| Line |
The Peace Egg : A Christmas Mumming Play - 1884 |
The Silverton Mummers' Rhymes - 1873 |
| 1. |
good morrow friends and neighbours dear |
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| 2. |
we are right glad to meet you here |
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| 3. |
christmas comes but once a year
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christmas comes but once a year
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| 4. |
but when it comes it brings good cheer
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and when he comes he brings good cheer
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| 5. |
and when it s gone it s no longer near
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and when he s gone he s never the near
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| 6. |
may luck attend the milking pail |
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| 7. |
yule logs and cakes in plenty be |
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| 8. |
may each blow of the thrashing flail |
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| 9. |
produce good frumenty |
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| 10. |
and let the wassail cup abound |
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| 11. |
whene er the mummers time comes round |
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| 12. |
now all ye jolly mummers |
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| 13. |
who mum in christmas time |
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| 14. |
come join with me in chorus |
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| 15. |
come join with me in rhyme |
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| 16. |
and a mumming we will go will go and a mumming we will go |
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| 17. |
with a bright cockade in all our hats |
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| 18. |
we ll go with a gallant show |
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| 19. |
here comes i old father christmas welcome or welcome not
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here comes i poor old father christmas welcome or welcome not
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| 20. |
i hope poor old father christmas will never be forgot
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i hope poor old father christmas will never be forgot
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| 21. |
my head is white my back is bent
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my head is big my back is bent
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| 22. |
my knees are weak my strength is spent
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my knees be weak and my days is almost spent
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| 23. |
eighteen hundred and eighty three
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eighteen hundred and seventy three
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| 24. |
is a very great age for me
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it s a very great age for me
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| 25. |
and if i d been growing all these years
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and if i d been sucking all these years
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| 26. |
what a monster i should be
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what a monster i should be
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| 27. |
now i have but a short time to stay
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now i come but a short time to stay
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| 28. |
and if you don t believe what i say
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1. if you don t believe in what i ve got to say
2. and if you don t believe what i ve forgot to say
3. if you don t believe what i ve got to say
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| 29. |
come in dame dolly and clear the way
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let my wife dolly come in and boldly clear the way
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| 30. |
here comes i little dame dolly
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1. here comes i little dame dolly
2. here comes i little dame dorothy
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| 31. |
wearing smart caps in all my folly
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drinking gin is all my folly
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| 32. |
if any gentleman takes my whim |
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| 33. |
i ll set my holiday cap at him |
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| 34. |
to laugh at my cap would be very rude |
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| 35. |
i wish you well and i won t intrude |
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| 36. |
gentlemen now at the door do stand
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gentlemen now at the door do stand
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| 37. |
they will walk in with drawn swords in hand
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they will walk in with drawn sword in hand
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| 38. |
and if you don t believe what i say
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1. if you don t believe in what i ve got to say
2. and if you don t believe what i ve forgot to say
3. if you don t believe what i ve got to say
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| 39. |
let one fool and four knights from the british isles come in and clear the way |
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| 40. |
room room brave gallants give us room to sport |
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| 41. |
for to this room we wish now to resort |
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| 42. |
resort and to repeat to you our merry rhyme |
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| 43. |
for remember good sirs that this is christmas time |
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| 44. |
the time to make mince pies doth now appear |
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| 45. |
so we are come to act our merriment in here |
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| 46. |
at the sounding of the trumpet and beating of the drum |
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| 47. |
make room brave gentlemen and let our actors come |
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| 48. |
we are the merry actors that traverse the street |
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| 49. |
we are the merry actors that fight for our meat |
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| 50. |
we are the merry actors that show pleasant play |
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| 51. |
stand forth saint george thou champion and clear the way |
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| 52. |
i am saint george from good old england sprung |
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| 53. |
my famous name throughout the world hath rung |
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| 54. |
many bloody deeds and wonders have i shown |
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| 55. |
and made false tyrants tremble on their throne |
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| 56. |
i followed a fair lady to a giant s gate |
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| 57. |
confined in dungeon deep to meet her fate |
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| 58. |
then i resolved with true knight errantry |
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| 59. |
to burst the door and set the captive free |
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| 60. |
far have i roamed oft have i fought and little do i rest |
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| 61. |
all my delight is to defend the right and succour the opprest |
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| 62. |
and now i ll slay the dragon bold my wonders to begin |
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| 63. |
a fell and fiery dragon he but i will clip his wing |
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| 64. |
i ll clip his wings he shall not fly |
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| 65. |
i ll rid the land of him or else i ll die
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i ll conquer him or else i ll die
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| 66. |
who is it seeks the dragon s blood |
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| 67. |
and calls so angry and so loud |
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| 68. |
that english dog who looks so proud |
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| 69. |
if i could catch him in my claw
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if i could catch thee in my claws
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| 70. |
with my long teeth and horrid jaw
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with my sharp teeth and jaws
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| 71. |
of such i d break up half a score |
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| 72. |
to stay my appetite for more |
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| 73. |
marrow from his bones i d squeeze
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marrow from thy bones i d squeeze
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| 74. |
and suck his blood up by degrees
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and suck thy blood all by degrees
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| 75. |
i am saint george that worthy champion bold |
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| 76. |
and with my sword and spear i won three crowns of gold |
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| 77. |
i fought the fiery dragon and brought him to the slaughter |
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| 78. |
by which behaviour i won the favour of the king of egypt s daughter |
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| 79. |
thus i have gained fair sabra s hand who long had won her heart |
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| 80. |
stand forth egyptian princess and boldly act thy part |
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| 81. |
i am the princess sabra and it is my delight |
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| 82. |
my chiefest pride to be the bride of this gallant christian knight |
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| 83. |
why here s a sight will do any honest man s heart good |
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| 84. |
to see the dragon slayer thus subdued |
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| 85. |
keep thy jests in thy pocket if thou would st keep thy head on thy shoulders |
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| 86. |
i love a woman and a woman loves me |
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| 87. |
and when i want a fool i ll send for thee |
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| 88. |
if there is any man but me |
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| 89. |
who noxious beasts can tame |
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| 90. |
let him stand forth in this gracious company |
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| 91. |
and boldly tell his name |
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| 92. |
i am saint patrick from the bogs |
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| 93. |
this truth i fain would learn ye |
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| 94. |
i banished serpents toads and frogs |
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| 95. |
from beautiful hibernia |
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| 96. |
i flourished my shillelah |
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| 97. |
and the reptiles all ran races |
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| 98. |
and they took their way into the sea |
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| 99. |
and they ve never since shown their faces |
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| 100. |
i am black prince of paradine born of high renown
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here comes i prince valentine that man of high renown
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| 101. |
soon will i fetch thy lofty courage down
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soon shall that lofty courage of thine saint george come tumbling down
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| 102. |
cry grace thou irish conqueror of toads and frogs |
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| 103. |
give me thy sword or else i ll give thy carcase to the dogs |
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| 104. |
now prince of paradine where have you been |
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| 105. |
and what fine sights pray have you seen |
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| 106. |
dost think that no man of thy age |
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| 107. |
dares such a black as thee engage |
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| 108. |
stand off thou black morocco dog or by my sword thou lt die |
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| 109. |
i ll pierce thy body full of holes and make thy buttons fly |
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| 110. |
now prince of paradine is dead |
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| 111. |
and all his joys entirely fled |
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| 112. |
take him and give him to the flies |
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| 113. |
that he may never more come near my eyes |
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| 114. |
i am the king of egypt as plainly doth appear
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here comes i the king of egypt see how grand he doth appear
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| 115. |
i am come to seek my son my only son and heir
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saint george saint george he is my son my only son and heir
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| 116. |
he s slain that s the worst of it |
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| 117. |
who did him slay who did him kill |
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| 118. |
and on the ground his precious blood did spill |
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| 119. |
i did him slay i did him kill |
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| 120. |
and on the ground his precious blood did spill |
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| 121. |
please you my liege my honour to maintain |
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| 122. |
as i have done so would i do again |
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| 123. |
cursed christian what is this thou hast done |
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| 124. |
thou hast ruined me slaying my only son |
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| 125. |
he gave me the challenge why should i him deny |
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| 126. |
how low he lies who held himself so high |
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| 127. |
oh hector hector help me with speed |
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| 128. |
for in my life i ne er stood more in need |
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| 129. |
stand not there hector with sword in hand |
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| 130. |
but fight and kill at my command |
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| 131. |
yes yes my liege i will obey |
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| 132. |
and by my sword i hope to win the day |
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| 133. |
if that be he who doth stand there |
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| 134. |
that slew my master s son and heir |
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| 135. |
though he be sprung from royal blood |
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| 136. |
i ll make it run like ocean flood |
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| 137. |
i am a valiant hero and hector is my name |
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| 138. |
many bloody battles have i fought and always won the same |
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| 139. |
but from saint patrick i received this deadly wound |
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| 140. |
hark hark i hear the silver trumpet sound |
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| 141. |
it summons me from off this bloody ground |
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| 142. |
down yonder is the way |
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| 143. |
farewell farewell i can no longer stay |
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| 144. |
is there never a doctor to be found
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is there a doctor to be found
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| 145. |
can cure my son of his deep and deadly wound
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1. that will try to heal this worthy champion of his deep and deadly wound
2. to heal this worthy champion of his deep and deadly wound
3. that will try and heal this lady of her deep and deadly wound
4. that will try to cure this champion of his deep and deadly wound
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| 146. |
yes yes there is a doctor to be found
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1. yes yes saint george there is a doctor that will try
2. yes yes saint george there is a doctor to be found
3. yes yes saint george etc
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| 147. |
can cure your son of his deep and deadly wound
|
1. that will try to heal this worthy champion of his deep and deadly wound
2. to heal this worthy champion of his deep and deadly wound
3. that will try and heal this lady of her deep and deadly wound
4. that will try to cure this champion of his deep and deadly wound
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| 148. |
what s your fee
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what is thy fee
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| 149. |
five pounds and a yule cake to thee
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five pounds and a hot roll to thee
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| 150. |
i have a little bottle of elacampane
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ladies and gentlemen i ve a little bottle of medicine
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| 151. |
it goes by the name of virtue and fame
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that goes by the name of virtue and fame
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| 152. |
that will make this worthy champion to rise and fight again
|
that will make the worthy champion rise and fight again
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| 153. |
here sir take a little of my flip flop |
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| 154. |
pour it on thy tip top |
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| 155. |
ladies and gentlemen can have my advice gratis
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ladies and gentlemen shall have my advice gratis
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| 156. |
i am saint andrew from the north |
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| 157. |
men from that part are men of worth |
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| 158. |
to travel south we re nothing loth |
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| 159. |
and treat you fairly by my troth |
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| 160. |
here comes a man looks ready for a fray |
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| 161. |
come in come in bold soldier and bravely clear the way |
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| 162. |
i am a valiant soldier and slasher is my name
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here comes i the valiant soldier bold slasher is my name
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| 163. |
with sword and buckler by my side i hope to win more fame
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with sword and buckler by my side in hopes to win the game
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| 164. |
and for to fight with me i see thou art not able |
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| 165. |
so with my trusty broadsword i soon will thee disable |
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| 166. |
disable disable it lies not in thy power |
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| 167. |
for with a broader sword than thine i soon will thee devour |
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| 168. |
stand off slasher let no more be said |
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| 169. |
for if i draw my broadsword i m sure to break thy head |
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| 170. |
how canst thou break my head |
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| 171. |
since my head is made of iron my body made of steel
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my head is not of iron my body is not of steel
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| 172. |
my hands and feet of knuckle bone i challenge thee to feel |
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| 173. |
alas alas my chiefest son is slain |
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| 174. |
what must i do to raise him up again |
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| 175. |
here he lies before you all |
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| 176. |
i ll presently for a doctor call |
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| 177. |
a doctor a doctor i ll go and fetch a doctor |
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| 178. |
here am i |
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| 179. |
are you the doctor |
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| 180. |
that thou may plainly see
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and there he lies all on the floor as you can plainly see
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| 181. |
by my art and activity |
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| 182. |
what s your fee to cure this poor man |
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| 183. |
five pounds is my fee but jack as thou art a fool i ll only take ten from thee |
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| 184. |
you ll be a clever doctor if you get any |
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| 185. |
well how far have you travelled in doctorship |
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| 186. |
from the front door to the cupboard cupboard to fireplace fireplace up stairs and into bed
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yes yes saint george from the front door to the cupboard cupboard to the fireplace fireplace and to bed
|
| 187. |
so far and no farther |
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| 188. |
yes yes much farther |
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| 189. |
how far |
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| 190. |
through england ireland scotland flanders france and spain
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1. yes yes saint george i ve travelled through england ireland scotland flanders france and spain
2. from england ireland scotland flanders france or spain
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| 191. |
and now am returned to cure the diseases of old england again
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and by good luck and fortune i returned to old england again
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| 192. |
what can you cure |
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| 193. |
all complaints within and without |
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| 194. |
from a cold in your head to a touch of the gout |
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| 195. |
if any lady s figure is awry |
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| 196. |
i ll make her very fitting to pass by |
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| 197. |
i ll give a coward a heart if he be willing |
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| 198. |
will make him stand without fear of killing |
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| 199. |
ribs legs or arms whate er you break be sure |
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| 200. |
of one or all i ll make a perfect cure |
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| 201. |
nay more than this by far i will maintain |
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| 202. |
if you should lose your head or heart i ll give it you again |
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| 203. |
then here s a doctor rare who travels much at home |
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| 204. |
so take my pills i ll cure all ills past present or to come
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that will cure all strange diseases hereafter and to come
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| 205. |
i in my time many thousands have directed |
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| 206. |
and likewise have as many more dissected |
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| 207. |
and i never met a gravedigger who to me objected |
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| 208. |
if a man gets nineteen bees in his bonnet i ll cast twenty of em out |
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| 209. |
i ve got in my pocket crutches for lame ducks |
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| 210. |
spectacles for blind bumble bees |
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| 211. |
pack saddles and panniers for grasshoppers |
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| 212. |
and many other needful things |
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| 213. |
surely i can cure this poor man |
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| 214. |
here slasher take a little out of my bottle |
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| 215. |
and let it run down thy throttle |
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| 216. |
and if thou beest not quite slain |
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| 217. |
rise man and fight again |
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| 218. |
oh my back |
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| 219. |
what s amiss with thy back |
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| 220. |
my back is wounded |
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| 221. |
and my heart is confounded |
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| 222. |
to be struck out of seven senses into fourscore |
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| 223. |
the like was never seen in old england before |
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| 224. |
oh hark i hear the silver trumpet sound |
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| 225. |
it summons me from off this bloody ground |
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| 226. |
down yonder is the way |
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| 227. |
farewell farewell i can no longer stay |
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| 228. |
yes slasher thou hadst better go |
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| 229. |
else the next time he ll pierce thee through |
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| 230. |
of taffy s land i m patron saint |
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| 231. |
oh yes indeed i ll you acquaint |
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| 232. |
of ancient britons i ve a race |
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| 233. |
dare meet a foeman face to face |
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| 234. |
for welshmen hear it once again |
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| 235. |
were born before all other men |
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| 236. |
i ll fear no man in fight or freaks |
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| 237. |
whilst wales produces cheese and leeks |
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| 238. |
here comes i the turkish knight
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here come i the turkish knight
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| 239. |
come from the turkish land to fight
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just come from the turkish land to fight
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| 240. |
i ll take saint david for my foe |
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| 241. |
and make him yield before i go |
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| 242. |
he brags to such a high degree |
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| 243. |
he thinks there was never a knight but he |
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| 244. |
so draw thy sword saint david thou man of courage bold
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fight thee saint george thou man of courage bold
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| 245. |
if thy welsh blood is hot soon will i fetch it cold
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and if thy blood is hot soon will i fetch it cold
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| 246. |
where is the turk that will before me stand |
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| 247. |
i ll cut him down with my courageous hand |
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| 248. |
draw out thy sword and slay
|
draw out thy sword and fight
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| 249. |
pull out thy purse and pay
|
pull out thy purse and pay
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| 250. |
for satisfaction i will have before i go away
|
for satisfaction will i have before i go away
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| 251. |
quarter quarter good christian grace of thee i crave |
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| 252. |
oh pardon me this night and i will be thy slave |
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| 253. |
i keep no slaves thou turkish knight |
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| 254. |
so rise thee up again and try thy might |
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| 255. |
i am the chief of all these valiant knights
|
here comes i saint george that valiant knight
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| 256. |
we ll spill our heart s blood for old england s rights
|
i ll spill my blood for old england s right
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| 257. |
old england s honour we will still maintain
|
old england s right will i maintain
|
| 258. |
we ll fight for old england once and again
|
i ll fight for old england once and again
|
| 259. |
i challenge all my country s foes |
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| 260. |
and i ll assist with mighty blows |
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| 261. |
and you shall find me ready too |
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| 262. |
and who but i so well as you |
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| 263. |
while we are joined in heart and hand |
|
| 264. |
a gallant and courageous band |
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| 265. |
if e er a foe dares look awry |
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| 266. |
we ll one and all poke out his eye |
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| 267. |
don t vaunt thus my courageous knights |
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| 268. |
for i as you have seen some sights |
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| 269. |
in palestine in days of yore |
|
| 270. |
gainst prowess strong i bravely bore |
|
| 271. |
the sway when all the world in arms |
|
| 272. |
shook holy land with war s alarms |
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| 273. |
i for the crescent you the cross |
|
| 274. |
each mighty host oft won and lost |
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| 275. |
i many a thousand men did slay |
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| 276. |
and ate two hundred twice a day |
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| 277. |
and now i come a giant great
|
here comes i the giant great
|
| 278. |
just waiting for another meat
|
just waiting for another meat
|
| 279. |
oh saladin art thou come with sword in hand
|
ah prince valentine art thou come with sword in hand
|
| 280. |
against saint george and christendom so rashly to withstand
|
against saint george that no man can withstand
|
| 281. |
yes yes saint george with thee i mean to fight
|
yes yes saint george with thee i mean to fight
|
| 282. |
and with one blow i ll let thee know
|
and with one blow i ll let thee know
|
| 283. |
i am not the turkish knight
|
i m not the turkish knight
|
| 284. |
ah saladin saint george is in this very room
|
ah prince valentine saint george is in this very room
|
| 285. |
thou rt come this unlucky hour to seek thy fatal doom
|
thou rt come in this unlucky hour to seek thy fatal doom
|
| 286. |
hold hold saint george i pray thee stand by
|
1. hold hold saint george i pray thee stand by
2. knock knock saint george i pray stand by
|
| 287. |
i ll conquer him or else i ll die
|
i ll conquer him or else i ll die
|
| 288. |
long with that pagan champion will i engage
|
long with that hero i will engage
|
| 289. |
although i am but the little page
|
although i am but a little page
|
| 290. |
fight on my little page and conquer
|
fight on my little page and conquer
|
| 291. |
and don t thee be perplext
|
and don t thou be perplext
|
| 292. |
for if thou discourage in the field
|
for if thou discourage in this field
|
| 293. |
fight him will i next
|
fight him will i next
|
| 294. |
though but a little man they were great words he said
|
though little man great words they was he spake to me
|
| 295. |
ah cruel monster what havoc hast thou made
|
ah cruel monster see what havoc thou hast made
|
| 296. |
see where the lovely stripling all on the floor is laid
|
see the lovely stripling all on the floor is laid
|
| 297. |
a doctor a doctor ten pounds for a doctor |
|
| 298. |
here comes i little dame dorothy
|
1. here comes i little dame dolly
2. here comes i little dame dorothy
|
| 299. |
flap front and good morrow to ye
|
flap port and good morrow t ye
|
| 300. |
my head is big my body is small
|
my head is big my body is small
|
| 301. |
i m the prettiest little jade of you all
|
i m the prettiest little jade among you all
|
| 302. |
call not the doctor for to make him worse |
|
| 303. |
but give the boy into my hand to nurse |
|
| 304. |
rise up my pretty page and come with me |
|
| 305. |
and by kindness and kitchen physic i ll cure thee without fee |
|
| 306. |
carry away the dead father
|
1. carry away the dead father
2. carry him away then father
|
| 307. |
let s see whether he s dead or no first georgy
|
let s see whe er he s dead or no first georgy
|
| 308. |
yes i think he s dead enough georgy
|
i thinks he s dead enough georgy
|
| 309. |
carry him away then father
|
1. carry away the dead father
2. carry him away then father
|
| 310. |
thou killed him thou carry him away
|
thee s killed him thee can carry him away
|
| 311. |
if you can t carry him call for help
|
if you can t carry him call for help
|
| 312. |
three or four of you great logger headed fellows
|
dree or vower o you great loggerheaded vellers
|
| 313. |
come and carry him away
|
1. come on my lads and carry this little page away
2. come in and carry him away
|
| 314. |
here comes i little man jack
|
here comes i little man jack
|
| 315. |
the master of giants
|
the master of giants
|
| 316. |
if i could but conquer thee saint george
|
if i could but conquer thee saint george
|
| 317. |
i d bid the world defiance
|
i d bid the world defiance
|
| 318. |
and if thou beest little man jack the master of all giants
|
suppose thou art little man jack the master of all giants
|
| 319. |
i ll take thee up on my back and carry thee without violence
|
i ll take thee up upon my back and carry thee out with violence
|
| 320. |
now brave saint george he rules the roast |
|
| 321. |
britons triumphant be the toast |
|
| 322. |
let cheerful song and dance abound |
|
| 323. |
whene er the mummers time comes round |
|
| 324. |
rule britannia britannia rules the waves
|
britannia britannia rules the waves
|
| 325. |
britons never never never will be slaves
|
britons never shall be slaves
|
| 326. |
and a mumming we will go will go and a mumming we will go |
|
| 327. |
with a bright cockade in all our hats |
|
| 328. |
we ll go with a gallant show |
|
| 329. |
god save the queen |
|
