Context:
Location: |
East Lockinge, Berkshire, England (SU4287) |
Year: |
Perf. c.1880 |
Time of Occurrence: |
Christmas |
Collective Name: |
Mummers |
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Source:
W.H. Hallam
History of the parish of East Lockinge, Berks
London: Bartlett, 1900, pp.99-101
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Cast:
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Text:
{[...] The Christmas Mummers have disappeared too, although this was the last of the old customs to die out. The dialogue here given was taken down at their last performance, about 1880. It is very similar to that used in other parts of the West of England.}
{On permission at any house being granted.}
{Enter King George:}
[King George]
"Make room, make room, I do presume.
Please to give me leave and room to rhyme,
for I've come this merry, merry 'Xmas time.
I'll show you a gallant act,
activity of youth, activity of age,
such as has never acted on a merry Andrew stage.
I am King George, a noble knight.
I lost my blood by a Turkish knight,
by a Turkish fight it is the reason
which makes me carry this very weapon.
Walk in my eldest son"
[Eldest Son]
"Here comes I as bold as thee,
And with my sword I'll try with thee.
I'll cut thee, I'll hew thee as small as flies,
And send thee to the cook shop, to make mince pies.
Mince pies hot , mince pies cold.
Let thee and I fight very bold,
To battle! to battle! betwixt thee and I,
To see which on the ground shall lie"
{They fight, King George falls. The victor calls --}
[Eldest Son]
"Doctor, doctor, play thy part.
King George is wounded in his heart.
Five pounds I freely would lay down,
If that noble doctor could be found
To cure this man that's on the ground"
{Enter Mary Tinker.}
[Mary Tinker]
"He's just a coming, sir"
{Enter Doctor.}
[Doctor]
"See ,sir, comes this noble doctor.
Here's the man that travels much for the good of his country,
don't go over the country like William Norman Krapper did and they other sheshaw quack doctors,
kills all and cures none.
I've box of pills,
cures all ills,
the itch, the stitch, the palsy or the gout.
Pains within and pains without,
mully-grubs, squally grubs,
tight looseness on the chest,
wind in the knee
and many other thing which I shall not be able to mention to-night, or any other night.
Take one of my pills, and try it,
and if this don't cure that man,
never believe me any more.
Rise up King George snd fight again"
{King George rises. Doctor calls}
[Doctor]
"Come in Jack Winny"
{Enter J.W.}
Jack Winney
Where's the scoundrel that calls me Jack Winney?
I am a man of fame,
comes from Thame.
I can do as much as thou or any other man again"
Doctor:
"What canst thou do?"
JW:
"I can cure the jackdaw with the toothache or magpie with the headache"
Doctor
"How canst thou do that?
JW
"Cut their heads off and throw their bodies in the ditch"
Doctor
"That's a safe cure; safe cure"
"Come in Mary Tinker,
ale and wine, and strong beer drinker".
MT
"I'll tell the landlord to his face,
his chimney corner was the place,
where I sat and blacked my face,
when Jones' ale was new,
when Jones' ale was new, my boys,
when Jones' ale was new.
{To atone for the abrupt termination of the dramatic performance the entertainment was lengthen out by introducing the popular songs of the day.}
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File History:
2022-01-28 - Indexed by Peter Millington
2024-01-29 - TEI-encoded by Peter Millington
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Extras:
Dramaturgical Chart
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Text Relatives Map
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