R.J.E.Tiddy (1923) pp.229-231

Context

Location: town: 
Great Wolford
SP2434
Time of Occurrence: 
Christmas
Collective name: 
[Not given]

Source

Source author: 
R.J.E.Tiddy
Source title: 
The Mummers' Play
Source publication: 
Oxford, University Press, 1923, pp.229-231

Cast

Father Christmas
King George
Bold Slasher
Doctor
Jack Finney / Jack
Beelzebub
Fidler Wit

Text

Father Christmas

In comes I old Father Christmas
In comes I to make the fun.
My hair is short my beard is long
And me hat's tied on with a leather throng.
A room a room brave gallants all
Give us all room to rhyme
And we'll show you some good activity
This merry Christmas time.
Activity of age activity of youth.

{Calls King George in.}

King George

In comes King George this noble knight
Who shed his blood for Britain's right.
What makes me carry this horrible weapon?
Because I fought many a hard battle at home and abroad
And if any man can conquer me
The French Captain Collier he shall be.

Bold Slasher

In comes a soldier stout and brave
Bold Slasher is my name,
With sword and buckle by my side
I'm sure to win the game.
I'll cut him I'll slash him as small as flies
And send him to the cookshop to make mince pies.

{They fight and down goes King George.}

Father Christmas

Doctor, Doctor, play thy part
King George is wounded in the heart
And pierced through the knee.
If a Doctor I could see
£1000 I'd freely give to he.

{Doctor rides in on one of the others.}

Father Christmas

Who my noble Doctor, who be you?

Doctor

I am a Doctor good
And with my hand can stop the blood,
Cure hard corns, soft corns,
Itch, stitch and palsy and gout,
And pains within and pains without,
And if the devil's in I can fetch him out.

{Doctor calls Jack Finney.}

Doctor

Hold my horse, Jack.

Jack

Will 'a kick?

Doctor

No.

Jack

Will 'a bite?

Doctor

No.

Jack

Will it take two men to hold him?

Doctor

No.

Jack

Hold him thyself then.

Doctor

What's that?

Jack

I've got fast hold of his tail.

Doctor

Bring my tooth drawing tackle.

Jack

Fetch him thyself.

Doctor

What's that?

Jack

Come in, Sir. {He draws a tooth}
And come in Sir again.

{Doctor shakes the Pill Box.}

Doctor

We'll give him a grill as is very certain.
Arise King George and fight again.

{King George fights again.}

Beelzebub

In comes I old Beelzebub
On my shoulder I carries my club
In me hand the dripping pan
Don't you think; I'm a jolly old man?

Fidler Wit

In comes I Fidler Wit
My head's so large, me wits so small
I've brought me fidler to please you all.
Toll-de-roll the tinder box
Father died the other night
And left me all his riches,
A wooden leg, a feather bed,
And a pair of leather breeches,
A coffee pot without a spout,
A jug without a handle,
A guinea pig without a wig,
And half a farthing candle.
Sing brothers sing.

Notes

Peter Millington's Notes:

Scanned text downloaded from http://members.tripod.co.uk/Sandmartyn/mum25.htm