S.Piggott (1929) pp.272-273

Context

Location: town
[Unlocated]
NY----
Time of Occurrence
[Not given]
Collective name
Sword-dancers

Source

Source author
Stuart Piggott
Source title
Collectanea. Mummers' Plays from Berkshire, Derbyshire, Cumberland, and Isle of Man.
Source publication
1929, Vol.40, No.3, pp.272-273

Cast

Johnny Funny
Farmer Dick
King George
Doctor Brown

Text

{Enter all together, and request to be allowed to perform.}

Johnny Funny.-

"Stir up the fire and make a light,
For in this house there will be a fight.
In comes Farmer Dick
With his big stick."

King George and Farmer Dick {together}.-

"Here's two champions going to fight."

{They fight, and the Farmer falls dead.}

K.G.-

"Five pounds for a doctor.
Ten pounds for a doctor.
Twenty pounds for a doctor."

{Enter Doctor Brown.}

D.B.-

"In comes I, old Dr. Brown,
The best old doctor in the town."

K.G.-

"Who made you the best doctor?"

D.B.-

"By my travels."

K.G.-

"Where have you travelled?"

D.B.-

"England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales,
Three times there and back again."

K.G.-

"What can you cure?"

D.B.-

"I can cure the itch, the pitch, the colic, and the gout."

K.G.-

"Can you bring dead men to life?"

D.B.-

"I can."

K.G.-

"Make this man live."

D.B. {Draws bottle from his pocket and puts it to the Farmer's mouth}.-

"Drink this."

{The Farmer rises.}

All.-

"Once he was dead, but now lives."

Johnny Funny.-

"In comes I, Johnny Funny,
The man who collects the money.
Money we want and money we'll have,
If you don't give us money
We'll sweep you all out."

Notes

Piggott's Notes:

"Oral. MS. headed 'The Sword-dancers'. Communicated to me by Mr. H.A.Auden, 1930."