M.W.Barley Collection (1957, J.B.Skelton)

Context

Location: town
Kirkby Woodhouse
SK4954
Time of Occurrence
Plough Bullocking night
Collective name
Plough Bullocking

Source

Source author
J.B.Skelton
Source title
Plough Bullocking night, second Monday in Jan.
Source publication
1st May 1957, Ref. Ba P 1/24

Cast

1st boy {Introducer}
2nd boy / King George
3rd boy
4th boy / Doctor.
5th boy / Rake
6th boy / Neddy Gent
7th boy / Belzebub

Text

1st boy

I open the door, I enter in,
I beg your pardon to begin,
Wether I rise, or whether I fall,
I'll do my duty to please you all.

2nd boy

In comes I, King George,
No man can fight me

{waving his sword}

3rd boy

In comes I, I can fight you, {waving his sword}

{And with mock swords, they fight each other, and the 3rd boy falls wounded.}

4th boy

In comes I the Doctor.
I can cure Ipsy, Pipsey, Palsy, and Gout,
Pains within, and pains without,

{The Doctor brings out of his pocket an empty medicine bottle, and pretends to pour medicine down his throat. In a moment the patient rises being cured.}

5th boy

In comes I, a rake, as long as a snake,
If you don't give me money, I cannot buy cake.

6th boy

In comes I, Neddy Gent,
If you don't give me money
I can't pay my rent.

7th boy

In comes I old Belzebub,
Under my arm I carry my tub,
In my hand a frying pan,
Don't you think I'm a jolly good man.

[All]

{Carrying a collecting box, and rattling its contents we sang together :-}

If you haven't got a penny, a hap'eny will do,
If you haven't got a hap'eny, "God bless you".

Notes

Each boy dressed to fit the occasion.

There may have been one, or two, more characters, but you will excuse me, if after 70 or more years, I have forgotten them.