Context:

Location: Ambleside, Westmorland, England (NY3704)
Year: Publ. 1930
Time of Occurrence: [Not given]
Collective Name: Pace-Egging

Source:

Douglas Kennedy
Observations on the Sword-Dance and Mummers' Play
Journal of the English Folk Dance Society, 2nd Series, 1930, No.3, pp.36-37

Cast:

Text:

[All?]

[Verse 1]
Here's two or three jolly lads all in a row,
We've come a pace-egging, we hope you'll provide,
We hope you'll provide, with your eggs and strong beer,
We'll come no more near you until the next year.
Fol-de-riddle-day. Fol-de-rol.
Fol-de-riddle-dol-dee
[Verse 2]
The first that comes in is Lord Nelson you see,
A bunch of blue ribbons tied on to his knee.
The stars on his breast like diamonds do shine,
And he hopes you'll remember it's pace-egging time.
[Verse 3]
The next that comes in is old Toss Pot you see,
The finest old fellow in every degree,
With a hump on his back and wears a pig-tail,
And all his delight is in drinking cold ale.
[Verse 4]
The next that comes in is old Molly Brown Bags,
With plenty of money she's dressed in old rags.
She's copper, she's silver and gold in much store,
And she comes a pace-egging an hopes to get more.

King.

In steps I, the Black Morocco King,
Sword and buckler by my side
And through this world I ring.
Brave boys, as you may know
This I've just come from Africa,
Africa is my dwelling place
And I will fight thee face to face.

St. George.

How canst thou fight me face to face
When my head is made of iron,
My body of steel,
My knees and joints of knickle-bone?
I challenge thee on this field.

{They fight}

Toss Pot.

O George! O George! thou has killed my only son.
Send for a five-pound doctor.

{Enter Doctor.}

St. George.

How was it you became a doctor?

Doctor.

By my travels.

St. George.

Haw far have you travelled?

Doctor.

Out of Scotland into Spain,
Three times round the world and back again,
Where I ate so much fat that I became thin and rusty.

St. George.

I wasn't talking about fat.

Doctor

Neither was I about lean.

St. George.

Well, what were you talking about?

Doctor.

What I can cure.

St. George.

What can you cure?

Doctor.

If there's nineteen devils in that man, I can take twenty out.

St. George

Do so.

Doctor.

Here, George, take a pill.
Mind it doesn't choke you as it it's going down.

{King rises.}

{All sing.}

All

Ladies and Gentlemen, sit by the fire,
Put your hand in your pockets, it is all we desire.
Put your hand in your pockets and pull out your purse
And give us a trifle, you'll not be much worse.
Fol-de-riddle-day. Fol-de-rol.
Fol-de-riddle-dol-dee

Notes:

Kennedy's introduction:

"This fragment was secured for me by Mrs. Boyle, of Eller How, Ambleside."

File History:

2001-01-01 - Entered by Peter Millington
2021-01-15 - TEI-encoded by Peter Millington

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