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The Peace Egg : A Christmas Mumming Play - 1884 |
Christmas Play from Burghclere, Hants. : Version 2 - 1914 |
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 it comes it brings good cheer
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5. |
and when it s gone it s no longer 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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in comes i old father christmas welcome in or welcome not
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20. |
i hope poor old father christmas will never be forgot
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i hope old father christmas will never be forgot
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21. |
my head is white my back is bent |
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22. |
my knees are weak my strength is spent |
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23. |
eighteen hundred and eighty three |
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24. |
is a very great age for me |
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25. |
and if i d been growing all these years |
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26. |
what a monster i should be |
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27. |
now i have but a short time to stay |
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28. |
and if you don t believe what i say |
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29. |
come in dame dolly and clear the way |
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30. |
here comes i little dame dolly |
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31. |
wearing smart caps in 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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37. |
they will walk in with drawn swords in hand |
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38. |
and if you don t believe what i 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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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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70. |
with my long teeth and horrid jaw |
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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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74. |
and suck his blood up 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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it was i that fought that fiery dragon and brought him to a slaughter
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78. |
by which behaviour i won the favour of the king of egypt s daughter
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and by that great deed i won 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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101. |
soon will i fetch thy lofty courage 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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115. |
i am come to seek 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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145. |
can cure my son of his deep and deadly wound
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i ll go and get a doctor that will heal this wound
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146. |
yes yes there is a doctor to be found |
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147. |
can cure your son of his deep and deadly wound
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i ll go and get a doctor that will heal this wound
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148. |
what s your fee |
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149. |
five pounds and a yule cake to thee |
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150. |
i have a little bottle of elacampane |
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151. |
it goes by the name of virtue and fame |
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152. |
that will make this worthy champion to 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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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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163. |
with sword and buckler by my side i hope to win more fame |
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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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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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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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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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191. |
and now am returned to cure the diseases of old england again |
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192. |
what can you cure
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1. well doctor and what canst thee do
2. well jack and what canst thee cure
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193. |
all complaints within and without
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the pain within and the pain without
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194. |
from a cold in your head to a touch of the gout
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i can cure the itch the stich the palsy and 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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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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and if he ll take one drop out of my drug 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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he will be well enough to 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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in comes i the bold turkish knight
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239. |
come from the turkish land to fight
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just come from that foreign 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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saint george that noble knight of old
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245. |
if thy welsh blood is hot soon will i fetch it cold
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and if his blood runs hot i will quickly make 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
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draw thy sword and fight
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249. |
pull out thy purse and pay
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or draw thy purse and pay
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250. |
for satisfaction i will have before i go away
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for satisfaction i ll have of thee before thou goes 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
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in comes i saint george that noble knight
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256. |
we ll spill our heart s blood for old england s rights |
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257. |
old england s honour we will still maintain |
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258. |
we ll fight for old england once and again |
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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 |
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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 |
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270. |
gainst prowess strong i bravely bore |
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271. |
the sway when all the world in arms |
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272. |
shook holy land with war s alarms |
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273. |
i for the crescent you the cross |
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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 |
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278. |
just waiting for another meat |
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279. |
oh saladin art thou come with sword in hand |
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280. |
against saint george and christendom so rashly to withstand |
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281. |
yes yes saint george with thee i mean to fight |
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282. |
and with one blow i ll let thee know |
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283. |
i am not the turkish knight |
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284. |
ah saladin saint george is in this very room |
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285. |
thou rt come this unlucky hour to seek thy fatal doom |
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286. |
hold hold saint george i pray thee stand by |
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287. |
i ll conquer him or else i ll die |
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288. |
long with that pagan champion will i engage |
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289. |
although i am but the little page |
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290. |
fight on my little page and conquer |
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291. |
and don t thee be perplext |
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292. |
for if thou discourage in the field |
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293. |
fight him will i next |
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294. |
though but a little man they were great words he said |
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295. |
ah cruel monster what havoc hast thou made |
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296. |
see where the lovely stripling all on the floor is laid |
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297. |
a doctor a doctor ten pounds for a doctor |
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298. |
here comes i little dame dorothy |
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299. |
flap front and good morrow to ye |
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300. |
my head is big my body is small
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my head so big my wit so small
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301. |
i m the prettiest little jade of you all |
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302. |
call not the doctor for to make him worse |
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303. |
but give the boy into my hand to nurse |
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304. |
rise up my pretty page and come with me |
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305. |
and by kindness and kitchen physic i ll cure thee without fee |
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306. |
carry away the dead father |
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307. |
let s see whether he s dead or no first georgy |
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308. |
yes i think he s dead enough georgy |
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309. |
carry him away then father |
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310. |
thou killed him thou carry him away |
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311. |
if you can t carry him call for help |
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312. |
three or four of you great logger headed fellows |
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313. |
come and carry him away |
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314. |
here comes i little man jack
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in comes i little johnny jack
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315. |
the master of giants |
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316. |
if i could but conquer thee saint george |
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317. |
i d bid the world defiance |
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318. |
and if thou beest little man jack the master of all giants |
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319. |
i ll take thee up on my back and carry thee without violence |
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320. |
now brave saint george he rules the roast |
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321. |
britons triumphant be the toast |
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322. |
let cheerful song and dance abound |
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323. |
whene er the mummers time comes round |
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324. |
rule britannia britannia rules the waves |
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325. |
britons never never never will be slaves |
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326. |
and a mumming we will go will go and a mumming we will go |
|
327. |
with a bright cockade in all our hats |
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328. |
we ll go with a gallant show |
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329. |
god save the queen |
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