M.J.Preston & P.Smith (1999)

Context

Location: town
Revesby
TF2961
Time of Occurrence
Christmas
Collective name
Plouboys; Modes Dancers

Source

Source author
M.J.Preston & P.Smith
Source title
"A petygree of the Plouboys oR modes dancers songs" :
Source publication
Sheffield, National Centre for English Cultural Tradition, 1999

Cast

Fool / Fol / Noubel Antony / Mester Migcock / Valrant Night
Fideler
Pickel Herrin / Pickel Hering / Pickel Herring / Pickel / Pickel Herren / Pickel Heren / Loard of Poal
Bliu Britches / Blu Britches / Night of Lee / Blu Bretches / Youth of Jollatree
Ginger Britches / Ginger Bretches
Pepper Britches / Pepper Bretches / Fathers Eldest Son
Mr All Spise
Hobby Hors / Hobey Hors
Wild Worm
Dragen / Dragan
Sislay / Mrs Clagdarse / Sis / Sisalay

Text

{A petygree of the Plouboys oR modes dancers songs }

[Page the 1]

{the fool part}

Fool

you gentel Lordes of honour
of high & lou I say
wee all desire your favour
that is hear for to see our plesant play
[--] our play it is the best kind sir
& that you would licke to know
& wee will do the very best wee can [--]
and wee shall thinke it well bestoud
tho sum of us be little
and sum of a midel soart
wee all desire your favour
thats hear for to see our plesant spoart
you must louck not on our actshons
our wits they are all to seek
and I pray tacke no exeptons
know of what I am agoing to speak
wee are cund over the mire and mors
wee dance a hobey hors
a dragan you shall see
and a wild worm for to flee
still wee are all brauve Jovel boys
and tackes delite in Chrismas toys
wee are cumd [-----] for both bred and bear
and hops for better Chear
[--] and sumthing out of your porse sir
and I hop you will be never the worse sir
still are all brave Jovel boys
and takes delite in Chrismas toys
Cum know mr musick man play mee my delite

Fideler

{the fideler part}

what is that ould father

{fool answer}

Fool

au boy times is hard
I louve to hauve money in boath pockets

{the fideler}

you shall hauve it ould father

{fool answer}

Fool

let me see it

[Page the 2]

{the first man cauld in pickel herrin how 2 bliu britches the 3 cauld ginger britches the 4 cauld Pepper britches the 5}

cum know you mr all spise

{then once futid round the roum and the man that rides the hors goes out and the follouing song}

[Dancers]

Cum in cum in thou hobby hors
and bring thy ould fol at thy arse
sing tanter a day sing tanter a day
sing heigh down down with a derry doun a

{this is sung by the other [--] dancers in the roum then the fool and the [---] hors fights about the roum the following songs are sung in.}

Cum in cum in thou boney wild worm
for thou has tain many a luckey turn
sing tanter a day sing tanter a day
sing heigh down down with a dery down a

{the wild worm is only sprung out 3 or 4 times as the man walcks round the roum and then goes out the hors and the fool fights on while the following song are sung in}

[Page the 3]

Cum in cum in thou dragen stout
and take thy cumpas round a bout
sing tanter a day sing tanter a day
sing heigh downd downd with a dery down a
know you shall see a full fair fight
betwixt our ould fool and his right
sing tanter a day sing tanter a day
sing high down with a dery down a
know our scrimmig is all most don
then you shall see sum more spoart soun
sing tanter a day sing tanter a day
sing high down [--] down with a dery down a

{the fool answer}

Fool

upwell hark and upwell hind
let every man then to his own kind
sing tanter a day
sing heigh down down with a dery down a

{the [f-l] fool Part again}

Cum follow me merry men all
tho wee hauve made bould for to call
and it is nobod once be the year
that wee are so mery hear
still wee are all brave Jovel boys
and takes delight in Christmas toys

{then they all follow the fool out and futis it round the roum}

[Page the 4]

{and then locking the soards to make the glass the fool runing about the roum pickel hering says}

Pickel Hering

what is the matter know father

{the fool says}

Fool

why I tell the what pickel herrin
as I wass a loucking round about me
through my wodden spetckels
made of a great huge littel teney bit of lether
sude right be hint mee even before me
I thout I saw a feat thing

{pickel herrin sayd}

Pickel Herrin

you thought you saw a feat thing
what might this feat thing be think you father

{the fool sayd}

Fool

hou can I tell boy except I see it again

{pickel herrin [-] said}

Pickel Herrin

do you know it If you see it again

{the fool}

Fool

I cannot tell the boy let mee get it louckt at

{pickel herrin houlding [--] the glas up said}

Pickel Herrin

is this it father

{the fool loucking round and said}

Fool

why I protest pickel herrin the very same thing

{the fool said}

but what might thou call this very prity thing

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

what might you call it you are oulder than I am

{the fool said}

Fool

how can that be boy when I was boarn before you

[Page the 5]

{pickel herrin sai[n]d}

Pickel Herrin

that is the reason that mackes you oulder

{the fool said}

Fool

well what does thou call this very prity thing

{pickel herring}

Pickel Herring

[y] why I call it a fine large loucking glass

{the fool said}

Fool

let me see what I can see in this fine large loucking glass
here is a hole through it i see

{fool [-] continued} I see and I see

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

you see and you see and what do you see

{the fool said}

Fool

marry ene a fool iust [--] like thee

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

It is only your own face in the glas

{the fool said}

Fool

why a fool may be mistain sumtimes pickel herrin

{the fool again}

but what might this fine large loucking glass cost thee

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

that fine larg loucking glass cost mee a genue [-------]

{the fool said}

Fool

a genue bou
why I could baught as good a won at my own dore
for three halpenc

{pickel said}

Pickel

why fools and kuckels has all ways the best luck

{the fool said}

Fool

that is as mich as to say the father is won

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

why you pass for won

[Page the 6]

{the fool keeping the glass all the time and said}

Fool

why was thou such a nee boy
to goo to ware a genue
to louck for the beuty
where it never wass
but I will shou the boy
hou foolish thou has waird a deal of god money

{the fool throuing the glass in the flooar and jumping upon them then the dancears every one drowing his own soard and the fool [d-------] dancing about the roum and pickel herrin tacking the fool by the coler and said}

Pickel Herrin

father father you are so merry dis spoes this god [----] time
there is no talking to you
hear is very bad neus

{the fool said}

Fool

very good nues I am glad to hear it
I do not hear good nues every day

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

it is very bad news

{the fool said}

Fool

why what is the matter know boy

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

wee hauve all concluded to cut of your hed
be mercy full to mee, a sinner
If thou should do as thou said

{fool said}

Fool

there is no sich thing
I would not lose my son pickel herrin for fifty pound [Page the 7]

[Pickel Herrin]

it is your son pickel herrin that must lose you
it is your head wee desire to take of

{the fool said}

Fool

my head
I never had my head took of in all my life

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

you both must and shall

{the fool said}

Fool

houd houd boy thou seems to be in good ernest
but I tell the whear I will be berid

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

why whear will you be berid in the church yard
whear other people is berid

{the fool said}

Fool

churchyard I never wass berid ther in all my life

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

why whear will you be berid

{fool said}

Fool

au boy I am ofens dry
I will be berid in mr mirfen aill seller

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

it is such a place as I never hard talk of in all my life

{fool}

Fool

no nor nobody elce boy

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

what is your fancy to be berid thear

[Fool]

au boy I am ofens dry
and when they cum to fill the quart I drinck it of
and they will wonder what the matter is

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

hou can you do so when you will be dead
wee shall tacke your head from your body
and you will be dead

{the fool said}

Fool

if [i] I must dye I will dye with my face to the light for all you

[Page the 8]

{the fool kneeling down and said with the soards about his [n--] neck}

know gentelmen you see how ungratefull my children is groun
when I had them all at home
small about as big as I am
I put them out to good larning
I put them to the coxcome collig
and then to the universaty of loggerheads
and I took them home again this good time of christmas
and I examand them all won be won all to gather for shortness
and know they are grown so proud and so prasumtious
they are a going to kill thir ould father for his littel means

{fool said}

Fool

so I must dye for all this

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

you must dye father

{fool said}

Fool

and I will dye for all the tother
but I have a leetel sumthing
I will giuve it among you as fare as it goes
and them I shall dye quiatly

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

I hope you will

{fool said}

Fool

so to my first soon pickel herrin
ile give him the rond nag
and that will make the roag brag
and to my seckend son
I will give him the brandeld cow
and to my third soon
[Ile] ile giuve him the sanded sow
and I hope I shall [Page the 9] pleas you all enow
and to my fouart son
ile giuve him the great ruf dog
for he allwais lives like a hog
and to my fift
son ile giuve him the ram
and ile dye like alam

{then they drow the sords and the fool falls in the flooar and the dancers walcks once round the fool and pickel herrin stamps with his foot and the fool rises upon his knees again and pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

how know father

{the fool said}

Fool

how then boy
I have another squeck for my life

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

you hauve a many

{then the dancers putting the soards about the fools neck again and the fool said}

Fool

so I must dye

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

you must dye father

{fool said in his seckend will}

Fool

I hauve a leetel sumthing ile leave among you
and I hope I shall dye quiatly
so to my first son pickel herrin
ile giuve him my cap and my coat
a very good sut boy
and to my seckend son
ile giuve him my purs and aparrel
but be sure boys do not quarrel
as for my other three
my exceters they shall be

{then pickel herren putting his hand to his soard

[Page the 10]

{the fool said to pickel herrin}

hould hould boy [----] know I submit my soul to god

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

a verry good thought ould father

{fool said}

Fool

mareham church yard [-] I hop shall hauve my bones

{then the dancers walcks round the fool with their soards [--] in their hands and pickel herrin stamps with his foot and said}

Pickel Herrin

heigh ould father

{the fool said}

Fool

why boy sinc I been out of this trubelsum world
I hauve hard so much musick of fidels plang and bels a ringin
that I have a great fancy for to goo away singin
prethey pickel herrin let mee have one of thy best songs

{pickel herrin [let mee] said}

Pickel Herrin

you shall hauve it ould father

{fool said}

Fool

let mee see it

{the songs begins}

[Pickel Herrin]

good people all I prey you know bhould
our ould fool braselet tis not mad of gould
but it is made of iren and good steel
and unto death weel mack this ould fool yeld

{the fool said}

Fool

I pay for bear my chisdren small
for as I am lost I preparent all
o let mee live your spoart then to advance
that I may arise and with you have a dance

[Page the 11]

{the song again}

[Pickel Herrin]

no no ould father you do now our will
for your estate wee do your body kill
soun after death the bell for you shall toul
and I wish the loard he may receiv your soul

{then the fool falls down and the dancers with their soards in their hands sings the following song}

[Dancers]

good people all [-] you see what wee hauve don
wee hauve cut down our father licke the evening son
and hear he lies all in his porpel goar
and wee are afraid he ner will dance no moar

{the fool rises from the flooar and said}

Fool

no no my children by chance you are all mistain
for hear I found my self I am not slain
but I will arise your spoart then too advance
and with you all brave bois I huve a dance

{then the foarman and sislay dances down the other too cuple stands their ground only a short dance cauld Jack the brisk young drummer then all walck out but the fool and fidler and sislay [Page the 12] and the fool goes to the fideler and [and said] said}

Fool

hear you you do you pleas to hear the spoart of a fool

{sislay said}

Sislay

a fool for why

{the fool said}

Fool

because I can neither leap scip nor danc but
[-] cut a caper thus high
sound musick I must be gon
the lord a poul drous nigh

Pickel Heren

I am the loard of poal
and hear begins my meshur
and after mee a fool
to dance a while for plesher
in cupits cool

{this is sung by pickel heren}

{fool said}

Fool

a fool a fool a fool
a fool i heard them say.
but moar the other way
but hear I hauve a tool
will macke a maid to play
all though in cuptis cool
cum all a away

{blu britches}

Blu Britches

I am the night of lee
and hear I hauve a dager
ofended not to be
cum in thou needy beger
and follow me

{ginger bretches}

Ginger Bretches

behould. behould. Behould
a man of pooar estate
not one peny to in fould

{pepper bretches}

Pepper Bretches

my money is out at use or elce I would

[Page the 13]

{mr all spise}

Mr All Spise

with a hack. a hack. a hak.
see how I will scip and they may dance
for goys that wee have found
let each man tacke his chanc
and wee will all dance round

{and then they dance the soards which is cauld nelys gig then they run under the soards which is cauld runing bartel then three dancers dancers the three soards and the foar man gumping over the soards then the fool goes to sislay and said}

Fool

hear cums I that never came yet
sinc last time louvy
I hauve a great head but I hauve but aletil wit
tho my head be great and my wits be small
I can play the fol for awhile as well as the best of them all
my name it is noubel antony
I am as mallencoly as the manteltree
I am cumd to show you a littel spoart activaty
and soun too
make room for noubel antony
and all his good [Rest of page trimmed away] [Page the 14] cumpany
drive out all these proud roges
and let my lady and I hauve a parl

{sislay said}

Sislay

o ye cloun what makes ye drive my men out so soun

{fool said}

Fool

o parden madam parden
and I will never ofend you moar
I will make your men cum in as fast
as ever they did befoar

{sislay said}

Sislay

I pray you at my sight and drive it not till night
that I may see them dance once more so cumbly in my sight

{fool said}

Fool

a faith madem and so I will I will play the man
and make them cum in as fast as every I can
but hoild gip mrs clagdarse how do you sell gees

{sislay said}

Sislay

go louk mester migcock twelpenc a pes

{fool said}

Fool

aw the prity parden

{sislay said}

Sislay

a gip for a frown

{fool said}

Fool

an aillwife for a paliter [--rope fo]

{sislay said}

Sislay

a rope for a clown

{fool said}

Fool

why all the [Rest of page trimmed away] [Page the 15] devise in the cuntry
cannot put this down
I am a valrant night
new cumd from the seas
you do mow mee do you
I can cill you ten thousand all tho they be but fleas
I can cill you one man for a mece of mustord
or I can cill you ten thousand for a good custord
I hauve a ould sheep skin
and I lap it well in
soard and buckler by my side all redy for to fight
cum out ye hores and gluttans all
for had not i been in this cuntry
I should not a shoun my valer among you
but sound musick I must begon

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

In first and foremost do I cum
all for to lead this race
seecking this cuntry fare and near
so fair a lady to Im brace
[shee has fingers] o so fair a ladey did I never see
so cumbly in my sight
drest in her gauded gould
and silver shining bright
shee has fingers long and rings
of honor of beaten gould
my masters all behould

[Page the 16]

tis know for sum prity dancen time
[-] and wee will futit fine

{the next is blu bretches hee said}

Blu Bretches

I am a youth of Jollatree
whear is thear one licke unto mee
my hair is bushed very thick
my body is planted licke a hesel stick
my legs they quaver lick an eel
my arms be cums my bodey well
my fingers they are long and small
am not I a golly youth proper and tall
thearfoar mester musick man
what so ever may be mee chance
it is for mee ladis louve and mine
strik up the modes dance

{then they footit once round the next man ginger bretches hee said}

Ginger Bretches

I am a iolly young man of flesh blood and boan
giuve ear my masters all each one
and a speashealy you my lady dear
I hope you licke mee well
of all the gallants that is hear
it is I that doth so well
thearfore mester musick man
what so ever may be my chance
it is for mee ladys louve and mine
strike up the modes dance

{then they footit round [Page the 17] the next man cauld in pepper bretches hee said}

Pepper Bretches

I am my fathers eldest son
and air of all his land
and in a short time I hope
it will fall into my hands
I wass brought up at linsa coart
all the days of my life
hear stands a fair lady
I wish shee was my wife
I louve her at my hart
and from her I will never start
thearfore mr musick man play up my part

{the fool said}

Fool

and mine toou

{then cums In mr all spice and they foots it round pickel herrin suter to sislay and tackes her by the hand and walcks about the room and said}

Pickel Herrin

sweet sis if thou wif be my louve
a thousand pounds will I guive thee

{sislay answer}

Sislay

no you to ould sir and I am too young
and alas ould man that may not bee

{pickels part}

Pickel

I by the a goun of the ilat bliv
apeticoat in brauderd to thy knee
licke wise my louve this shall be true

{sislay answer}

Sislay

and alas ould man that may not bee

[Page the 18]

{pickel herin part}

Pickel Herin

[I will by thee] thou shall walck at thy plesher louve all the day
[-] if at night thou will but cum home to mee
and in my house bear all the sway

{sislay answer}

Sislay

your children they will find falt with mee

{pickel herrin}

Pickel Herrin

I will turn my childeren out of doors

{sislay answer}

Sislay

yes so I fear you will do mee

{pickel herrin}

Pickel Herrin

nay then sweet sis never trust mee mooar
for I never louvd las licke thee be foar

{the fool cums and said}

Fool

no nor be hint nather
well met sweet sis well over tain

{sislay answer}

Sislay

you are cindly welckem sir to mee

{fool said}

Fool

I will wipe my eyes and I will couck again
mee thincks sweet sis I now the see

{sislay answer}

Sislay

raf what has thou for to pleshuer mee

{fool said}

Fool

why this my dear I will giuve thee
and all I hauve it shall be thine

{sis}

Sis

cind sir I thank you hartaly

{pickel herren said to the fool}

Pickel Herren

stand back stand back thou silly auld swain
this girl shall goo with non but mee

{the fool said}

Fool

I nawnot

{pickel herren said}

Pickel Herren

stand back stand back or i will cleve your brain

[Page the 19]

{then pickel goes to sis}

o know sweet sis I am cumd to thee

{sislay answer}

Sislay

you are as welckem as the rest
whear in you brag so lustaly

{fool cums}

Fool

for a thousand pounds [yo-] shee louvs mee the best
I can see by the twincklin of her ee

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

I hauve [so-] stooar of gould whear on I bost
licke wise my soard louve shall fight for thee
when all is don louve I will scower the coars
and bring in gould for thee and mee

{sislay answer}

Sislay

your gould may gaine as good as I
but by no means it shall temp mee
for youth full years and frosen age
cannot in any cais agree

{then blue [g] bretches goes up and said}

Blue Bretches

sweet mistres be advised by mee
do not let this ould man be denyd
but louve him for his gould in stoar
him self may serve for a cloack besids [sa]

{sisalay answer}

Sisalay

yes sir you are not in the right
stand back and do not you councel mee
for I louve a lad that will macke mee laf
in a secret plais to pleshuar mee

{the fool said}

Fool

good wensh

[Page the 20]

{pickel herrin said}

Pickel Herrin

louve I have a beard as whit as milck

{sis}

Sis

near better for that thou silly ould man

{pickel herrin}

Pickel Herrin

be sides my skin louve is as soft as silck

{fool}

Fool

and thy face shines licke a driping pan

{pickel herrin}

Pickel Herrin

[f] rafe what has thou for to plesuer [mee] her

{fool said}

Fool

Notes

Peter Millington's Notes:

Preston & Smith's publication is a facsimile reprint of the original manuscript: Lincolnshire Archives, RA 3/8.

Preston & Smith notes:

"The manuscript was deposited in 1971 as part of the Revesby Abbey Archive. Where it had been since 1779 no one is certain.

Segments in square brackets (with the exception of character names and page numbers) indicate text that has been scored out in the manuscript."