Of the comparatively modern play acted by the mummers s.p.a.ce only enables me to give two examples, although I could give many more. The first is the simplest, and only requires three princ.i.p.al actors, and this is still played in Oxfordshire.[70]
[Footnote 70: _Notes and Queries_, 6th series xii. 489.]
_A Knight enters with his sword drawn, and says:_
Room, room, make room, brave gallants all, For me and my brave company!
Where"s the man that dares bid me stand?
I"ll cut him down with my bold hand!
_St. George._ Here"s the man that dares bid you stand; He defies your courageous hand!
_The Knight._ Then mind your eye, to guard the blow, And shield your face, and heart also.
(_St. George gets wounded in the combat, and falls._)
Doctor, Doctor, come here and see, St. George is wounded in the knee; Doctor, Doctor, play well your part.
St. George is wounded in the heart!
(_The Doctor enters._)
I am a Doctor, and a Doctor good, And with my hand I"ll stop the blood.
_The Knight._ What can you cure, Doctor?
_The Doctor._ I can cure coughs, colds, fevers, gout, Both pains within and aches without; I will bleed him in the thumb.
_St. George._ O! will you so? then I"ll get up and run!
_Some more Mummers or Minstrels come in, and they sing the following stanza, accompanied by the Hurdy Gourdy_:--
My father, he killed a fine fat hog, And that you may plainly see; My mother gave me the guts of the hog, To make a hurdy gourdy.
_Then they repeat the song in full chorus, and dance._
The other example is far more elaborate, and was read by J.S. Udal, Esquire, in a paper on Christmas Mummers in Dorsetshire before the Folk-lore Society, 13th April 1880. He said: "I will now proceed to give the entire rendering of the first version as it was obtained for me, some few years ago, by an old Dorsetshire lady, who is now dead, and in this the _dramatis personae_ are as follow:--
"OLD FATHER CHRISTMAS.
ROOM.
ANTHONY, the Egyptian King.
ST. GEORGE.
ST. PATRICK.
CAPTAIN Bl.u.s.tER.
GRACIOUS KING.
GENERAL VALENTINE.
COLONEL SPRING.
OLD BETTY.
DOCTOR.
SERVANT-MAN."
_Enter_ OLD FATHER CHRISTMAS.
Here comes I, Father Christmas, welcome, or welcome not, I hope Old Father Christmas will never be forgot.
Although it is Old Father Christmas, he has but a short time to stay I am come to show you pleasure, and pa.s.s the time away.
I have been far, I have been near, And now, I am come to drink a pot of your Christmas beer; And, if it is your best, I hope, in heaven your soul will rest.
If it is a pot of your small, We cannot show you no Christmas at all.
Walk in, Room, again I say, And, pray, good people, clear the way.
Walk in, Room.
_Enter_ ROOM.
G.o.d bless you all, Ladies and Gentlemen, It"s Christmas time, and I am come again.
My name is Room, one sincere and true, A merry Christmas I wish to you.
King of Egypt is for to display, A n.o.ble champion without delay.
St. Patrick too, a charming Irish youth, He can fight, or dance, or love a girl with truth.
A n.o.ble Doctor, I do declare, and his surprising tricks, bring up the rear.
And let the Egyptian King straightway appear.
_Enter_ EGYPTIAN KING.
Here comes I, Anthony, the Egyptian King.
With whose mighty acts, all round the globe doth ring; No other champion but me excels, Except St. George, my only son-in-law.
Indeed, that wondrous Knight, whom I so dearly love, Whose mortal deeds the world dost well approve, The hero whom no dragon could affright, A whole troop of soldiers couldn"t stand in sight.
Walk in, St. George, his warlike ardour to display, And show Great Britain"s enemies dismay.
Walk in, St. George.
_Enter_ ST. GEORGE.
Here am I, St. George, an Englishman so stout, With those mighty warriors I long to have a bout; No one could ever picture me the many I have slain, I long to fight, it"s my delight, the battle o"er again.
Come then, you boasting champions, And here, that in war I doth take pleasure, I will fight you all, both great and small, And slay you at my leisure.
Come, haste, away, make no delay, For I"ll give you something you won"t like, And, like a true-born Englishman, I will fight you on my stumps.
And, now, the world I do defy, To injure me before I die.
So, now, prepare for war, for that is my delight.
_Enter_ ST. PATRICK, _who shakes hands with_ ST. GEORGE.
My worthy friend, how dost thou fare, St. George?
Answer, my worthy Knight.
ST. GEORGE.
I am glad to find thee here; In many a fight that I have been in, travelled far and near, To find my worthy friend St. Patrick, that man I love so dear.
Four bold warriors have promised me To meet me here this night to fight.
The challenge did I accept, but they could not me affright.
ST. PATRICK.
I will always stand by that man that did me first enlarge, I thank thee now, in grat.i.tude, my worthy friend, St. Gearge; Thou did"st first deliver me out of this wretched den, And now I have my liberty, I thank thee once again.
_Enter_ CAPTAIN Bl.u.s.tER.