (Mrs. Atkins.
at Bingham, last done 1895 - 1900. |
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