Context:

Location: Kirkby Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire, England (SK4954)
Year: Perf. 1887
Time of Occurrence: Plough Bullocking night
Collective Name: Plough Bullocking

Source:

J.B.Skelton
Plough Bullocking night, second Monday in Jan.
M.W.Barley Collection, 1st May 1957, Ref. Ba P 1/24

Cast:

Text:

1st boy

I open the door, I enter in,
I beg your pardon to begin,
Wether I rise, or whether I fall,
I'll do my duty to please you all.

2nd boy

In comes I, King George,
No man can fight me

{waving his sword}

3rd boy

In comes I, I can fight you, {waving his sword}

{And with mock swords, they fight each other, and the 3rd boy falls wounded.}

4th boy

In comes I the Doctor.
I can cure Ipsy, Pipsey, Palsy, and Gout,
Pains within, and pains without,

{The Doctor brings out of his pocket an empty medicine bottle, and pretends to pour medicine down his throat. In a moment the patient rises being cured.}

5th boy

In comes I, a rake, as long as a snake,
If you don't give me money, I cannot buy cake.

6th boy

In comes I, Neddy Gent,
If you don't give me money
I can't pay my rent.

7th boy

In comes I old Belzebub,
Under my arm I carry my tub,
In my hand a frying pan,
Don't you think I'm a jolly good man.

[All]

{Carrying a collecting box, and rattling its contents we sang together :-}
If you haven't got a penny, a hap'eny will do,
If you haven't got a hap'eny, "God bless you".

Notes:

Each boy dressed to fit the occasion.
There may have been one, or two, more characters, but you will excuse me, if after 70 or more years, I have forgotten them.

File History:

1998-09-04 - Entered by Peter Millington
1999-12-28 - Missing year added by Peter Millington
2021-01-15 - TEI-encoded by Peter Millington

Extras:

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