Wiltshire Community History
Folk Play Information
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| Title | Mummers' play |
| Alternative Title | |
| Words | Gilmour, Felicity |
| Collected From | Unknown |
| Occupation | |
| Age | |
| Date | |
| Location | Limpley Stoke |
| County | Wiltshire |
| Source Primary | |
| Source Secondary | WAM 83 [1990] p 157 – 160 A Mummers’ Play from Limpley Stoke |
| Recording | |
| The Play | |
| Characters: Father Christmas - a large knobby stick; Prince of Wales - Half Moon hat, sword and spear; Prudence - Crown, short sword; Valiant soldier - Three stearts to his hat, sword; Frenchman Bold - Five stearts to his hat, sword; Little Spanish doctor - Cocked hat, a little bottle; Twing Twang - Hooter hat, small knobby stick. Father Christmas Here comes I poor old Father Christmas Come welcome or welcome not I hope poor old Father Christmas Will never be forgot Christmas comes but once a year And when he comes he brings very good cheer Such as roast beef plum pudding mince pies Who like it better than Old Dad and I? A jug of your merry Christmas ale Will make us all merry dance and sing And a little money in our pocket Is a very good thing. A room, a room, brave gallant room, a room it is I say And let the Prince of Wales walk in this way. [Enter the Prince of Wales] Prince of Wales Here comes I Prince of Wales, Prince of England With my sword and spear by my sode. There is one that I do intend - Prudence [from behind] Who, do you intend? Prince of Wales Thee, Prudence, I do intend Thou'st brought this nation to starvation Thou would'st not let the reformial pass But must and will and shall at last Father Christmas A room, a room, brave gallant room, a room it is I say Let the Prudence walk in this way. [Enter Prudence] Prudence Here comes I Prudence, Prudence Queen of Spain With this glittering sword in my hand I am come to cut and slay Prince of Wales Who are you come to fight? Prudence Thee, Prince of Wales I think 'tis my right. Thee fight me, and I'll fight thee As long as both can stand And then if I am left alive I'll return at thy command. I am a bold and a British female And that my parents know And I'll stand before thee Prince of Wales. Which is called the Valiant Knight. Prince of Wales That coward came and challenged me And wanted me excused But by Job I am an Englishman And will not be abused. Prudence [to Valiant Soldier, without] [without is not in the script, but see below] Second, art thou ready? Valiant Soldier [without] [without is not in the script but see below] No! Neither will I take thy part And if thou say two words to me I'll stab thee to the heart. Prudence [to audience] Now ladies and gentlemens You see I've got no one to take my part And yet I'll go through this battle with all my heart. Prince of Wales Now thee and I this battle will try To see which first on the ground shall lie. [They fight: after a few passes, she falls on one knee] Prudence On my bended knees I fall And pardon to increase To ask thee Prince of Wales to let me rise And I'll be thy mortal slave. Prince of Wales Rise up thou Prudence, thee I'll forgive Thou'll promise not to challenge me more while thou'll live Father Christmas A room, a room, brave gallant room, a room it is I say Let the Valiant Soldier walk in this way. [Enter Valiant Soldier] Valiant Soldier Here comes I Valiant Soldier Bold Slasher is my name With my sword and buckle by my side And hopes to win this game It is me and seven more wounded and killed Eleven score all French Irish gallant men And many a battle I've been in To fight for Queen Victoria our most gracious Queen. Father Christmas A room, a room, brave gallant room, a room it is I say Let the Frenchman Bold walk in this way. [Enter Frenchman Bold] Frenchman Bold Here comes I Frenchman Bold I swear by all fair means I'll never be controlled I am come this day to plant my tree All on the land of Sweet Liberty [Valiant Soldier and Frenchman Bold fight] Valiant Soldier O thou Frenchman Bold draw out thy sword and fight Draw out thy purse and pay And give us satisfaction this night Before thou'st go away. Frenchman Bold No satisfaction will I give thee No money will I pay thee Both whether I live or die I'll have this battle out with thee Both manfully before I goes away Valiant Soldier [to Prince of Wales] Second art thou ready? Prince of Wales Yes I am ready and willing to take thy part And if that Frenchman Bold do cut thee down I'll quickly stab him to his heart. Valiant Soldier Now ladies and gentlemens, you see I've got someone to take my part And I'll go through with this battle with all my heart. Frenchman Bold Now thee and I this battle will try To which first on the ground shall lie. [Frenchman Bold cuts Valiant Soldier down. Prince of Wales attacks Frenchman Bold] Prince of Wales O thou Frenchman Bold what hast thou done Thou hast cut down one of my brave comrades to the ground And now I am able and willing and free And now I means to quickly conquer thee. [Prince of Wales cuts Frenchman Bold Down] Prince of Wales Pray is there ere a Doctor to be found? Little Spanish Doctor [from without] Yes there is a doctor to be found Hopes to cure that man that's dead and deeply wound. Father Christmas A room, a room, brave gallant room, a room it is I say Let the Little Spanish Doctor walk in this way. [Enter the Little Spanish Doctor] Little Spanish Doctor Here comes I the Little Spanish Doctor Lately come from Roome, Frome, France and Spain With this bottle in my hand Which I call the Virgin flame I've been to Darmino, Darmengo, Indimindigo South Sandigo, and all parts of the countryo And now I'm just come back to old England again I can cure the humps, the dumps, the brown humps The peppery gall, the lock-a-my-jaw All pains within, all pains without Hitch, stitch, the palsy and the gout I can take a young woman up to ninety nine I can wrap her up in a box of my turpentine And that's what I call the hokum, smokum, elecampane Fetch the dead to life again. [He goes to Frenchman Bold] Here's a drop on thee crown, a drop on thee heart Rise up thou Frenchman Bold to fight thy part. [Frenchman Bold revives, rises to a kneeling posture and say to Prince of Wales] Frenchman Bold On my bended knee I fall And pardon to increase To ask thee, Prince of Wales to let me rise And I'll be thy mortal slave. Prince of Wales Rise up thou Frenchman Bold Go over to thy own country Tell thy Father and Mother what miracles I have done Cut down ten thousand to thy one. [Spanish Doctor raises Frenchman Bold and assists him to one side] Little Spanish Doctor Now ladies and gentlemens you see the same little bottle Has rose the Frenchman Bold on his knees to bend To raise the Valiant Soldier [approaching that prostrate warrior] Little Spanish Doctor [to the Valiant Soldier] A drop on thee crown, a drop on thee heart Rise up thou Valiant Soldier and fight thy part [Valiant Soldier revives, rises to his knees and says to Frenchman Bold] Valiant Soldier On my bended knees I fall And pardon to increase To ask thee Frenchman Bold to let me rise And I'll be thy mortal slave. Frenchman Bold Rise up thou Valiant Soldier Go over to thy own country Fight the French and Spaniards too And if thou comest here I'll make thee rue [Valiant Soldier is helped to the side by Little Spanish Doctor] Little Spanish Doctor Now ladies and gentlemens you see what miracles this little bottle has done Cured the sick and healed the wound And rose the bleeding from the ground. [Exit Doctor] Father Christmas A room, a room, brave gallant room, a room it is I say Let the Little Twing Twang walk in this way. [Enter Little Twing Twang] Twing Twang Here comes I Little Twing Twang I thinks myself the cleverest man among you all press-gang I come to press all humbugs; likewise magistrates, I'm Jolly Jack 'Pon my word I'm very sprack, wife and family at my back Out of eight aint got but five All the rest is starved alive Some on the parish and some at home Where I do go the rest do come Now for a jug of your merry Christmas ale For saa-cy Jack to have a soop Prince of Wales very sorry to see an empty cup Now I take off Old Dad's hat To see how much money I can get Now all you ladies and gentlemens who's got a crown or a pound to spare Shave Old Dad and cut his hair His hair so long and his beard to grey He want a passol of money to send him away. [The hat is sent round: and carols are usually sung afterwards] | |
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| Notes | |
| Transcribed and edited by Chris Wildridge 2008 | |
