Context:

Location: Pusey, Berkshire, England (SU3596)
Year: Perf. c.1900
Time of Occurrence: Christmas
Collective Name: Mummers

Source:

Jack Hearring
The Mummers
James Madison Carpenter Collection, https://www.vwml.org/record/VWMLCustomsIndex/PL278

Cast:

Text:

{THE MUMMERS_ Jack Hearring,}

{Pusey Home Farm, Pusey(near Farringdon Burks)}

{"Spring" Giddings, Lambourne, 40 years ago;}

{never saw in print.}

FATHER CHRISTMAS:

In comes I, Old Father Christmas,
Welcome here, or welcome not,
I hope pore Old Father Christmas will never be forgot;
A room, a room, I do presume,
Pray gie me room to rhyme,
For I'm come to show you activity
This Merry Christmas time,
Activity ace, activity of use,
Did you ever see in yourlife acted on the stage?
If you won't believe all this that I do say,
Step in, King George and clear the way!

KING GEORGE:

In comes I, King Geoge, thi noble knight,
Who lost his blood for English fight
English fight it was the reason,
Makes me carry this awful weapon;
I neither care for Spanish, French, nor Turk;
No man on earth could do me hurt
So now let all your voices ring;
For I'm the Royal a Roosian King.

Father:

Come in, Captain Kerless!

CAPTAIN KERLESS:

In comes I, Old, Captain Kerless,
Just come from the Isle of Wight;
With thee, me Duke Northumberland,
I'm come here to fight;
I am a valiant soldier;
Bold Slasher is me name,
With sword and buckle by me side
In hopes to win the game!

KING GEORGE:

Ah Slasher, Ah Slasher, thee talks too bold!
The talks like a man that I've been told;
I'll cut'n chop'n small as flies,
An' send'n to cook shop to make mince pies;

{KING GEORGE AND SLAHSR FIGHT: KING GEORGE FALLS.}

FATHER CHRISTMAS: {Speaking to King George}

On thy hand there is no stain,
Rise up King George and fight again. {King George rises}

KING GEORGE:

Slasher, Slasher, don't be hot,
For on the floor shall be thy spot;
It shant be now as it was before,
So let thee and I try once more.

{The fight; Slasher falls}

FATHER CHRISTMAS:

Is there a little Doctor ready now at hand,
To cure the deep and deadly wound,
And make the champion stand? {DOCTOR COMES IN}

DOCTOR:

Ah, there is a little Doctor ready now at hand,
To cure the deep and deadly wound
And make the champion stand.
In my box I has some pills,
To cure all ills.
The Hitch,the stitch, the paulsey and the gout,
All pains within, and all pains out.
Once I cured Jack Jugglin's wife;
She had the rheumatics in all four of her elbows;
I cured she, and she died.
Bring to me a man or a woman
Seven years dead, eight years buried, nine years led in the grave,
I'll give her one of my pills
and she shall be saved.

FATHER CHRISTMAS:

Think'st t' cure this man?

DOCTOR:

Aye, if he aint quite dead!

FATHER CHRISTMAS:

How could'st tell that?

DOCTOR:

Be 'is 'ead.

FATHER CHRISTMAS:

Work thy will!

DOCTOR: {Starts working man about}

Why this man's nearly dead!
Why hassn't sent forme before?

FATHER CHRISTMAS:

I didn't think there was a doctor in the place.

DOCTOR:

Don't thee take any the papers?
See my name in there every day.
This man wants a tuth drawed.
Mary bring me my spectacles and pliers!

MARY:

Bring you your 'wat?

DOCTOR:

Bring me my spectacles and pliers!

MARY: {MARY COMES IN}

Here they be!

DOCTOR: {Starts pulling the tooth}

Little 'elp, Mary!

{Mary helps Doctorpull tooth.}

Doctor:

Tooth, tut, Isn't this tooth enough to kill any man?

MARY:

Or any Woman either, t'wud I , 'owever!

DOCTOR:

Raise, Slasher!

FATHER CHRISTMAS:

Come in, Molly Tinker!

MOLLY TINKER:

In comes I , Molly Tinker,
Small beer drinker,
I told the landl'rd to his face,
The chimney corner was me place!
Me ead's so big me wits so small
brought me fiddle to please you all

FATHER CHRISTMAS:

Come in Father Beelzebub!

FATHER BEELZEBUB:

In comes I, Old Father Beelzebub,
On me shoulder I carries me nub,
In me 'and me old tin can,
Don't ye think I'm a jolly old man?

Father C.:

Yes!

[Father Beelzebub:]

Me 'ead's so big, me wit's so small
We'll sing you a song to pleas you all.
[Carpenter's notes inserted here]
{Song}
To me aye dum, to me aye dum, to me aye dum to me ferry,
We don't come here but once a year for the purpose to be merry!
[Verse 1]
God bless the master of this house,
I hope he is within,
And ofus, poor travellers,
And soon we will begin.
To me aye dum--
[Verse 2]
God bless the mistress of this house,
while sitting by the fire ,
And think of us poor travellers
All in the dirty mire.
To me aye dum--
[Verse 3]
Gren leaves, yellow leaves,
The pretty maiden dances;
The fiddler is in great distress
for the want of alittle money.
-----To me aye dum, dum---

Notes:

Carpenter's Notes

(Up Lambourne
Malt Shovel
pub &
Ashdown
[new para]
Jack Hearing: King George
Charlie Castle: Beelzebub
Joe Castle
_______________
Jack Heyring coached Pusey players 38 years ago.
Dressed with red rags & around hat &
Jackets: coloured paper;
Blacked faces
Sir Wm Hanson, Pusey House, used to give half sovereign.

Indexer's Notes

The 1881, 1901 and 1911 censuses have John Hearring, born 1843-1846 in Lambourne, Berks., living in Pusey as a shepherd.
In 1851, still living in Lambourn. John Hering; 1861 born Lambourne, as shepherd at Childrey, Berks. John Herring, 1891 shepherd at East Garston, Berks. (near Lambourn).
Late 19th century census records have Charles Castle, Joseph Castle and various people with the surname Giddings living (if not born) in Lambourn(e) Berks.
Sir William Anson, Vice Chancellor of Oxford University, lived at Pusey House.
It therefore looks like the text was originally performed at Lambourn then transferred to Pusey c.1900.

File History:

2022-01-30 - Indexed by Peter Millington
2024-01-26 - TEI-encoded by Peter Millington

Extras:

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