Context:

Location: Hatford, Berkshire, England (SU3394)
Year: 1840
Time of Occurrence: Christmas
Collective Name: Mumming

Source:

Shadrack Haydon
Mumming Play. as acted at Hatford Berks W. Faringdon 1840
Alfred Williams Collection, AW/3/25 Mumming Play

Cast:

Text:

{Mumming Play.}

{as acted at Hatford Berks W. Faringdon 1840}

{Characters. The Foreman, Slasher, King George, Doctor, Jack Vinney, Mary}

{Shadrack Haydon's version 1916}

{ENTER Foreman}

[Foreman]

Room, room for me, and my brave gallants five,
I am come to show you an activity
This merry Christmas time.
For the like was never seen here before
Nor acted upon a common stage
Come in Slasher

Slasher

I am a valiant soldier bold and Slasher in my name
With sword and pistol by my side, thinking to win the game.
A battle, a battle with thee I'll try,
To see which on the ground shall lie;
Mind thy head and guard thy blow!
Mind thy eyes and face also!

St. George

I am Saint George, this noble knight,
I lost my blood in England's fight,
And this fight, that is the reason
makes me carry this bloody weapon.

{Slasher and St. George fight. Slasher falls.}

Foreman

Come in, Doctor.

Doctor

See! sir comes this noble doctor.
I've travelled far and near,
I've travelled through England, France, and through Spain,
Was coming back to old England, to my own country again;
There I met with an old magpie with the toothache,
and I cured he

Foreman.

How did'st do that?

Doctor.

Cut off his head and threw his body in the ditch.
He'll never have the toothache again.

Foreman.

Barborous work sir!

Doctor.

I can cure all sorts of diseases.
Just what my physic pleases.
Bring to me an old woman seven years dead,
eight years buried,
and nine years laid in her grave,
if she got but one umpum scrumpum jack tooth in her head
I'll go and fetch her to life again
and make her eat hot apple-dumplings for seven years come

Foreman.

Come in Jack Vinney!

Jack Vinney.

My name's not Jack Vinney.
The best thing you could have done
would have been to call me Mr John Vinney,
man of great fame,
could do more than thee or any other man.

Foreman

What could'st thee do then?

[Jack Vinney]

Cure this man if he's not quite dead
So Saint George, rise up thy head. {St George rises}

Foreman.

Come in Mary.

Mary {a man dressed in a woman's gown}

In comes I has aint been hit,
With my big head and little wit.
My head so big and wit so small,
I brought my fiddle to please you all.
Green sleeves, yellow lace,
Pretty boys dance apace,
For the fiddler is in great distress
For want of a little money.

Notes:

Indexer's Notes

Shadrack Haiden was born in 1830 at Lyford, Berks.
The 1841 census has Shardrack Haydn living in West Hanney, Berks., born 1829, Berks.
Shardrach Haydon, marriage 1849, Faringdon, Berks., spouse Jane Neale
The 1851 census has Shadrech Haiden, agricultural labourer living at Hatford, Berks., born Lyford, Berks, 1830. With John Neal
The 1881 census has Shadrick Hayden, shepherd living at Pusey, Berks., born Lyford, Berks., 1829. Married to Jane Hayden
The 1891 census has Shadrach Hayden, agricultural labourer living at Bampton, Oxon., born Lyford, Berks., 1828. Married to Jane Hayden (born in Hatford)
The 1901 census has Shadrack Hayden, living on own means at Bampton, Oxon., born Lyford, Berks., 1826. Married to Jane Hayden (born in Hatford)
The 1911 census has Shadrock Hayden, old age pensioner living at Bampton, Oxon., born Lyford, Berks., 1826. Widowed.
Shadrach Hayden est. born 1825, died Witney, Oxon, Autumn 1916
See also: https://cecilsharpspeople.org.uk/shadrach-hayden.html, which includes a photograph.
https://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getfolkbio.php?collect_from=Haydon,%20Shadrach%20 [Shepherd] - Baptised Lyford, Berks., 1829
Married Jane Neale in her native Hatford, Berks., on 13th November 1849
Died 20th December 1916, in Bampton
In 1891, Shadrach lived next door to Charles Tanner
1891, 1901 and 1911 censuses, lived in Weald, Bampton, Oxon.
1881, Lady Farm Cottages, Pusey, Berks.
1871, Shadrach Hyden, agricultural labourer living at South ? Cottages, Hatford, Berks., married to Jane Hyden
1861, Shedrick Haydon, living in Hatford, Berks.
https://www.artres.com/asset-management/2UN86IAYUSOA?FR_=1&W=1366&H=624 - another photograph]

File History:

2022-01-22 - Encoded by Peter Millington
2024-01-25 - TEI-encoded by Peter Millington

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