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Millington, Peter (2003) Textual Analysis of English Quack Doctor Plays: Some New Discoveries. In: Cass, Eddie and Millington, Peter, (eds.) Folk Drama Studies Today: The International Traditional Drama Conference 2002. Traditional Drama Research Group , Sheffield, UK , pp. 97-132. ISBN 0 9508152 3 3

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Folk Drama Studies Today - International Traditional Drama Conference 2002

97

Textual Analysis of English Quack Doctor Plays: Some

New Discoveries1

Peter Millington

Introduction

To quote Ronald Hutton:

“All told, the collapse of the theory of pagan origins has created more

problems than it has solved in the quest for the origins of the Mummers’

Play.” (R.Hutton, 1996, p.79)

The fundamental problem is that the demise of the survivalist theories has left a vacuum. No coherent replacement theory was waiting in the wings, so we were left with

numerous questions and very few answers. Various proposals have been made regarding specific aspects of the folk play tradition, but they have not been assembled

into a cohesive whole. There are five main points.

a) It seems likely that the plays were added to pre-existing house-visiting customs, and

that this took place sometime during the early to mid 18th century, as an extension of

the entertainments that these customs already possessed.2

b) Pettitt (1981 & 1994) and Fees (1994) have demonstrated that drama in the

community was varied in the 18th and 19th centuries.3

c) There is some evidence that the Quack Doctor plays indirectly took up the theatrical conventions of the Commedia dell’ Arte, in terms of verse scripts, dramaturgy and

costume.4

d) The overall similarity of the scripts suggests that there ought to be a single proto-

text from which all the various versions developed. However, there has hitherto

been no attempt to characterise or locate such a proto-text.

e) Regardless of how the Quack Doctor plays originated, they seem to have spread very rapidly to most of Britain and diversified very early on in their history.5

Many problems remain. For instance, where geographically did the plays arise?

How did contemporary popular theatre influence the plays, and what is the significance,

if any of the numerous literary and ballad inclusions? And finally, the big question, what was the original source of the texts – literary or otherwise?

History of Textual Analysis

Given that texts comprise most of the evidence we have of the plays, it is odd that so

little textual analysis has been done. This is for two main reasons. Firstly, many key scholars in the fields have asserted that the action of the plays is the most important

thing, and that the texts are insignificant accretions, a view particularly formalised by Margaret Dean-Smith (1958)6. Consequently, textual analysis was regarded pointless.

Peter Millington – Textual Analysis of English Quack Doctor Plays: Some New Discoveries

98

Secondly, those that have considered textual analysis worthwhile have nonetheless

blenched at the enormity of the task involved, and generally lacked suitable analytical tools - a situation nicely expressed by Cass and Roud:

“…the texts obviously contain vital clues – if we could just learn how to

read them!” (E.Cass & S.Roud, 2002, p.18)

Even so, despite these obstacles, there has been some textual analysis. Apart from the identification of literary and ballad inclusions by the likes of Baskervill (1924) and

Tiddy (1923), E.K.Chambers (1933) identified most of the typical speeches and their variants in The English Folk-Play – a model that was followed for Plough Plays by

Maurice Barley (1953). However, Chambers’ approach was primarily only descriptive.

With so many texts available, the advent of computers helped. Mike Preston was

first off the mark in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a database of over 150 over texts, plus fragments, which he used to study variability and to investigate a number of

specific texts (M.Preston, 1983, 1972, 1977a & 1977b).7

Preston also worked with the Smiths in their analysis of chapbook texts, and they

used computerised cluster analysis to help determine the genealogy of the various

editions (M.J.Preston et al, 1977, G.Boyes et al, 1999). Additionally, Paul Smith (1985)

used cluster analysis to study sixteen Derby Tup texts, while Ian Russell published

tables that marked Derby Tup speeches against the locations where they occur

(I.Russell, 1979, pp.465-466). I have also used cluster analysis to examine the cast lists

of Nottinghamshire plays (P.T.Millington, 1988), and I published detailed comparative

analyses of the compiled Peace Egg text of Juliana Ewing relative to her declared sources and the derivative West Indian Mummies’ plays (P.T.Millington, 1996).

Aims of this Study

Previous work all related to specific texts or limited regions. No textual analyses

have so far been published that covers the whole geographical range of the plays. The aim of this study has been to fill this gap. Largely exploratory with no firm

predetermined outcome, I nonetheless anticipated being able to refine the classification of the plays through cluster analysis, and hoped to find clues to the evolution of the

texts, perhaps even finding evidence for one or more proto-texts.

To define the textual scope of this study I have introduced the new term “Quack

Doctor Play” to replace “Mummers’ Play” or “Mumming Play”. These are unsatisfactory because the actors were not all called Mummers, and not all Mummers

performed plays. “Folk Play” is too general a term, and terms such as “Ritual Drama” and “Men's Dramatic Ritual” are subjective and/or cumbersome. By contrast, “Quack

Doctor play” is an objective term. The Doctor is the one ubiquitous character that both defines the genre and serves to distinguish it from other folk plays.

Text Database

The first thing I had to do was build a textual database. This had two parts – a

collection of electronic play texts, and a derivative codified database of individual lines.

The basic aim was to have as many different texts as possible, evenly across the whole

of the British Isles, but focussing on the oldest available texts.8 The result was a

database of about 180 full texts and fragments. This has been made generally available

on the Traditional Drama Research Group’s website at www.folkplay.info.

The texts were laid out as lines, and a set of standard identifiers was assigned to

each line type. This process raised the question of “what is a line?” For verse, this was

http://www.folkplay.info


99

relatively straightforward. The only complication was that sometimes the same verse

could be laid out as either a quatrain or as a couplet. In such cases, the couplet was adopted as the standard form, but building sub-types into the line-type codes also

accommodated the quatrain format.

e.g. As a couplet;

1500 = “i am a valiant soldier and slasher is my name” 1510 = “with sword and buckler by my side i hope to win the game”

As a quatrain;

1500.1 = “i am a valiant soldier”

1500.6 = “and slasher is my name”

1510.1 = “with sword and buckler by my side”

1510.6 = “i hope to win the game”

Prose was somewhat more difficult. Most prose passages appear in the Doctor’s lists

of travels and cures, or in the longer monologues of tangle talk, which are also list-like. In general, therefore the best approach was found to be to split prose in to discrete list

items.

Variant wording of lines was an interesting problem. Many variations are trivial –

e.g. substitution of “you” for “thou” or vice versa, addition of words such as “bold” for

emphasis, etc. In general these can be regarded as spontaneously reversible and

repeatable through normal language usage. On the other hand, some variations involve

semantic shifts that are unlikely to occur more than once. Take for instance the line;

And send him to the cookshop to make mince pies

where a number of alternative destinations occur for the mince pies. “The cookshop”,

“the bakehouse”, “the pastrycook”, etc., can easily be seen as interchangeable because the culinary theme relating to the mince pies is maintained. However, there is no

obvious rationale for being sent to “Jamaica”, so that difference is clearly significant.

Such variants needed to be both kept together and kept distinct from each other.

Again, this was done using the coding system. Identifiers were assigned in tens, and

variants were numbered within the range, e.g.

420 = and send thee to satan to make mince pies

422 = and send him to the cookshop to make mince pies

424 = and send him to jamaica to make mince pies

426 = and send thee over the seas to make mince pies

This enabled computer programs to handle the variants either individually or as a

group.

Observations on the Database

Before embarking on detailed analysis of the database, a number of immediate

observations can be made, starting with statistics.

The full database of around 180 texts contains 5,700 to 5,800 different line types,

depending whether variants are grouped together or treated separately. Of these, about

3,500 (61%) occur only once. About a further 1,050 (18%) only appear twice, and most

of these arise either from duplicated texts or because original literary sources have been

included alongside their folk play derivatives. In round terms, this leaves about 1,200


100

line types, or about 20%, that occur three or more times. This suggests that Quack

Doctor Play texts are more variable than has previously been supposed. Most scripts have at least a few a lines that do not occur elsewhere.

Map 1 shows the distribution of the plays, marked according to the following broad

date bands 9:

• Up to the 1820s – i.e. roughly up to and including W.Hone’s Every-day Book (1827)

• 1830s to the 1880s – i.e. pre-Ordish (1891)

• 1890s onwards – i.e. T.F.Ordish and E.K Chambers onwards.

The point to note about this map is that the earliest plays are distributed throughout

the British Isles, and this would have even been the case if an earlier category for 18th-century plays had been used. Indeed the map suggests no obvious historical centre

where the plays might have arisen, and from which they may have been dispersed. The

inevitable conclusion is that the plays were dispersed rapidly very early in their

recorded history.

The database contains about twenty identified literary and ballad sources, including

one new discovery - the “Lady bright and gay” speech from Henry Carey’s Honest

Yorkshireman (1736)10. Such sources mostly appear in one play only. Following my re-

assignment of the late 19th

-century play from “Mylor”, Cornwall to Truro in the late 1780s 11, it becomes apparent that nearly all the plays with literary inclusions are earlier

than 1850, and their source material is mostly 18th-century or earlier. This emphasises the increased variability of the earlier folk play texts.

Analytical Methodology

Analyses were run using both all the lines and just lines that occur three or more

times in the database, These yielded similar results, but including the low frequency

lines resulted in large unmanageable outputs and merely had a diluting effect.

Therefore, for improved focus, the following discussion only reports analyses were

done using line types occurring three or more times.

One method of analysing scripts in the past has been to use parallel texts. This is fine for two or three texts, but with larger numbers, transpositions and omissions make

them unmanageable. An alternative approach is to abandon the narrative sequence of the texts and compile a table of play scripts versus line types, as in Figure 1.

Mesa Graph 12 - Figure 1

This chart lists about 180 texts and fragments across the top in chronological order,

and about 1,200 lines down the side. Starting at the top left, all the lines from the first

text are listed down the page. Any additional lines that appear in the second text, but not

in the first, are then listed, followed by lines that appear in the third text but not the first

two, and so on. Consequently, the lines are listed in roughly chronological as well as the

plays. Notwithstanding any gaps, all lines are listed in the order they appear in their

respective texts. Wherever a given play contains a particular line, the square at the intersection of the play column and the text row is shaded in colour.

Obviously because it has been squeezed to fit on one sheet, it is not possible to read

the row and column captions – on paper. However, this chart was prepared using a

Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, and on a computer, the full-size text of the current cell can be viewed in the program’s formula bar (see Figure 2).

13


101

The main features of this graph are as follows:

• The dominant feature is the staggered outline running from the top left to the bottom right. Any individual square in this line represents the oldest recorded occurrence of

the line – perhaps the original or a close descendent.

• The texts with the longer segments in the outline have contributed more to the corpus. This does not necessarily mean that such plays provide the commonest lines.

For instance, lines from the Alexander chapbook (on the first dividing line near the top left of the graph) are generally sparse in other plays.

• Common lines appear as horizontal rows of squares. These appear to be scattered

across several source plays. No individual plays appear to be made up primarily of common lines.

• The vertical lines delimit intervals of approximately 25 years. This reveals that

about a third of the corpus was in place by 1800 – including most of the common lines - rising to about two thirds by 1825. The larger additions thereafter come from

chapbooks and embellishments to the Doctor’s part in the Recruiting Sergeant plays.

From these observations it is clear that no specific text in the collection represents a

proto-text, because if there was, there would be a play near the top left of the chart

comprising most of the common lines. The chapbook texts emerge from this chart as

derivative rather than ancestral.

Clustering Texts

In the mesa graph, several texts can be seen that have similar patterns of vertical lines. It is tempting therefore to abandon the chronological arrangement of the sources

and bring these texts together. This could be done by eye in the spreadsheet, but a better way is to use cluster analysis to identify groups of texts. This is not the place to go into

the technicalities of cluster analysis14

, but suffice to say that typical output is a dendrogram that shows how the entities should be grouped – e.g. Figure 3.

If we combine a dendrogram with the previous chart, we end up with a clustered

mesa graph – Figure 4. In this case, the texts are arranged in the order that they appear

in the dendrogram, and the vertical lines delimit the main groups identified by the cluster analysis. Unsurprisingly, we start to see blocks of lines appearing for specific

groups. However, we also see that for a few groups there are two or more blocks - e.g. the two groups on the extreme right, which represent the Plough Plays. Given that the

lines are still in roughly chronological order, this indicates that the texts of such a group have developed in more than one phase.

As with the original mesa graphs, we can see horizontal rows showing that certain

lines occur in similar sets of texts. As before, we can also abandon the chronological

sequence of the lines and bring these rows together. Again, this has been done using

cluster analysis, although this time the analysis is transposed so that lines are clustered

on the basis of the texts in which they occur. Sorting the lines accordingly, the result is a chart called a trellis graph – Figure 5. The horizontal rulings in this case delimit the

main clusters of text lines. The text and line labels have been removed and the main text and line clusters have been labelled with letters and numbers respectively to provide a

way of referencing particular blocks.

The trellis graph is even blockier than the earlier clustered mesa graph. The presence

of this structure proves the existence of discrete versions. If there was no structure to the

collection, there would be no blocks and the dots would be spread randomly throughout


102

the chart. Also, if the texts formed some sort of continuum, overall diagonal or

triangular features would be evident.

Evidence for a Proto-Text

A prominent feature of the trellis graph is a band stretching the full width of the chart in row 03. This represents a group of lines that are drawn on by all the plays in the

database. I believe this to be evidence that all the plays ultimately derive from a single proto-text, with the lines in this band specifically representing some or all of the proto-

text. Had there been two or more proto-texts, a single band would not have been present. Rather there would have been two or more or more offset bands. With other

scenarios, no band would have been present at all.

Figure 6 lists the lines from this band in the order they would appear in a play. Each

line is a random example of its type drawn from the database. Where the final digit of the Std.ID is an asterisk, this indicates that major variant wordings have been coded in

the database. Only one arbitrary alternative is given here, but to highlight the variation, non-rhyming couplets have been chosen deliberately for lines 5 & 6 and 45 & 46.

It can be seen that Figure 6 almost forms a viable text. It can therefore be regarded

as an approximate reconstruction of the proto-Quack Doctor play text. I say

approximate firstly because it is likely to be incomplete, and secondly because there are

a few instances of what appear to be alternative lines only one of which would have

been in the original play. The alternatives are highlighted in Italics. They are:

• The opening speeches - Lines 1-4 and Lines 5 & 6

• Saint/King George’s self-introduction – Lines 11-14 and Lines 15-18 – which I shall

return to later.

• The second line of the Doctor’s travels – Lines 37 and 38

• The line to rhyme with “The itch pox palsy and the gout” – Lines 42 and 43

Additionally some lines appear to be missing – e.g. rhyme lines after lines 25 and 54.

Thoughts on George and his Adversaries

Statistical analysis of the occurrence of the names King, Saint and Prince George

confirms that the titles are interchangeable. However, when he is a King, he tends not to

have the dragon legend lines – much as one would expect for a secular George. In the

ensuing discussion I will just refer to him as George. George has three different

introductory speeches, two of which have two sub-variants each. The distribution of

these is shown in Map 2. The following observations can be made:

Saint George “from England have I sprung” or “who from old England sprung” is

found in chapbooks and their derivatives - the Christmas Rhime in Ireland, and The

Peace Egg – Act 1 in England respectively. In Ireland, this George fights the Turkey

Champion, whereas in The Peace Egg he is coupled with Slasher.

The sub-variants of the “Bold” speech are found in fairly distinct northern and

southern regions, separated by the Cotswolds.

“The champion bold” sub-variant is almost totally confined to northern England. It

seems likely that the distribution of this variant has been highly influenced by the

Alexander chapbook and The Peace Egg - Act 2, although this does not necessarily

mean that the chapbooks were the ultimate source. In The Peace Egg – Act 2, this

George fights both the Prince of Paradine and Hector. This second adversary is derived


103

from the earlier Alexander chapbook, where Prince George fights Alexander and Sambo

(who has Hector’s lines).

“The man of courage bold” sub-variant primarily occurs in southern England with a

few outliers in the north. He is a King in 63% of cases, so it is possible that this is the

original status associated with this line.

Outside of the chapbooks, bold George’s adversary is primarily the Turkish Knight/Turkish Champion. To illustrate the point, he appears in the database with the

Turk 17 times, 3 times with Slasher, and 8 times with both. In all the cases where the Turk and Slasher appear in the same play, the Turk is George’s main opponent, and

Slasher tends to be an extra.

The third introductory speech - “King George that valiant knight” - occurs

throughout mainland Britain, but appears to be particularly concentrated (or at least less diluted) in the Cotswolds (Grid square SP). This George is primarily associated with

Slasher, appearing with him 11 times in the database, whereas he only appears with the Turk 3 times, and with both 3 times (one of which is J.H.Ewing’s composite text).

The linking of George’s introductory speeches with particular combatants makes it

possible to determine which came first. Map 3 shows the distribution of George’s two

principal adversaries, Slasher and the Turkish Knight/Turkish Champion. Slasher is

found in most of mainland Britain. On the other hand, the Turk is mostly confined to

southern England and to Ireland, perhaps overlying the Slasher distribution. This

suggests that Slasher is the older adversary, and therefore by association, George the

valiant knight must be older than George the bold. Furthermore, he was probably originally King George without any allusion to the dragon legend, and is likely to have

arisen in the Cotswolds and/or North Midlands. How George the bold arose is discussed later.

New Classification

In addition to the proto-text, a more detailed classification emerges from these

analyses, shown in Figure 7. This covers the nine main clusters that are marked in the

dendrogram and the trellis graph, plus two “Other” classes for modern plays that were

not analysed in this study, but which have been identified elsewhere. I have also added a

catch-all class for composed and compiled plays, which are often so idiosyncratic that

they cannot easily be assigned to any of the traditional classes, although they tend to

have a Hero-Combat format.

The new classes confirm and refine classes that have already been established.

Groups W and P together form the Plough plays (the Wooing or Bridal plays of E.C.Cawte et al, 1967, p.37) – the W group representing the Multiple Wooing plays and

the P group the Recruiting Sergeant plays that I defined in 1995. All the other groups together represent varieties of Hero-Combat play. This has always been by far the

largest class, and it was only to be expected that subdivisions would be found. Within this collection, group D represents the Sword Dance plays. Previously, Sword Dance

plays have been treated as a significantly different major class, but in textual terms I believe this major distinction can no longer be justified. They therefore become a sub-

class of the Hero-Combat plays, on a par with other variants. Lastly, the Robin Hood

plays are grouped together as a sub-class in group C – see square C-07.

Three things show that the new classes are valid:


104

1. As just described, the classes are compatible with the established classification as

defined in English Ritual Drama (E.C.Cawte et al, 1967, p.37) and more recently established refinements (M.J.Preston, 1976, and P.Millington, 1995).

2. The reality of the classes is confirmed by the discrete blocky structure of the trellis

graph, as also already discussed. The band in row 03 defines the genre and the

proto-text, while the other blocks represent the additional lines that distinguish the

main clusters and sub-clusters.

3. The geographical distribution of the main classes is shown in Map 4. This shows that plays from the same class are generally speaking close to each other, which is

what one might expect.

In my PhD thesis, I have defined the classes on the basis of the characteristic

assemblages of lines. These lists are too large to be detailed here. However, as many of these lines belong to particular dramatis personae. I give these instead in Figure 7, and I

will restrict my narrative to noteworthy features.

Plough Plays and their Evolution

The Recruiting Sergeant plays are represented by blocks in Trellis squares P14 and

P15. The fact that there are two blocks suggests that further sub-classes are present, and

indeed some additional internal structure is evident within the larger of the blocks –

P14.

• The smaller block – P15 - holds lines that are found particularly in the two earliest Recruiting Sergeant plays published by Baskervill (1924) – The Recruiting Sergeant

and Swinderby. These have a relatively basic recruiting scene.

• The bottom half of the larger block – P14 - spans all the plays in the group,

including the earlier plays, and represents a fuller recruiting scene.

• The top half of P14 covers a smaller group of plays, of which the Cropwell play (Chaworth Musters, 1890) is the oldest. These lines include embellishments to the

Doctor’s part, Tom’s wooing of the spurned Lady, and the somewhat supernumerary

Farmer’s Man and Threshing Blade.

The disposition of the blocks in the trellis graph, combined with the known dates of the plays suggests that Plough Plays underwent a three-stage development. The earliest

plays were the Multiple Wooing plays, being a hybrid of what may have originally been an independent multiple wooing scene and a Hero-Combat play15. In the early to mid

19th century, the multiple wooing scene was dropped in favour of the recruiting scene. Finally, towards the end of the 19th century, substantial additions were made to the text,

mostly of a comic nature.16

Comparing line distributions as before, it perhaps comes as no surprise that the

Hero-Combat elements of the Plough Plays seem to belong to the adjacent Northern

English group of plays. Map 5 gives one such distribution. While the link with the

Northern English group seems quite strong, there are a couple of differences that appear to suggest an additional tenuous link with the Cotswold group of plays. For instance

Map 6 shows the distribution of a subtle variation in the final line of Beelzebub’s introductory quatrain. Perhaps therefore the Plough Plays derived their Saint George

play from an older Northern English version that was found further south before the advent of Jack Finney in the Cotswolds.


105

North British Plays and their Interrelationships

The relationships between groups D, G and H are complex. The Sword Dance play

group (D) is the most distinct because of the rounds of speeches relating to each dancer

in the calling on, the lament and the denials of culpability (square D13). On the other

hand there are lines in D01 that are shared with some of the plays in group G.

Groups G and H are mostly Scottish, but also spread into the English North East.

Both groups have the distinctive character Galation17

, although in a few cases his

speeches are assigned to Slasher. Group G in fact shows evidence of two sub-groups.

The plays covered by the block in G02 are the oldest Scottish plays. These feature

overtly Scottish sentiments and dialect. The remaining plays in group G and in group H

do not display this overt Scottishness.

The plays in groups D, G and H would benefit from re-analysis with a larger collection of texts. This might clarify the interrelationships. As it stands, the

development of the Sword Dance and Galoshins plays seem intertwined, with initially

separate strands coming together to develop a new identity. Consequently, there is

scope for including these plays as sub-groups within a single large cluster, which for

geographical reasons I have called the North British Group.

Taking the Sword Dance play first, sword dances have an independent existence, and they frequently feature a calling-on in which the individual dancers are introduced

to the audience, often in song. This is not a dialogue. What appears to have happened is that a calling-on song has been merged with the text of a Quack Doctor play, with a few

local embellishments. Because so much of the original Quack Doctor play has been excised to make way for the dancers’ lines, it is not immediately obvious which variant

was used. However there appear to be more similarities with the Northern English

group than with the others.

In Scotland, the older group seems to have been rewritten to “make it Scottish”. This appears partly to have been done by removing English elements, such as Saint George,

and partly by ostentatiously using Scottish dialect. The key change was the metamorphosis of Slasher into Galation. Their introductory couplets are identical but

for the name, and the names themselves have some similarity in pronunciation. This shows that this version was adapted from the proto-George and Slasher play.

The next oldest sub-group in Scotland has a combination of the calling-on and

denial speeches from the Sword Dance play, and Galation from the earlier group,

although there are some additional lines, a few of which are to be found in the

Alexander chapbook. This chapbook may therefore also have been an influence, and can

be seen as a source for the adversaries Alexander and the King of Macedonia in

Scotland. The later Scottish plays probably evolved from the earlier versions mostly by

losing material over time, but also by acquiring some new lines that drifted into the

country from northern England.

Cotswold Plays and their Development

The play of group C are situated in the Cotswolds and are characterised by the

presence of the Doctor’s assistant Jack Finney, and a comical scene where giant tooth is

drawn. These are represented by trellis square C08. There are however further lines in

squares C09 and C07. C09 contains passages of tangle talk and Land of Cockaigne

motifs, and seem to be enhancements of the basic type. C07 primarily holds the lines of the ballad Robin Hood and the Tanner, and therefore define the Robin Hood sub-group.


106

If one sets aside the defining features of this group, such as Jack Finney, this group

has some similarities with both the Northern English and Southern English groups. This is perhaps not surprising bearing in mind its geographical position. The appearance of

its distribution as a distinct local “island” suggests that is a relatively recent development. The question is, what did it develop from? My view is that this group is

fundamentally closer to the Northern English group because of the presence of Slasher, Beelzebub and King George the valiant knight. The number of cases where typical

Southern English features are included – Father Christmas, the Turkish Knight and the “hot and cold” vaunt – are relatively few, and I feel that these instances represent

hybrids formed where the two groups meet.

I concur with Preston that the Robin Hood sub-type is a later development of this

group (M.J.Preston, 1976). I also believe that the other sub-group – with the Land of

Cockaigne and tangle talk motifs - is probably also a later development, because these

lines are additional to the core Jack Finney and related lines. It is likely that the Cockaigne/tangle talk sub-type arose before the Robin Hood changes were made,

because some of these mangled lines are also found in the Robin Hood version.

Irish and Related Plays

On the face of it, the Irish group of plays – square E06 – is one of the easiest groups

to define, because the lines are nearly all to be found in the Christmas Rhime

chapbooks. In addition to the truly Irish plays, there are a few plays on mainland Britain

that have significant portions of the Irish text – Hulme (Manchester), Tenby, and

Stanford-in-the-Vale, Berkshire.

The established view is that the plays were originally introduced to Ireland from

Britain (A.Gailey, 1968, pp.15-16 and H.Glassie, 1975, p.135), although there has been

no attempt to be more specific. By identifying lines that are shared by the two groups

but which do not appear in the other groups, it appears that the Irish texts are linked

with plays from the Cotswolds. Map 7 gives one example. While the shared lines

establish a link, they do not reveal the direction of the derivation. I am inclined to

concur with the established view that the English plays came first. However, the textual

differences between the two groups are substantial, and therefore some major rewriting

occurred in transit.

The Southern English Plays and their Genesis

Cluster S is found throughout southern England, roughly below a line drawn from

London to Bristol. There are three couplets that particularly typify this group:

Here comes I old Father Christmas, welcome or welcome not I hope old Father Christmas will never be forgot

Here comes I a Turkish Knight

Come from the Turkish land to fight

Saint George I pray thee be not so bold

If thy blood be hot I’ll soon make it cold

Because of the ubiquity of the first two characters, I tend to sub-title this group Father Christmas and the Turkish Knight. Saint George is the hero of these plays, and is

always the “man of courage bold” bold rather than “the champion bold”. The characters Beelzebub and Devil Doubt are generally absent from these plays, as is also to some

extent Slasher.


107

An important clue to the origin of the Southern English group is the illustration in

Figure 8, taken from W.Sandys (1852, p.152). This picture shows a group of juvenile performers that is clearly based on the description of costumes in both this and Sandys’

earlier publications (in W.Hone, 1827 and in W.Sandys, 1830 and 1833, and “Uncle Jan Treenoodle”, 1846). Presumably Sandys was happy with the accuracy of the depiction.

Without reading the accompanying description, most people would be under the

impression that the character at the far left was Beelzebub. This is because of his large

club, which is one of Beelzebub’s expected accoutrements. It is therefore surprising to

find that this character is meant to be Father Christmas18

. Consequently, this raises the

possibility that despite their differing rôles, Beelzebub could at some time have been

transformed into Father Christmas while retaining features of his original costume. The

geographical distribution of the two characters is shown in Map 8, which shows that they occupy different regions with very little overlap. This is consistent with the

hypothesis. The possible confusion that this transformation could cause can be seen at three locations where Beelzebub is referred to as “Father Beelzebub” – Upper and

Lower Howsell, Worcestershire, Ovingdean, Sussex, and Mid-Berkshire (B.Lowsley, 1888)19. The latter reference gives the following reassuring description for his costume

– “Old Beelzebub: As Father Christmas”.

Given that Father Christmas and the Turkish Knight are closely tied together in the

Southern English group, and that the group also has King George the man of courage

bold, with his dragon legend speech, a rational explanation for the creation of the new

script becomes possible. This is that the play was rewritten to increase its Christian content. Three changes support this view.

• Firstly, all blasphemous or risqué material was removed – e.g.:

- The replacement of Beelzebub by Father Christmas.

- The replacement of the Devil by the cook shop in the line “and send him to the

cook shop to make mince pies”.

- The replacement of “pox” by “pitch” or “stitch” in the line “I can cure the hitch

the stitch the palsy and the gout”.

- The removal of Devil Doubt

• Secondly, the introduction of the Turkish Knight turned the plot into a play about

the Crusades. Similarly, the inclusion of lines regarding the Saint George legend also reinforces the Crusading motif. However, it is strange that George remained a

King and was not beatified at the same time.

• Lastly, the introduction of Father Christmas emphasises the Christmas and hence the

Christian theme.

From the distribution, there can be no doubt that the new version was created in

southern England. Although it is not possible to say precisely where, somewhere in the southern Cotswolds seems most likely since it has been demonstrated that the Irish

plays derived from here, and the Irish Turkish Champion is clearly equivalent the

Turkish Knight in southern England.

At some point the old and new texts would have come into contact with each other,

and this probably explains why in Hampshire and neighbouring counties there are

multiple combats with both the Turkish Knight and Slasher, and other mixed features.


108

Northern English Plays and the Chapbook Texts

Describing the cluster that occupies northern England, including the North Midlands

is complicated by the chapbooks published and used in this area. Of the two types,

Alexander and the King of Egypt seems to have had little recorded influence on

performed plays. For a play of over 135 lines, the usage of this text is meagre to say the

least. Only four plays in the database have 33 (i.e. 25%) or more of the Alexander chapbook lines. One of these is in fact a Whitehaven edition of the chapbook, and

another is W.Walker’s edition of The Peace Egg chapbook, which incorporates many Alexander passages literatim.

By contrast, The Peace Egg chapbooks are known to have had a big influence in the

conurbations of the north (E.Cass, 2001, A.Helm, 1980, G.Smith, 1981, etc.). Map 9

shows the usage of Peace Egg lines in the play collection. The distribution is

significant, in western Yorkshire, south eastern Lancashire, and the north Midlands.20

The two English chapbook versions manifest themselves in trellis squares N10 and

N12. The lines in square N10 are common to both chapbooks – mostly Act 2 in the case

of The Peace Egg. Square N12 contains lines that come from The Peace Egg alone.

However, only about a third of the plays in group N are chapbooks or show strong

chapbook influences. If we look at the other plays in the group, they have little more

than the basic lines in row 03, and therefore I suggest that they are closest to the

proposed proto-text. Many of these plays have Slasher, however there are a few North

Midlands texts, such as Selston, Notts., where he is replaced by Bull Guy in his variant

spellings. It appears that Bull Guy is meant to represent an infidel antagonist, and as

such he perhaps represents a step towards (or from) the Turkish Knight.

Other Groups

Two other recognised groups, of known provenance, are not represented in the

database. The first consists of the West Indian Mummies’ plays. These are Hero-

Combat plays that have been shown to derive from the text published by Juliana Horatia

Ewing in 1884 (P.Millington, 1996). This script was compiled from five known texts

that span several of the groups described above. It consequently does not really fit

properly in any of them, and therefore the West Indian plays should be placed in a

group of their own along with Mrs. Ewing’s original.

The other group comprises the distinctive tradition of Mumming in Wexford,

Ireland (J.Parle, 2001). Originally, the plays in Wexford were the same as the other Irish

plays (see for instance the Ballybrennan play). However, at the turn of the 19th and 20th

centuries, the plays were totally rewritten to represent patriotic Irish themes. The

speeches consist of a series of relatively long monologues by patriotic Irish characters

from all periods, but particularly from the Wexford uprising of 1798 (e.g. Wolfe Tone).

However there is no real dialogue as such. Instead it is a series of self-presentations,

interspersed with step dancing and the clashing of short “Mumming sticks”. As they no

longer have a quack doctor character, Wexford Mummers should perhaps fall outside

the scope of this study. However there is clearly a historical relationship, and they warrant their own group.

Relationships between the Northern English and Southern English Versions

Although Map 5 demonstrates a strong link between the Plough Plays and the

Northern English group, there is an additional sparse distribution for the “Iron and steel” speech in southern England, with a gap in between that corresponds to the


109

Cotswold plays. There are indeed other speeches that are shared by the Northern

English and Southern English groups that are absent or rare in the Cotswold group. As it happens, all these lines appear in The Peace Egg chapbook. This being a compilation,

the question arises as to whether these lines existed in the northern tradition before the publication of the chapbook, or if the chapbook was the ultimate source for the lines in

the north. In fact, all the relevant lines do pre-date The Peace Egg in the north. For instance, Saint George’s introductory lines appear in the Alexander chapbook – an 18th-

century source used by The Peace Egg – and his dragon legend speech also appears in the Cheshire play recorded by Francis Douce sometime before 1788 (D.Broomhead,

1982). This shows that The Peace Egg derived lines from the oral tradition, rather than

the other way round. The evidence regarding the shared lines therefore supports the

view that the Northern and Southern English groups drew lines from the same proto-

text.

A Family Tree for the Quack Doctor Plays

Having examined the possible and likely ancestral links between the various folk

play groups, it is now possible to suggest a family tree, or rather a genealogical diagram

for the Quack Doctor folk plays. This is given in Figure 9. A key element is of course

the proposed proto-text, of which there is not as yet a specific real example, although

the Northern English non-chapbook plays are perhaps closest to it. The degree of

confidence in the various proposed links varies from case to case, as has hopefully been

made clear. This diagram should therefore be regarded as a starting point for discussion

and further research.

Conclusions

Three main results have emerged from this study. Firstly, evidence has been

presented for a single proto-text from which later versions developed by addition and

change. This contrasts with earlier views that the different versions had developed by

attrition from a single all-encompassing Ur-text. The lines that the proto-text probably

contained have been identified, and assembled into an initial tentative reconstruction.

Secondly, the analyses have yielded a new classification for the plays that both confirms

and extends the earlier schemes, but under two principal classes rather than three. The

Hero-Combat Plays are divided into seven subclasses, of which one comprises the

Sword Dance Plays that were previously regarded as distinct. The Plough Plays are

divided into two subclasses – the Multiple Wooing Plays and the Recruiting Sergeant

Plays. Lastly, the evolutionary relationships between the various classes have been

investigated, leading to a proposed genealogy of the plays.

Future Work

There is plenty of scope for further research. The analyses should be re-run with a

larger set of data. This should result in better characterisation of the proto-text, improve

aspects of the classification - e.g. the definition of North British Group - and clarify the

direction of the proposed evolutionary links. The main classes are likely to remain

intact, but new subclasses may emerge – e.g. featuring the Royal Prussian King, Bulguy, etc. How the plays were so rapidly and so widely dispersed also merits further

work, especially as it has been shown that the rôle of chapbooks was of regional significance only.

The search for literary and ballad parallels should continue - a task that is likely to

become easier as more full-text databases become available online. Similarly, there is a


110

need to search archive and newspaper sources from the mid 17th to mid 18th century –

the likely period of origin.

References

M.W.Barley (1953) Plough Plays in the East Midlands Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, 1953, Vol.7, No.2,

pp.68-95

C.R.Baskervill (1924) Mummers' Wooing Plays in England

Modern Philology, Feb.1924, Vol.21, No.3, pp.225-272

G.Boyes, M.J.Preston & P.Smith (1999) Chapbooks and Traditional Drama: An

Examination of Chapbooks Containing Traditional Play Texts: Part II: Christmas

Rhyme Books

NATCECT Bibliographical and Special Series, 1999, No.2, Part II

Sheffield, University of Sheffield, 1999, ISSN 1466-7347

D.Broomhead (1982) An Eighteenth Century Play from Cheshire Roomer, 1982, Vol.2, No.4/5, pp.23-29

R.Carr (1836-1838) The Peace Egg Book

Manchester, R.Carr, [1836-1838]

H.Carey (1736) The Honest Yorkshire-Man. A ballad farce. As it is Perform'd London, W.Feales, [1736], pp.22-23

E.Cass (2001) The Lancashire Pace-Egg Play: A Social History

London, FLS Books, [2001], ISBN 0-903515-22-9

E.Cass & S.Roud (2002) Room, Room, Ladies and Gentlemen …: An Introduction to

the English Mummers’ Play

London, English Folk Dance and Song Society, 2002, ISBN 0-85418-185

E.C.Cawte, A.Helm & N.Peacock (1967) English Ritual Drama: A Geographical Index

London, Folk-lore Society, 1967

E.K.Chambers (1933) The English Folk-Play

Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1933

Reprinted: Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1969

Mrs.Chaworth Musters (1890) A Cavalier Stronghold : A Romance of the Vale of

Belvoir

London, Simpkin, Marshall & others, 1890, pp.387-392

M.Dean-Smith (1958) The Life-Cycle Play or Folk-Play: Some Conclusions Following

Examination of the Ordish Papers and Other Sources Folk-lore, Dec.1958, Vol.69, pp.237-253

B.S.Everitt, S.Landau & M.Leese (2001) Cluster Analysis (4th ed.)

London. Arnold, 2001, ISBN 0-340-76119-9

C.Fees (1994) Damn St. George! Some Neglected Home Truths about the History of British Folk Drama, or Bring out the Dead.

Traditional Drama Studies, 1994, Vol.3, pp.1-14

[First presented as a conference paper at Traditional Drama 1982]

A.Gailey (1968) Christmas Rhymers and Mummers in Ireland Ibstock, Guizer Press, 1968


111

H.Glassie (1975) All Silver and no Brass

Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1975

E.Harpwood (1961) The Glympton (Oxfordshire) Mummers' Play

Folklore, Mar.1961, Vol.72, pp.338-342

B.Hayward (1992) Galoshins: The Scottish Folk Play

Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press, 1992, ISBN 07486-0338-7

A.Helm (1980) The English Mummers play

Woodbridge, D.S.Brewer, 1980, ISBN 0-85991-067-9

W.Hone (1827) The Every-Day Book and Table Book : Vol.II

London, Thomas Tegg & Son, 1827, cols.18-21, 73-75, 122-128, 1645-1648

R.Hutton (1996) The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain

Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1996, ISBN 0-19-820570-8 Reprinted: Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1997, ISBN 0-19-288045-4

B.Lowsley (1888) A Glossary of Berkshire Words and Phrases

London, Trubner, 1888, pp.17-22

P.Millington (1985) A New Look at English Folk Play Costumes Traditional Drama 1985: The 8th Annual Conference on Traditional Drama

Studies, University of Sheffield, 12th

Oct.1985 http://freespace.virgin.net/peter.millington1/Costumes/Costumes.htm, Last

updated 8th

January 2002

P.T.Millington (1988) The Problems of Analysing Folk Play Cast Lists using Numerical

Methods Traditional Drama Studies, 1988, Vol.2, pp.30-44


P.Millington (1989) Mystery History: The Origins of British Mummers’ Plays

American Morris Newsletter, Nov./Dec.1989, Vol.13, No.3, pp.9-16

P.Millington (1995) Correspondence: ‘The Ploughboy and the Plough Play’ by Alun

Howkins and Linda Merricks in Journal, 6.2 (1991), 187-208, and Correspondence from Beth Shaw in Journal, 6.4 (1993), 506-07

Folk Music Journal, 1995, Vol.7, No.1, pp.71-72

P.Millington (1996) Mrs Ewing and the Textual Origin of the St Kitts Mummies’ Play

Folklore, 1996, Vol.107, pp.77-89

P.T.Millington (2002) The Origins and Development of English Folk Plays

Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of Sheffield, May 2002

P.Millington (Forthcoming 2003) The Truro Cordwainers' Play: a “New” 18th-Century

Christmas Play Folklore, In Press, due May 2002

T.F.Ordish (1891) Folk-drama

Folk-lore, Sep.1891, Vol.2, No.3, pp.314-335

J.Parle (2001) The Mummers of Wexford

Drinagh, Wexford, JJP Publications, 2001, ISBN 0-9540927-0-8

http://freespace.virgin.net/peter.millington1/Costumes/Costumes.htm


112

T.Pettitt (1981) English Folk Drama in the Eighteenth Century: A Defense of the

Revesby Sword Play Comparative Drama, Spring 1981, Vol.15, No.1, pp.3-29

T.Pettitt (1994) Cork Revisited: A Reconsideration of Some Early Records of the

Mummers' Plays.

Traditional Drama Studies, 1994, Vol.3, pp.15-30

T.Pettitt (1995) Customary Drama: Social and Spatial Patterning in Traditional

Encounters Folk Music Journal, 1995, Vol.7, No.1, pp.27-42

M.J.Preston (1971) The British Folk Play: An Elaborated Luck-Visit?

Western Folklore, 1971, Vol.30, pp.45-48

M.J.Preston (1972) The Saint George Play Traditions: Solutions to Some Textual

Problems

Unpublished M.A. Thesis, University of Colorado, 1972

M.J.Preston (1975) [KWIC Concordance of Folk Play Texts]

Copies: (1) Norlin Library, University of Colorado (2) Library, Folklore Society, University College London

(3) Archive, National Centre for English Cultural Tradition, University of Sheffield

M.J.Preston (1976) The Robin Hood Plays of South-Central England

Comparative Drama, Summer 1976, Vol.10, No.2, pp.91-100

M.J.Preston (1977a) Solutions to Classic Problems in the Study of Oral Literature

in: S.Lusignan & J.S.North (1977) Proceedings of the 3rd

International

Conference on Computing in the Humanities, 2-6 August 1977, Waterloo,

Ontario

Waterloo, Ontario, University of Waterloo Press, 1977, pp.117-132

M.J.Preston (1977b) The British Folk Plays and Thomas Hardy: A Computer-aided

Study Southern Folklore Quarterly, 1977, Vol.40, pp.159-182

M.J.Preston (1983) A Key to the KWIC Concordance of British Folk Play Texts

Roomer, 1983, Vol.3, No.5, pp.31-40

M.J.Preston, M.G.Smith & P.S.Smith (1977) Chapbooks and Traditional Drama: An

Examination of Chapbooks containing Traditional Play Texts: Part I: Alexander

and the King of Egypt Chapbooks

CECTAL Bibliographical and Special Series, 1977, No.2

Sheffield, University of Sheffield, 1977, ISSN 0309-9229

I.Russell (1979) “Here comes me and our old lass, Short of money and short of brass”:

A Survey of Traditional Drama in North East Derbyshire Folk Music Journal, 1979, Vol.3, No.5, pp.339-378

W.S. [W.Sandys] (1830) Christmas Drama of St George

Gentlemen’s Magazine & Historical Review, Jun.1830, pp.505-506

W.Sandys (1833) Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern, Including the most popular in

the west of England and the airs to which they are sung. Also specimens of

French provincial carols. With an introduction and notes.

London, Richard Beckley, 1833, cxliv + 188pp. 12 scores.


113

W.Sandys (1852) Christmastide, its History, Festivities and Carols

London, John Russell Smith, [1852], pp.145, 153-157, 298-301

G.Smith (1981) Chapbooks and Traditional Plays: Communication and Performance

Folklore, 1981, Vol.92, No.ii, pp.208-218

P.Smith (1985) The Problem of Analysis of Traditional Play Texts: A Taxonomic

Approach Traditional Drama Studies, 1985, Vol.1, pp.43-65


R.J.E.Tiddy (1923) The Mummers' Play

Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1923

Reprinted: Chicheley, Paul P.B. Minet, 1972, ISBN 85609-014-X

J.S.Udal (1880) Christmas Mummers in Dorsetshire

Folk-Lore Record, 1880, Vol.3, No.1, pp.87-116

“Uncle Jan Treenoodle” [W.Sandys] (1846) Specimens of Cornish Provincial Dialect London, John Russell Smith, 1846, pp.53-57

Notes 1 This paper is based on my PhD research at NATCECT, which was on “The origins and development of

English folk plays” (2002). My thesis is well over 400 pages long, so in condensing the results down to a

30- minute paper, I have not been able to go into any great depth.

2 H.Clarke in J.S.Udal, 1880, pp.115-116, M.J.Preston, 1971, P.Millington, 1989, T.Pettitt, 1995, pp.29-

30,31. I have suggested that the non-play customs were probably the source for non-representational

costumes (P.Millington, 1985), and Tom Pettitt (!995) has suggested they may also have been the source

of some supernumerary characters. They certainly provided the dates of performance and the actors’

collective names.

3 Some of this may have been amateur drama – theatrical plays staged by amateur actors – but some plays

were definitely performed in the folk idiom in association with calendar customs. Similarly, the earliest

Quack Doctor play texts show more variety than the later plays, and there was a ready willingness to

incorporate literary matter into the texts.

4 This influence was exerted indirectly via the Harlequinade in English pantomime and booth plays at

fairs, aided by popular imagery in street literature. However, it seems likely that neither pantomime nor

booth theatres are direct sources for the plays, unless a printed script can be located.

5 Most versions were in existence by 1825. Thereafter, in the 19th century, chapbooks were important for

propagating the plays in certain areas, and from the mid-19th century, mainstream books were also

important for disseminating texts.

6 “My first proposition is that the play and any significance it may have, resides in the action: the text is a

local accretion alone, often both superfluous and irrelevant. The Play can exist in action alone, without a

word spoken,...” (M.Dean-Smith, 1958, p.244)

7 Preston also generated a KWIC concordance as a finding aid (M.J.Preston, 1975 & 1983), of which

NATCECT has a copy.

8 I started with J.White’s Alexander and the King of Egypt chapbook - the oldest known full text - and

added further texts in approximately chronological order. A special point was made of adding the earliest

editions of all the known chapbook versions. Whenever identified literary or ballad parallels were

encountered, the originals were added too, if necessary as extracts.

All the texts in Tiddy’s (1923) book were added and also other texts that were already available in

electronic form, subject to proof reading against the original source. The chronological provenance of

these texts was effectively random. Lastly, further texts were added to fill gaps in the geographical

distribution, the aim being cover the country as evenly as possible, using the oldest available texts.


114

9 Record dates are the earlier of; date of performance, recording or publication.

10 This speech and some of the ensuing dialogue appears in the Swinderby Plough play (C.R.Baskervill,

1924, pp.263-268), with variants appearing in most Recruiting Sergeant plays of later date.

11 During this work, I investigated the genealogy of the actors named in the play from “Mylor”, Cornwall,

which contains significant literary inclusions. This showed that the play really belongs to Truro, and dates from the late 1780s. My results are due to be published in Folklore in Spring 2003.

12 I call these graphs mesa graphs because early versions were originally plotted the other way up, and

when viewed upside down they resemble the mesas of the Arizona Desert. In the absence of a succinct

descriptive term, the name stuck.

13 Advantage was taken of this program feature, by not only shading relevant the cell but also putting the

actual text line in the cell. Again this text was not normally visible, but it is possible, for instance, to

move the cursor from cell to cell to see how the wording of a line changes from text to text.

14 Suitable descriptions of cluster analysis can be found in P.Smith (1985), P.Millington (1988), and

B.S.Everitt et al (2001)

15 The speeches that came from the Hero-Combat play were effectively frozen at the time they were

added, presumably around the start of the 19th century. These would therefore not have any features

arising from subsequent developments in the Hero-Combat plays themselves. This could be helpful in trying to determine the chronology and genealogy of the different versions.

16 Mrs Chaworth Musters’ (1890) book A Cavalier Stronghold may have been instrumental in

disseminating these additions.

17 In his book on the Scottish folk plays, Brian Hayward discusses the name at length, presenting a map to

show that the singular form of the name Galation was used in the east of its region, and the plural

Galoshins used in the west (B.Hayward, 1992, pp.72-84). He opted to use Galoshins as his standard for

the name of the play and for the collective name for the actors. His practice is followed here, although on

the basis of the quoted text, Galation is used here for the name of the character.

18 The relevant passage reads; “…Father Christmas is represented as a grotesque old man, with a large

mask and comic wig, and a huge club in his hand…” - W.Sandys (1852), pp.154-155

19 The text with Veyther Beelzebub also reported at Glympton, Oxfordshire by E.Harpwood (1961) is in

fact merely replicates Lowsley's text.

20 For completeness, the influence of the Irish Christmas Rhime chapbook is minimal in mainland Britain.

Exceptions are Hulme, Manchester, near where a one-off edition of the chapbook was published (R.Carr,

1836-1838), and in Tenby, Wales.


115

Figure 1 - Mesa Graph - All Plays - Lines Occurring Three or More Times

(Vertical lines mark intervals of 25 years)

All Plays

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2

what hoe where a still pouring in the and neuer perfect come forth your au out of my sight what as melancho prithee what tricke for christmas com in nott ingham the his name is arthur with a long pikest so well he can cle by two and by three for he hath no list and as he went fo into the forrest of to view the red de there met he with as soon as bold rob he thought some therefore out of hand and thus to hi m h why what art thou that ranges so bo in sooth to be brie that comes to stea for i am a keeper the k ing puts me i therefore stay thee and hast such a g yet thou must hav before thou make or any that i do ne but i have a staf f o i know it will do th speak cleanly goo and gi ve better te else i ll thee corre and make thee m but l et me measur eight foot and a ha and i hope i t will k hold thy hand hol and let out quarre for here we may t and get no coyn a come t ripping dow o what is the mat t master i pray you why do you stand i fear all is not we o man i do stand the tanner that sta he is a bonny bl ade for soundly he ha he is to be comme if such a feat he c if he be so stout w and he shal l tan m for as i do unders bounce buckram v and when it come but when it s gone where s father f rom f rance from s and from al l parts for to cure all st rang whose face and n as if you d fear to i can make her plu if any man has go that makes him w let him but repair t with one pi ll i ll ma or send her head the pox the palsey pains within and a broken l egs and a are the easiest wo nay more than tha break your neck i or ask you nothing i ll put him in on if shall make him figh or any one that ha see sirs see here here take my bil ls the gout the stone the mulligrubs the thousands i ve dis thousands new er take this and you great belly d maid and cure the love the hot the cold the and scour you o r and if you die nev to see a lady brig so shamefull y be t oh here comes i s and with my spea i slew the dragon and by that very m play musick s ilence brave gen alexander is my n a ramble here i too three actors hear the f irst i do presen he s just come fro the next that doth had it not been fo old dives is the ne who by lending of so gentlemen you stand of a lit tle wh room room brave for in this room we resort and to repe for remember goo the t ime to cut up so we are come to at the sounding o make room brave we are the merry we are the merry we are the merry step in thou king o i am the king of eg and prince george step in therefore m and shew forth th in egypt s f ields i but by my valour i i sounded at the ga and out came a g he gave me a blo but i up with my s hold slacker hold for on this spot th t is i that s to hash and send thee to minch pies hot mi i ll send thee to sa but hold pri nce geo either thou or i mu some mortal woun so let is f ight it ou curs d christ ian w thou hast ruin d m he gave me challe how high he was o sambo sambo h for i never was in for thou to stand w and to fi ght at my yes my liege i will and by my sword yonder stands he i ll t ry if he be sprung and through hi s bo gent lemen you se or else i d run it do is there never a do that can cure my s yeas there i s a do what di seases ca o horrible terri bl e a man drove out o and out of f ifteen o horrible terri bl e thou si lly ass that i live in hopes to b s ir unto you i bend stand of thou slav a s lave si r that is f that word deserve to be stab d si r is appoint your time i ll cross the wate i ll meat you there she can talk both i ll have none such why dont you love yes i love my lear i love a learned sc stand of f had i as as you have had s s ir to express thy for thy face shines thy teeth are no w stand of f thou dirt i ll make thy body oh what is here oh our king is sl ain th take up the body for in this place no but farewell chri st farewell farewel ad i hope we have m but gent lemen yo we ve done the be a doctor a doctor her am i can you bring a d take a lit tle of my put i t on your nin now rise up slashe cum follow me me tho wee hauve ma and they will wonde i will give him the how know father mareham church but i t is made of ir and unto death w that i may arise and good people all you wee hauve cut do and hear he lies a no no my children for hear i found m in cupits cool a fool a fool a fool a fool i heard them hear cums i that ne i hauve a great he tho my head be g i can play the fol f my name it is noube i am cumd to show make room for noub and al l his good c i am a valrant nigh you do mow mee i can ci ll you one or i can cill you ten i hauve a ould shee and i lap it well in soard and buckler for had not i been i should not a sho shee has f ingers l i am my fathers el and in a short t im i wass brought up hear stands a fair but you shal l see t is i that carys the here come i the ro with my broad sw where is the man altho you swagge cal l the doctor cal doctor doctor do y the k ing is wounde as you can plainly i shan t fetch them i am a doctor a do who s hand were if the devil in i can some to cure and i have travelled th been to europe and hocus pocus alec here come i old fa shes got the tootha come write me do that first created m i have a di amond where al l my joy an i ll give you gol d i if you can fancy m it is not your gol d to leave of f my ple i do never intend to be at any youn o go your ways yo if you are shy i ll b for i don t fear but another fair maid o stay young man you seem af raid y let reason rul e you and unto you i will thy sorrow and t roub my joy and comfo but the girl that al now proves my co hare comes i ould i hope oul d father hopen the doar and i hope your faver wether irise or we sai nt george is at with soard an buc i now he is no fool he wi ll say more b than ican perform and if you would n walk in s t george let all the royal fami here comes i ould upon my shoulder and in my hand a ham not i a hansa hear comes i son sum of my worndr then into a cave w i sot my foot upon their did i make m how many men ha and rund the fi reh i fought them al l c and sti l got of thir engl and s ri ght eng now ear i drow my hear come s i the came f rom the tur i will fight sun geo and if is blood is h drow thy sord and drow thy pus and for sat isfaction i w no sati sfaction sha no pardon shal l y so drow thy sord an i will seek the bou this cruel christan pray ware ast tho by al l my ri ch fortun o docter docter w full fif ty ginues is but sunes tis for is shall make this go o pardon pardon s spair me my life a yes proude torke and tell what a bo had it ben a thous for to mentain gra great brit ians righ and fight f ree for en with all my gallent god bl ess the rora if you please to th have i been tried yet i deny that eve we have none of t but some of the ro s lip in sai nt georg i am saint george i am a valiant sol d and send thy carc farewell saint geo i am prince saladi whose famous cou for through their he god zooks and sc what makes my n my legs are made now prince saladi take hi m away and for i cannot behol now gentlemen and my hat is dumb an pray put something for me and my bra then mind your ey and shield your fa doctor doctor com sai nt george is wo my father kill ed a my mother gave m where the houses and the wainscots the streets are pa and ni ce roasted with knives and fo who will eat me w and in this room t the f inest batt le tha between saint geo i am a litt le man th much li ke a lad tha oh doctor doctor i take it i ll crop his wings in come i cut and i and seven more roast beef plum pu no body loves the a mug of your chr and money in our in comes twing tw li eutenant of ye p i press all these b with my wife and c gent lemen and la i wish you a merry a pocket full of mo act ive young and the l ike was neve i freed fair sabra f what more could m and will always fi g i am the man that and with my swor who are you but a i am a turky cham to fight you the gr and af ter i have do if you have a mind full fif ty gui neas i moreoverthan that if you bring me an enter in saint patr here come i saint a famous champio what was saint ge he fed is horse se and af terwards be i say by george you pull out your swor pull out your purs i ll run my sword t and make you run so enter in oliver here comes i olive i conquered many i made my foes fo and beat all my opp enter in bel zebub enter devil doubt here come i lit tle de if you don t give m money i want and if you don t give m our box now must our box would spe nine or ten shilli ng all silver and no b your cell ar doors and it s all for the had awa rokes ha had awa stocks a s ic as was never i call upon belzebub here comes in bla come to conquer he is so bold and here come i poor and i am like to l o although i be too and i will f reely spe i call upon galati o i have slain his fa he wi ll never ri se t you dirty dog you you with my sword ten pounds for a d here comes in a do the best that scotl i have gone from and now i ve com will not seven do no now i ll put a litt le and a litt le to his bu and they never fou the next that i call now galoshin you young man you ll oh you villain bol d i m sure that both oh how could you i saw you sli p beh galoshin shall be now once i was dead and bl essed are t bless the master w and the pretty bab there are four of u and pl easure for t and what you f ree meikl e head and l cal l for alexander and when i came to see that l ittl e na what ai ls your back i have been east i auld wives f lying i cats gaun upon p i am sure t was no i m sure twas none twas him that follo then cheer up my we ll take him to t step in ki ng george but now i am com to see which on th doctor doctor has see thou make no f ive pounds i d f ree in comes i l itt le do the best lit tle doct my pills shall work where com st thou in her coff in eight if she s onl y got o if she can only ma i ll be bound in the if there any man c let him step i n if h my name is not ja my name is mr fi n cure a magpie wit and how canst do by cutt ing of f his h and throwing his bo no barbary at all b i can cure this ma so pray me hones the next young man he s admiral of th the game sir the ga i ll draw my blood i ll draw my blood f ight on fight on b i ll give any man t when their two sw but we wil l all gre we thank the mas if you have anythi i am bold s lasher thy lofty courage m hold hold saint ge my honour to mai for if he could he o cruel christian w or on the ground h a doctor a doctor f rom the f ire side t no further at all to cure the man th so now our play is gent lemen and la and being come t so we ll join our ha don t go about lik i go about for the yes s ir this man is not de i think you had be gent lemen gent le and if saint george good evening lad i hope you will no i have some more i have some litt le good master and remember us poo the mire it is deep we will thank you good master and here comes the fa upon my pri nciple i m come to woo t to gain her love h to gain my love it you speak too clo therefore out of m a witt y man or i ll a man for wi t i am a lawyer i suppos you plead your ca but by an by i ll te you plead a cause here comes old d comes dableing a comes jumping ab look about you old long time i have s sarrah come take bastard you jade here comes the p i ll speak for myse my old grey hairs i ll do the best for me thinks me see on you i ve f ix d m do you think i d m no i ll have one of k ick me lady out o i ll be hang d over where have you le i have traveled fo and there had a m t ry your skill docter i will feel of this m looks old man and wipe thy eyes and if ever i come nea i will turn myself a prithee fellow hold my blood it rise w i will stand before no ki ng am i thou but with my sword i am come to invi t what you like bes we will have a jov w ll have long tail w ll have a good s w ll have a lim of w ll have a farthi n good master and we will make it in we thank you for s some can dance an if you will consent in am a noble ser my orders are to e li kewise the noble i boy and i am a foo faith i can sing an i can nei ther danc but i f you begin to good people give i will tell you of a y he is almost broke and beauty as en my droopi ng wing pity my condi tion for thi s fal s girl i a chear up mandon for in a short time he swers if i don t he wi ll li st for a sou madame if he con as once praphaps he wi ll li st for a so i thank you kind s i never mean to m i will have anothe i have gold and si you shall have a s come my lads tha come and go along you shall have all and ten guines th your hat shall be and we will cut a ga i then kind si r i wi dash me if i will gr gent lemen and la i m come to see y that knows no oth but i ll tell you wh hedge about boys oh hon my back i there s a hole in t how did youget it f ight ing for our land how mony did you i kill ed a the lons here comes in jud if ye pit bought s ill where the clouds and the farmers th our hearts are ma here comes i that i ll t ry his courage i ll never pardon a therefore arise an gent lemen and la let father chri stma i am not come her i ll cut him down o who s he that see and calls so angry that english dog w with my long teeth of such i d break up and stay my stom i ll f ight saint geor i ll make him yield he brags to such he think there s n s ix actors i have b last i come in mys and if you d know the doctor says yo many bloody deed my famous name i followed a fair lad wherei n i put the doo i ve searched the but one to equal m disable disable it stand of f s lasher and for if i draw my sw how canst thou br alas alas my chie what must i do to i ll l ovingly for a do are you the doctor by my art and acti you l l be very cun o yes a great dea how far all sorts what al l sorts i ve in my pockets spectacles for bl in packsaddles and plaisters for broken i cured the devil o here jack take a li and let it run down o my back and my heart is con o hark saint georg that summons us down yonder i s th now prince of par and what f ine sigh dost thou think no dares such a blac lay down thy swor then i ll f ight thee and al l his joys en he is sl ain i di d hi m slay i did rise hector hector if that be he that d that slew my mast thou st got one wi and lay thi ne ang many bloody battl but f rom sai nt geo here comes from why master did i e why jack did ever thou proud saucy a coxcomb i defy t with a sword thou stabbing is the lea and made the tyra then i resolved wi to burst the door an that s l itt le john m they gi ve me the na could do more than as i was walking d i knocked at the m and she asked me and eat a cup of a and i sai d no than i ll call in the slashe i ll hash you and s her comes father a merry act i will b thou art a bold fell my only son my on one day as i went step prince of par come in brave tur i come to f ight a fa fol de riddle oll fol de role yes now since you ha come and do not li quewise kiss the so now my love h i never will greive well spoken doctor what medicine do send for a doctor doctor doctor doc i can put my arm do and turn the anim i heal the sick i cu if i can but find k in i carry him some p the clock st ruck one and the hour is go with a rink a tink a and i ll make your and see which on hard corns soft co my man jack coming sir good morrow frien we are right glad i banish d serpen and i m saint andr men fra that part a of taffy s land i m i challenge all my and i ll assi st wid and you shall f ind odds blud and i so huzza f irst i fought in ire now i ve come to drop a l ittl e on thi in comes i the nob with my broadswo his body s dead h and raise the dead with naked sword to help pass away and perhaps will n so walk in saint geo therefore thou tur i ll batt le thee to s i ll bring her youn thou be st a noble that go about the and tell you as ma but what i does i d and ladies and gen and it will st rike the my family s large t and so a li ttle help enter the turkish k and that s a rovin you sir aye sir there is no f ive can you do anythi yes i can the f irst that i call he s the first man god bl ess you hone i ve come to act m i ll call our young as good a swordm and here i do adv and i m the ragged dance dance wert hark canny fel low or stealing the sw i am a king and a have i to be offen and now the next one bi rd in the hand yes indeed that i w good morrow gen i ve had such a s l but now i am awa so we ll have a da when fi rst k ing hen he bought s ix pec and i am he can c i ll s tarve them on if a man want to fi but i f you please be a room a room a r i brought this ol d before i set this g hold my horse jac hold him yourself what s that you sa give him a bucket and well rrrrom do fetch it yerself sir fetch me my pi nch oh i ve got him sir i met a bark and he i went to the st ick last christmas nigh i burnt me f inger a the sparks fl ew ov the pot l id kicked t with his long tail swore he d send t in comes the gri d i m the just ice brin i went on a bit furt i came to k ing cha i came to two lit tle one gave a hard c cut a s id through k illed a lit tle jed d sent hi m down bu rack hi m up with a what is t thee name green sl eeves and now my boys we ll i see you pay or u and make them ri i ve searched hi s i ve given him tha now i come but a let my wife dolly c here comes i l ittl e drinking gin is al l yes yes saint geo pray heal this man here comes i the f lap port and good once i was a bloo where out my lads i m the chap they out o l even i got bu out of seven i got so you ve see us music strike up an yes i am a doctor t ravelled i ve t rave where there is ne wooden churches is that al l doctor fall to work doctor she i s i n a very ba i ll show you all m some are here an walk in room agai walk in doctor and with my glit te if you can dance i ye think we re of t stir up the fi re and for in this house t here comes i auld with a bunch of bl here comes i wee i m the man that li if ye don t put a p step in bul gard and in comes bul gard sai nt george sain or to conquer or to i ve heal ed his wou and there i met a doctor s a coming it ll go down his th put that into a pig and sti r it well rou here comes i buck i beg your pardon if you haven t got if you haven t got an hopes tis no of an we ull zoon go i keer not vor spa wher s the man as well shaayken avoo yer s a tooth enou the roo ads be di r zo pl ee uz put zumm the more i hear th can t come under please take hold o does a man s puls yes that s the stro tommy bring the ba is there any old w ten to stop away so raise her up an in comes i bold to i have come to tas oki ng poking fran the recrui ting serg are you free heart in your hand i pla dost thou love me yes tommy to my when shall be our tommy love to mo and tommy love to in comes i old thra my old dad learnt i will thrash you to in comes i the farm don t you see my i go forth and plou and turn i t upside how i st raight i go i scarcely make a and to my horses as they go marchi hov ve gee wo it s none of mi ne who tol d you bring the overseer of the and i think you be for it s eyes nose c is as much like yo wo my lad take ho and mind he does that makes me as when i was down my old grandmothe and grazed her sh and made her sto and i cured that draw a leg set a too she will not get a she has been liv in a fortnight without she has swallowe one drop in a mor and swall ow the bo you must take one jolly old man may i ve three sons he in comes ki ng willi what s that you say any doctors in this they have been see but i m here this v is them all the cur madam i ve got ho madam i ve got w all i want is a ni ce for we are all hun a barl ey chaff dum he has been t ry in what s that doctor if you don t i do and see these joll i wasn t talk ing abo what were you tal about what i can c here s two or three we ve come a pac i hope you ll prove we ll come no mo so the first that co he s a star on his and i hope you ll r so the next that co he s a valiant old he s a hump on h and al l his deli ght put your hands in put your hands in and gi ve us a trifle cry ing god save the in comes i the rea many a batt le hav both abroad and a very good doctor t what s this man got born to defend all please wi ll you giv allow me to draw more like a camel battl e to bat tle wit in comes i old eez on my shoulder i c yes i thought so w back o the head ag those pil ls are virg i have brought the i cured old mrs co knocked hi m over safe cure doctor


116

Figure 2 - Screen Dump of Mesa Graph

`


117

Figure 3 - Dendrogram Results of Cluster Analysis

J.White's Alexander Chapbook - 1746-1769 74nz26wh

Penkridge Christmas Play, 1899 89sj91jn

The White Boys [Isle of Man] 1845 84sc28hw

J.Pearce's Mummers' Act or Morris Dancers 'Chapbook - 1837-1849 84sk38pj

W.Walker's Peace Egg Chapbook - 1840-1877 84se24ww

Guysers Play from Underwood, Notts., 1935 & 1936 93sk45hb

Cheshire Play - Before 1788 78sj--df

A Christmas Play, Performed by the Derbyshire Mummers - 1849 84sk--hj

"Saint George and Slasher" - Sandbach, 1817 81sj76ej

Mummers' Play from Hamstall Ridware (Staffs.) 1884 88sk11kd

Kirk Hallam Christmas Guisers Play - 1907 90sk44cj

5. "Guisers" play on Xmas Eve, Repton, Derbyshire, Jan., 1909. 90sk32ps

4. Church Broughton, Derbyshire. [1930] 93sk23ps

Selston Mummers' Play - 1913 91sk45sc

Bull Guysering Play from Selston, Notts. - 1932 93sk45cl

The Somercotes Guisers, 1942-1945 94sk45ka

Hawkshead Easter Pace-Egg Play - 1898 89sd39ch

Pace-Egging from Ambleside (Westmorland) 1930 93ny30kd

Dendron Pace Egg Mummers Play, 1904 90sd27ha

The Paceakers’ Play, Heptonstall - 1909 90sd92tr

Souling Play from Huxley, Cheshire, 1913 91sj56gb

Words of the Ripon Sword-Dance - 1920 92se37kd

Mummers’ Play from Skelton (Yorkshire) 1930 93nz61kd

Morrissing in North Notts. - 1845-1850 84sk78se

Plough Boy's Play from Selby - 1892 89se63sh

Mummers’ Play from Coxwold (Yorkshire) 1930 93se57kd

Truro [Formerly Mylor]: "A Play for Christmas", 1780s 78sw84em

Cornish Christmas Play - 1833 83s---sw

The Silverton Mummers' Rhymes - 1873 87ss90fs

Lutterworth St. George Play - 1863 86sp58kw

South Notts Plough Bullock Day Play - 1873 87sk--bc

Romsey Mummers' Play - 1796-1837 79su32lj

Ovingdean, Sussex play - 1870 87tq30tr

The Christmas Mummers [Yonge's novel] 1858 85su--yc

Christmas Play from Bursledon, Hants. - 1913-1916 91su40kc

Sompting Tipteerers’s Play, 1882 88tq10sf

Christmas Play from Burghclere, Hants. : Version 1 - 1908 90su45h1

Johnny Jacks Play from Overton, Hants. - 1913 91su54cc

3. Witley, Reading, Berks. [1930] 93su77ps

Christmas Boys or Mummers, Potterne, 1876-1890 87st95bw

Tipteerers' Duologue from Cocking, Sussex - 1903-1906 90su81tr

Mummers’ Play from Alton Barnes (Wiltshire) 1930 93su16kd

The Mummers [Sixpenny Handley, Dorset, 1880s] 88st91ws

Christmas Play from Hampshire - 1859 85su--cb

Cornish Christmas Play - 1827 82s---sw

Christmas Play from Llanmadoc and Cheriton - 1879 87ss49dj

South West Dorset Mummers’ Play 1880 88sy--uj

Guise-Dance Play, Saint Keverne [Cornwall, 1855] 85sw72mw

Camborne, Cornwall : The Christmas Play - 1913-1916 91sw64tj

Mummers' Play from Upper & Lower Howsell, Worcs. - 1856-1857 85so74bc

Play from Malvern, Worcs. - 1913-1916 91so74tr

Mummer's Play : Change Islands, Newfoundland - 1900 90----pj

Dunvant Christmas Sport, Collected 1916 91ss59gw

Christmas Play from North Somerset - 1913-1916 91st--tr

Symondsbury Mummers’ Play 1880 88sy49uj

Christmas, Yule-Boys play from Galloway - 1824 82nx--mt

Chiswick Mummers' play, 1860 86tq27ps

King George Play from Kirkby Woodhouse, Notts. - 1887 88sk45sj

The Islip Mummers' Play of 1780 78sp51be

Oxfordshire Christmas Mummers play - 1794 79sp--je

Belfast Christmas Rhyme - Smyth & Lyons (1803-1818) 80ij37sl

Christmas Rhymers in the North of Ireland : Belfast 1872 87ij37pw

Ballybrennan, Wexford play – about 1823 81it01kp

Christmas Rhymers from Mullaghcarton - 1885 88ij16ge

Pace, Peace, or Paste Egging [Hulme, 1842] 84sj89lj

Christmas play from Dromore - 1886 88ig86ge

Boys' play from Braganstown - 1890 89io09jb

Boys’ play from Dundalk - 1915 91ij00jb

Belcoo Christmas Play, c.1940 94ih03dl

Tenby Guisers’ Play - 1857 85sn10bl

2. Stanford-in-the-Vale, Berks. [Mummers, 1900] 90su49ps

Mummers’ Play from Kirtlingon[?] - 1815-1816 81sp51rg

Play from Ilmington, Warks. - 1913-1916 91sp24tb

Play from Leafield, Oxfordshire - 1913-1916 91sp31tr

Christmas Play from Cinderford, Glos. - 1913-1916 91so61tr

Play from Great Wolford, Warks. - 1913-1916 91sp23tr

The Mummers' Act from Cuddesdon, Oxon - 1914 91sp50jl

Waterstock, Oxfordshire play - 1914 91sp60tr

Christmas Mummers of Stoneleigh [1925] 92sp37hm

Mumming [Thenford, Northants. 1854] 85sp54ba

Mid-Berkshire Mummers 1888 88su--lb

Christmas Play from Burghclere, Hants. : Version 2 - 1914 91su45h2

Christmas Mummers' Play from Weston-sub-Edge, Glos. - 1864 86sp14bc

Mumming Play from Longborough, Glos. - 1905-1906 90sp12ta

Christmas Play from Icomb, Glos. - 1913-1916 91sp71tr

Christmas Mummers Play from Sapperton, Glos. - 1914 91so90cw

The Mummers’ Performance, Lower Heyford - 1885 88sp42fh

Broadwell Christmas Play, 1900 or 1901 90sp46gi

Play from Pillerton, Warks. - 1913-1916 91sp24tr

Mumies Play from Badby, Northants. - 1913-1916 91sp53tr

A Christmas Play from Keynsham [Hunter] 1822 82st66hs

Inglesham Christmas Play - 1840 to 1850 84su29wa

Christmas Mummers Play from Kempsford, Glos. - 1868 86su19cj

Bold Robin Hood : Shipton-under-Wychwood, Oxon. - 1913-1916 91sp21tr

The Sword Dancers, Tyne & Wear, 1815 81nz--tr

Sword Dancers, Durham, 1834 83nz--sc

Gainford, Durham, Sword-Dance Play - 1860 86nz11ce

Bellerby Sword Dance Play, 1879 & 1926 87se19km

Greatham Sword Dance Play - 1924 92nz42pn

Ampleforth Play - 1898 89se57ce

Guisards Play from the Abbotsford Collection Text (b) 1812-1832 82nt53ab

Stirling Play of Galations, 1835 83ns79mj

The New Year Mummers' Tale of Galaschin - Forfarshire 1888 88no--dw

"Sword Dancers" play, Haughton-le-Skerne, Durham [1913-1915] 91nz31ss

Crieff Guisers’ Play, 1884 88nn82lm

Culross play, 1893 89ns98cg

Scremerston Guizards, Northumberland [before 1913] 91nu04ru

Galation from the Abbotsford Collection Text (a) 1812-1832 82nt53aa

Christmas Gysarts Play from Bowden - 1815 81nt53wt

Hogmany Play from Falkirk - J.W.Reddock, 1825 82ns88rj

Galatian, a New-Year Play [from Peebles] 1841 84nt24cr

Falkirk Play, 1841 84ns88cr

The Mummers [Allendale, 1860-1870] 86ny85bg

Hallowe’en Play from Balmaghie, 1897 89nx76gw

Laurieston Hallowe'en Play (a), 1897 89nx66ga

Laurieston Play (b), 1897 89nx66gb

Cumnock Play, c.1883 88ns52da

Rugby Christmas Mumming Play, 1899 89sp57bf

A Redruth Christmas Play : 1910-1925 91sw64ed

6. "The Sword-dancers" Cumberland. [1930] 93ny--ps

The "Plouboys oR modes dancers" at Revesby 1779 77tf26al

Bassingham Men's play 1823 Xmas 82sk95bd

Bassingham Childrens play Xmas 1823 82sk95be

A Christmas Play [Broughton, Lincs.] - Text A - 1824 82sk95ba

Recruiting Sergeant [1823-1888] 82sk--bc

Swinderby Decr. 31st 1842 Play 84sk86bc

Plough Jacks’ Play from Willoughton - 1889 88sk99re

Blidworth Plough Bullocking Play, 1896 89sk55wr

Cropwell, Notts. Ploughboys' Play - 1890 89sk63cm

Plough Jagg’s Play : Bassingham - 1952 95sk95re

The Plough Boys (from Tollerton, Nottinghamshire) 1950 95sk63sm

Play from Bulby, Lincs. - 1913-1916 91tf02tr

A Plough Monday Play from Clayworth, Notts. - 1913-1916 91sk78ta

North Muskham, Notts. - Plough Monday Play - 1914 91sk75gw

Jerusalem, Lincs., Plough Play - 1914 91sk97pa

Kirton-in-Lindsey Plough-Jags Play - 1980 89sk99pm

The "Plough Jacks’" Play from Kirmington, Lincs. - 1923 92ta11tr

Lincolnshire Plough Jags play - 1890 89----be

Edith Weston Morris-Dancers Play, c.1898 89sk90cb

Another Plough Monday Play from Clayworth, Notts. - 1913-1916 91sk78tb

Plough-Jags' Ditties from North Lincolnshire - 1876 87se91pm

Hibaldstow Ploughboys’ Play -1901 90se90pm

N

S

E

C

D

G

H

W

Dissimilarlty (%) 100

P

0


118

Figure 4 - Clustered Mesa Graph

All Plays

J.W

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863

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what hoe where a s ti ll pouring in the and neuer perfect c ome forth your a out of my sight what as melancho prithee what tricke for christmas com in nottingham the h is name is arthur with a long pik est s o wel l he can clea by two and by thre for he hath no l ist and as he went fo into the forrest of to view the r ed dee there met he with as soon as bo ld ro he thought some therefore out o f ha and thus to him he why what art thou that r anges so bol in sooth to be brie that comes to stea for i am a keeper the king puts me i therefore stay the and hast such a g y et thou must hav befor e thou make or any that i do ne but i have a staff o i know it w il l do th s peak cleanly goo and g ive better te e lse i ll thee cor re and make thee mo but le t me measur e ight foot and a h and i hope it wi ll k hold thy hand hold and let out quarre for here we may t and get no coyn a c ome tripping dow o what is the matt master i pray you t why do y ou stand i fear al l is not we o man i do stand a the tanner that stan he is a bonny blad for soundly he ha he is to be comme i f such a feat he c i f he be so stout we and he shall tan my for as i do unders bounce buckram v and when it come but when it s gone where s fa ther from france from s and from a ll parts for to cure al l stra whose face and n as if you d fear to i can make her p lu i f any man has go that makes him w let him but repair t w ith one pi ll i ll ma or send her head the pox the palsey pains wi th in and a broken legs and a are the easiest wo nay more than tha break your neck i or ask you nothing i ll put him in on i f s hal l make h im fig or any one that ha s ee si rs see here here take my b il ls the gout the stone the mull igrubs the thousands i ve diss thousands new er take th is and you great bel ly d maid and cure the love the hot the co ld th and sc our you o r and i f you die nev to see a lady brigh s o shamefully be t oh here comes i s and with my spea i slew the dragon and by that very m p lay musick s ilence brave gen a lexander is my n a ramble here i to three actors hear the fi rst i do prese he s just come fro the next that doth had i t not been fo o ld d ives is the ne who by lending of s o gentlemen you s tand of a l ittle wh r oom room brave for in this room we r esor t and to repea for remember good the time to cut up s o we ar e come to at the sounding o make room brave we are the merry we are the merry we are the merry s tep in thou king o i am the king of eg and prince george s tep in therefore my and shew for th thy in egypt s fields i but by my valour i i sounded at the g and out came a g he gave me a b low but i up with my s hold slacker hold for on this spot th tis i that s to hash and send thee to minch p ies hot mi i ll send thee to sa but ho ld prince ge e ither thou or i mu s ome mortal woun s o le t is fight it ou c urs d christian wh thou hast r uin d m he gave me challe how h igh he was o sambo s ambo h for i never was in for thou to stand wi and to fight at my y es my l iege i w il l and by my sword y onder stands he i ll try if he be spru and through his b gentlemen you se or else i d run it do is there never a d that can cure my s y eas there is a do what diseases can o hor rible terrible t a man dr ove out o and out of fi fteen o hor rible terrible t thou si lly ass that i li ve in hopes to bu s ir unto you i bend s tand of thou slav a slave sir that is f that word deserve to be stab d si r is t appoint your time i ll cross the wate i ll meat you there s he can ta lk both i ll have none such why dont you love y es i love my lear i love a learned sc s tand off had i as as you have had s s ir to express thy for thy face shines thy teeth are no w s tand off thou d irt i ll make thy body oh what is here oh our king is slain the take up the body for in this p lace no but farewel l christ farewell farewel a i hope we have m but gentlemen you we ve done the be a doctor a doctor her am i c an you bring a d take a li ttle of my put it on your nin now rise up slas he c um fo llow me me tho wee hauve ma and they wil l wond i wil l give h im the how know father mareham church but it is made of ir and unto death we that i may arise an good people a ll yo wee hauve cut do and hear he lies a no no my ch ildren for hear i found my in cupits cool a fool a fool a foo l a fool i heard them hear cums i that n i hauve a great he tho my head be g i can p lay the fo l f my name it is nou i am cumd to show make room for no and a ll h is good c i am a val rant nigh y ou do mow mee i can ci ll you one or i can ci ll you te i hauve a ould she and i lap it wel l in s oard and buckler for had not i been i should not a sho s hee has fingers l i am my fathers el and in a short tim i wass brought up hear stands a fa ir but you shal l see tis i that carys the here come i the ro with my broad swo where is the man a ltho you swagge c all the doctor cal doctor doctor do y the king is wounde as you can plainly i shan t fetch them i am a doctor a do who s hand were i f the devi l in i can s ome to cure and i hav e travel led th been to europe an hocus pocus alec here come i o ld fa s hes got the tooth c ome wri te me do that fi rst created m i hav e a diamond where al l my joy a i ll g ive you gold i i f you can fancy m i t is not your gold to leave off my ple i do never intend to be at any youn o go your ways yo i f you are shy i ll be for i don t fear but another fai r maid o stay young man y ou seem afraid y let reason ru le yo and unto you i wi l thy sorrow and tro my joy and c omfo but the gi rl that al now proves my co hare comes i ould i hope ould fa ther hopen the doar an i hope your faver wether i ris e or we s ain t geor ge is a t t w ith soard an buck i now he is no fool he wi ll say more b than ican perform and i f you would no walk in s t george let al l the royal fam here comes i ould upon my s houlder and in my hand a ham not i a hansa hear comes i son s um of my worndr then into a cav e wa i sot my foot upon their d id i make my how many men ha and r und the fi reh i fought them all c and sti l got o f thi r england s right en now ear i drow my hear come s i the t c ame from the turk i wil l fight s un geo and i f is blood is ho drow thy sord and drow thy pus and for satisfaction i w no satisfaction sh no pardon shall yo s o drow thy sord a i wil l seek the bou th is crue l chr istan pray ware as t thou by al l my rich fortu o docter docter wa fu ll fifty ginues is but sunes tis for is s hal l make th is go o par don pardon s s pai r me my l ife a y es proude torke and te ll what a bo had i t ben a thous for to mentain gra great britians righ and fight free for e with al l my gallent god b less the rora i f you please to th have i been tried y et i deny that eve we have none of t but some of the ro s lip in sa in t georg i am saint george i am a val iant so ld and send thy carc farewell sa in t geo i am prince sa ladi whose famous co for through the ir h god zooks and sc what makes my n my legs are made now prince salad i take him away and for i cannot behol now gentlemen an my hat is dumb an pray put somethin for me and my bra then mind your ey and sh ie ld your fa doctor doctor com s aint geor ge is wou my father kil led a my mother gave m where the houses and the wainscots the str eets are pa and n ice r oasted with kn ives and fo who will eat me w and in this room t the finest battle th between sa in t geo i am a li ttle man th much like a lad th oh doctor doctor i take it i ll crop his wings in come i cut and i and seven more r oast beef plum p no body loves the a mug of your chr and money in our in comes twing tw l ieutenant of ye pr i press a ll these b with my wife and c gentlemen and la i wish you a merry a pock et fu ll o f mo active young and the like was neve i freed fa ir sabra f what more could m and wil l always fig i am the man that and with my sword who are you but a i am a turky cham to fight you the gr and after i hav e d i f you have a mind fu ll fifty guineas i moreoverthan that i f you bring me an enter in saint patr here come i sa in t a famous champio what was s ain t geo he fed is horse se and afterwar ds be i say by george yo pul l out your swor pul l out your purs i ll run my sword t and make you run s o enter in ol iver here comes i o live i conquered many i made my foes fo and beat a ll my op enter in be lzebub enter devi l doubt here come i l ittle d i f you don t g ive m money i want and i f you don t g ive m our box now must our box would spe n ine or ten sh il ling a ll silver and no b y our ce llar doors and i t s al l for the had awa rokes ha had awa stock s a s ic as was never s i cal l upon belzeb here comes in bla c ome to conquer he is so bold and here come i poor and i am like to lo a lthough i be too and i wil l free ly sp i cal l upon galatio i hav e sla in h is fa he wi ll never r ise t y ou di rty dog y ou y ou wi th my sword ten pounds for a do here comes in a d the best that scotl i hav e gone from and now i ve com wil l not seven do no now i l l put a l ittle and a little to h is b and they never fou the next that i ca ll now galoshin you y oung man you ll oh you vil lain bo ld i m sure that both oh how could you i saw you slip beh galoshin shal l be now once i was de and b lessed are t b less the master w and the pretty bab there are four o f u and p leasure for t and what you free meikle head and l c all for a lexander and when i came to see that li ttle na what ai ls your back i hav e been east i auld wives flying i c ats gaun upon p i am sure t was non i m sure twas non twas him that fol lo then cheer up my we ll take him to t s tep in king george but now i am com to see which on th doctor doctor has s ee thou make no five pounds i d fre in comes i li ttle do the best li ttle doct my p ills shall work where com st thou in her coffin e ight i f she s on ly got o i f she can only ma i ll be bound in the i f there any man c let him step in i f h my name is not ja my name is mr fin c ure a magpie wi t and how canst do by cutting off h is h and throwing h is b no barbary at a ll b i can cure this ma s o pray me hones the next young ma he s admiral of th the game sir the g i ll draw my blood i ll draw my blood fight on fight on b i ll g ive any man t when thei r two swo but we wi ll all gree we thank the mas i f you have anythi s ix actors i have b last i come in mys and i f you d know the doctor says yo i am bold slasher thy lofty courage m hold ho ld sa in t geo my honour to mai for i f he could he o crue l christian wh or on the ground h a doctor a doctor from the fi re side t no further at a ll to cure the man th s o now our p lay is gentlemen and la and being come th s o we l l join our ha don t go about l ike i go about for the y es sir th is man is not de i th ink you had be gentlemen gentle and i f sa in t georg good evening lady i hope you wil l no i hav e some mor e i hav e some l ittle good master and r emember us poo the mire i t is deep we wi ll thank you good master and here comes the fa upon my princip le i m come to woo t to gain her love h to gain my love i t y ou speak too clo therefore out o f my a witty man or i l l a man for wi t i am a lawyer i suppos y ou plead your cau but by an by i ll te y ou plead a cause here comes old da c omes dableing a c omes jumping ab look about you o ld long time i have s s arrah come take bastar d you jade i here comes the p i ll speak for myse my o ld grey ha irs t i ll do the best for me th ink s me see on you i ve fix d my do you th ink i d m no i l l have one of k ick me lady out o i ll be hang d over where have you le i hav e traveled for and there had a m try your skil l docter i wil l fee l of th is m looks old man and wipe thy eyes and i f ever i come nea i wil l turn myself a prithee fel low hold my b lood it rise wh i wil l stand before no king am i thou but with my sword i am come to invit what you like bes we wi ll have a jov w l l have long ta il w l l have a good s w l l have a l im of w l l have a farth in good master and we wi ll make it in we thank you for s s ome can dance a i f you wi ll consent in am a noble ser my order s are to e l ikewise the noble i boy and i am a fo fa ith i can sing an i can nei ther danc but if you begin to good people g ive i wil l tel l you of a y he is a lmost broke and beauty as en my drooping wing p ity my c ondition for th is fa ls g irl i a c hear up mandon for in a short time he swers if i don t he wi ll l ist for a so madame if he con as onc e praphaps he wi ll l ist for a so i thank you kind s i nev er mean to m i wil l have anothe i hav e gold and si y ou shall have a s c ome my lads tha c ome and go a lon y ou shall have all and ten gu ines th y our hat shal l be s and we wi ll cut a g i then kind si r i wi dash me i f i wil l gr gentlemen and la i m come to see y that knows no oth but i ll te ll you wh hedge about boys oh hon my bac k i there s a hole in t how d id youget i t fighting for our land how mony did you i kil led a the lons here comes in jud i f ye pit bought si l where the clouds and the farmers th our hearts are ma here comes i that i ll try his c ourage i ll never pardon a therefore arise an gentlemen and la let fa ther christma i am not come her i ll cut h im down o who s he that see and ca lls so angry that english dog w with my long teeth of such i d break u and stay my stom i ll fight saint geor i ll make him yield he br ags to such he think there s n many bloody deed my famous name i fo llowed a fai r la wherein i put the d i ve searched the but one to equal m d isable disable i t s tand off slasher a for i f i draw my sw how canst thou br a las alas my ch ie what must i do to i ll loving ly for a d are you the doctor by my art and acti y ou l l be very cun o yes a great deal how far a ll sorts what al l sorts i ve in my pockets s pectacles for b lin packsaddles and p la isters for broke i cured the devil o here jack take a l i and let it run down o my back and my heart is co o har k sa in t georg that summons us down yonder is th now prince of par and what fine sigh dost thou th ink no dares such a b lack lay down thy swor then i l l fight thee and a ll h is joys en he is slain i did him slay i did r ise hector hector i f that be he that d that slew my mast thou st got one wi and lay thine ange many bloody battl but fr om saint geo here comes from why master d id i e why jack d id ever thou proud sauc y a coxcomb i defy t w ith a sword thou s tabbing is the lea and made the tyra then i resolved wi to burst the door a that s l ittle john my they give me the n c ould do more tha as i was walking d i knocked at the m and she as ked me and eat a cup of a and i said no than i ll ca ll in the slash i ll hash you and s her comes fa ther a merry act i wi ll b thou art a bold fe l my only son my o one day as i went s tep prince of par c ome in brav e turk i come to fight a fa fo l de ridd le o ll fo l de ro le y es now since you ha c ome and do not l iquewise kiss the s o now my love h i nev er wil l greiv e wel l spoken doctor what medicine do s end for a doctor doctor doctor doc i can put my arm d and turn the an im i heal the sick i cu i f i can but find king i carry him some p the clock s truck one and the hour is go with a rink a tink a and i ll make your and see which on hard corns soft co my man jack c oming sir good morrow frien we are r ight g lad i banish d serpent and i m sa int andr men fra that part a o f taffy s land i m i cha llenge al l my and i ll assist wid and you shall find odds b lud and i so huzza fi rst i fought in ire now i v e come to drop a li ttle on thi in comes i the nob with my broadswo h is body s dead h and r aise the dea with naked s word to help pass away and perhaps wil l n s o walk in sa in t ge therefore thou turk i ll battle thee to s i ll bring her youn thou be st a noble that go about the and te ll you as ma but what i does i do and lad ies and ge and i t w il l str ike th my fami ly s lar ge t and so a li ttle he lp enter the turkish k and that s a rovin y ou si r aye si r there is no five c an you do anythi y es i can the fi rst that i cal l he s the first man god b less you hon i ve come to act my i ll ca ll our young as good a swordm and here i do adv and i m the r agge dance dance wert hark canny fel low or steal ing the sw i am a king and a have i to be offen and now the next one b ird in the ha y es indeed that i w good morrow gen i ve had such a sl but now i am awa s o we l l have a da when fi rst king he he bought six pecks and i am he can c i ll star ve them on i f a man want to fi but if you p lease b a room a room a r i brought this old befor e i set th is ga hold my hors e jack hold him yourse lf what s that you sa g ive him a bucket and wel l rrrrom do fe tch i t yersel f si r fe tch me my p inch oh i ve got him si r i met a bark and h i went to the stic k last christmas nigh i bur nt me finger an the sparks flew ov the pot lid kicked t w ith his long tai l s wore he d send t in comes the grid i m the justice brin i went on a bi t furt i came to king cha i came to two l ittle one gave a hard c c ut a s id through k illed a li ttle jed d s ent him down bu r ack him up wi th a what is t thee name green sleeves and now my boys we l i see you pay or un and make them ri i ve searched his i ve given h im tha now i c ome but a let my wife do lly c here comes i l ittle drinking gin is a ll y es yes saint geo pray heal th is man here comes i the g flap port and good once i was a b loo where out my lads i m the c hap they out o leven i got b out of seven i got s o you ve see us music strike up an y es i am a doctor travel led i ve trave where there is ne wooden chur ches is that al l doctor fa ll to work doctor s he is in a ver y ba i ll show you al l m s ome are here an walk in room agai walk in doctor and with my gl itte i f you can dance i y e th ink we re of t s ti r up the fir e and for in this house th here comes i auld with a bunch of b l here comes i wee i m the man that li i f ye don t put a p s tep in bulgard an in comes bulgard s ain t geor ge sa int or to conquer or to i ve healed h is wo and there i met a doctor s a coming i t l l go down his th put that in to a pig and sti r i t well rou here comes i buck i beg your pardon i f you haven t got i f you haven t got an hopes tis no off an we u ll z oon go i keer not vor spa wher s the man as wel l shaayken avo y er s a tooth enou the roo ads be d ir z o plee uz put zumm the more i hear th c an t c ome under p lease tak e ho ld o does a man s pu ls y es that s the str on tommy bring the b is there any old w ten to stop away s o raise her up an in comes i bo ld to i hav e come to tas oking poking franc the recru iting serg are you free heart in your hand i p la dost thou love me y es tommy to my when shall be our tommy love to mo and tommy love to in comes i old thra my o ld dad learnt i wil l thrash you to in comes i the farm don t you s ee my i go forth and p lou and turn it ups ide how i s tra ight i go i scarce ly make a and to my horses as they go marchi hov ve gee wo i t s none of mine who told you bring the overseer o f th and i th ink you be for i ts eyes nose c is as much l ike y ou wo my lad take ho and mind he does that makes me as when i was down my o ld grandmoth and grazed her sh and made her sto and i cured that draw a leg set a to s he wi ll not get a s he has been l ivin a fortnight without s he has swal lowe one drop in a mor and swal low the b y ou must take one jol ly old man may i ve three sons he in comes king wil l what s that you say any doctors in th is they have been se but i m here th is v is them al l the cur madam i ve got ho madam i ve got w a ll i want is a nic e for we are a ll hun a bar ley chaff dum he has been tryin what s that doctor i f you don t i do and see these jol l i wasn t talking ab what were you ta l about what i can c here s two or thre we ve come a pac i hope you ll prove we ll come no mo s o the first that co he s a star on h is and i hope you ll r s o the next that co he s a val iant old he s a hump on h and a ll h is delight put your hands in put your hands in and g ive us a trifle c rying god save th in comes i the real many a battle hav both abroad and a v ery good doctor t what s th is man got born to defend al l p lease wil l you g iv a llow me to dr aw more like a camel battle to battle wi t in comes i old eez on my shoulder i c y es i thought so w back o the head a those p il ls are vi rg i hav e brought the i cured old mrs c o k nocked him over s afe cure doctor


119

Figure 5 - Trellis Graph Line by

Text

Key to Text Cluster Codes

C = Cotswolds Versions N = Northern English Versions

G = Galoshins Versions P = Recruiting Sergeant Plays

H = Halloween Versions S = Southern English Versions

E = Irish Versions W= Multiple Wooing Plays

P

01

H W

02

03

D GN S E C

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

16

17

12

13

14

15


120

Figure 6 – Reconstructed Proto-Text

Std.ID Example Line Line No. 1380 Open the door and let us come in

1390 I hope your favour we shall win

1400 Whether we stand or whether we fall

1410 We’ll do our endeavour to please you all 13* Room, room brave gallants give us room to sport 5

16* For remember good sirs this is Christmas time

1950 Activity of youth activity of age

1960 The like was never acted on a stage

145* If you don’t believe the words I say

240 Step in Saint George and clear the way 10

1460 I am King George that valiant knight

1470 Who lost his blood for England’s right

1480 England’s right and England’s reason

1490 Makes me carry this bloody weapon

29* I am Prince George a champion brave and bold 15

30* With my sword and spear I won ten thousand crowns in gold

310 I fought the fiery dragon and brought him to the slaughter

320 And by that means I gained the King of Egypt’s daughter

2100 where is the man that dares bid me stand

211* I’ll cut him down with my courageous hand 20

1500 I am a valiant soldier Slasher is my name

1510 Sword and buckler by my side I hope to win the game

410 I will hash thee and smash thee as small as flies

42* And send him to the cook shop to make mince pies

3860 Stand off Slasher let no more be said 25

1860 My head is made of iron, my body’s made of steel

187* My hands and feet of best knuckle bone I challenge thee to field 490 O cruel Christian what hast thou done?

500 Thou hast ruined me by killing my best son

53830 To cure the man that here lies slain 30

157* What is your fee?

158* Ten pounds is my fee but five I’ll take of thee

12540 How camest thou to be a doctor?

12550 I have travelled for it

12560 where have you travelled? 35

160* I’ve travelled through Italy High Germany and Spain

1610 And am now returned to old England again

13250 Three times round the world and back again

680 What diseases can you cure?

1620 All diseases whatever you pleases 40

700 The itch pox palsy and the gout

690 All diseases both within and without

328* If the Devil’s in I can fetch him out

323* I’ve got a little bottle by my side called elecampane

1650 Here Jack take a little of my nip nap 45

3590 Pour it down thy tip top

1660 Rise up Slasher and fight again

2460 Here comes I old Beelzebub

2470 Upon my shoulder I carry my club

2480 And in my hand a dripping pan 50 2490 Don’t you think I’m a jolly old man?

17620 Here comes I that never came yet

3350 With my great head and little wit

17630 Though my head is great and my wits be small


121

Figure 7 – New Classification of Quack Doctor Plays

Class

Defining Characters

Trellis

Block

Quack Doctor plays Doctor All

Plough Plays Dame Jane W & P

Multiple Wooing plays Noble Anthony, Father’s Eldest Son,

Farming Man, Lawyer, Ancient Man

W

Recruting Sergeant plays Bold Tom, Recruiting Sergeant, Ribboner,

Lady Bright and Gay, Farmer’s Man

P

Hero-Combat plays N to H

North British plays D to H

Sword Dance plays No individual combatants – Dancers include the Squire’s or Farmer’s Son

D

Galoshins plays Galation G & H

Irish plays Saint Patrick, Oliver Cromwell E

Southern English plays Father Christmas, Turkish Knight S

Cotswold plays Jack Finney C

Robin Hood plays Robin Hood, Arthur Abland C07

Northern English plays Slasher?, [Bull Guy] N

Others -

West Indian Mummies Saint George, Saint Andrew, Saint Patrick

and Saint David

-

Composed and compiled plays None - Highly variable -

Wexford Mummers No Doctor – Father Murphy, Wolfe Tone,

etc.

-


122

Figure 8 - Illustration from W.Sandys (1852, p.152)

"The performers, who are usually young persons in humble life, are

attired, including St. George and the Dragon, much in the same manner,

having white trousers and waistcoats, showing their shirtsleeves, and

decorated with ribbons and handkerchiefs; each carrying a drawn sword

or cudgel in his hand : as one of the Somersetshire mummers says, 'Here

comes I liddle man Jan wi' my sword in my han!' They wear high caps of

pasteboard, covered with fancy paper, and ornamented with beads, small

pieces of looking-glass, bugles, &c., and generally have long strips of

pith hanging down from the top, with shreds of different coloured cloth

strung on them, the whole having a fanciful and smart effect. The Turk

sometimes has a turban; Father Christmas is represented as a grotesque

old man, with a large mask and comic wig, and a huge club in his hand;

the Doctor has a three-cornered hat, and painted face, with some

ludicrous dress, being the comic character of the piece; the lady is generally in the dress of the last century, when it can be got up; and the

hobby-horse, when introduced, which is rarely, has a representation of a horse's hide. Wellington and Wolfe, when they appear, are dressed in any

sort of uniform that can be procured for the nonce, and no doubt will now be found as militia men of the county where the play is represented."

(W.Sandys, 1852, pp.154-155)


123

Figure 9 - Suggested Genealogy of the Quack Doctor Plays

Proto-George& Slasher play

Northern

English group

Multiple Wooing

Play

EarlyRecruiting

Sergeant

Enhanced

RecruitingSergeant

South MidlandProto-variant

Sword Dance

Play

Independent

Calling-on

Earliest

Galoshins

Later

Galoshins

Peace Egg

Chapbook

Alexander

Chapbook

Performed

Derivatives

IndependentWooing Scene

Irish Plays

Wexford

Mummers

Cotswold

Jack Finney

Enhanced with

Tangle Talk

Robin Hood Play

Southern English

Father Christmas

& Turkish Knight

Proto-George& Slasher play

Northern

English group

Multiple Wooing

Play

EarlyRecruiting

Sergeant

Enhanced

RecruitingSergeant

South MidlandProto-variant

Sword Dance

Play

Independent

Calling-on

Earliest

Galoshins

Later

Galoshins

Peace Egg

Chapbook

Alexander

Chapbook

Performed

Derivatives

IndependentWooing Scene

Irish Plays

Wexford

Mummers

Cotswold

Jack Finney

Enhanced with

Tangle Talk

Robin Hood Play

Southern English

Father Christmas

& Turkish Knight


124

Map 1 - Approximate Dates of Plays - Excluding Literary & Ballad Parallels

�

�

��

� ��

�

� � ��

� � ��

��

� ��

��

� ��

� � ��

� � ��

� ��

� � � � � ��

� ��

� ��

��

� �

� � � � ��

� ��

� � � � ��

� � � ��

� �

�

��

� � � ��

�

� ��

�

Key

� = Up to the 1820s

� = 1830s to 1880s

� = 1890s onwards

Key to 100km Grid Squares

HP

HY

HU

NB NC ND

NF NG NH NJ

NM NN NO

NR NS NT NU

IB IC

NX

IF IG IH IJ

SC

IL

NY NZ

TG

IM IN IO

SH

SD SE TA

SJ

SO SP TL

IQ IR IS IT

SK TF

TM

IV IW

SS ST SU TQ TR

SN

SZSW SX SY


125

Map 2 - George's Introductory Line

K

C

S

S S C

K

S S

C K

S

S SCK

K

K

SCM CM

SC CK

M C

SK C

C

C

C C

CK C

CK

K

S

M K

K

K

M

K K M K

C K

K M

M MK

M

K M

K M M M

M

M

M S

C

M

Key

C = Std.ID 290 - Here am I Saint George a noble champion bold

M = Std.ID 295 - In comes I King George the man of courage bold

K = Std.ID 1460 - I am King George that valiant knight

S = Std.ID 1970 - Here comes I Saint George from England I have sprung

SZSW SX SY

SP TL TM

IV

SU TQ TR

IQ IR IS IT

SJ

SN SO

IW

SS ST

SK TF TG

IN IO

SH

TASD SE

NY NZ

IB IC

NX

IF IG IH IJ

SC

IMIL

NR NS NT NU

NM NN NO

NC ND

NF NG NH NJ

HU

NB


HP

HY


126

Map 3 - The Distribution of Slasher and the Turk

S

S

S S

C

C C

S

C S

S S

CKS

S S

S

S

C

S

C

C

CS

S

S

KS S

S K

CS

K

K S K K S

KCKS K

K K

S KS

KS K

KS

KS

KS

KS KS KS KS

CK

K K

K

K

Key

C = Std.ID 2150 - I am a Turkish Champion from Turkeyland I came

K = Std.ID 3150/3160 - In comes I the Turkish Knight / Come from the Turkish land to fight

S = Std.ID 1500 - I am a valiant soldier and Slasher is my name

SZSW SX SY

SP TL TM

IV

SU TQ TR

IQ IR IS IT

SJ

SN SO

IW

SS ST

SK TF TG

IN IO

SH

TASD SE

NY NZ

IB IC

NX

IF IG IH IJ

SC

IMIL

NR NS NT NU

NM NN NO

NC ND

NF NG NH NJ

HU

NB


HP

HY


127

Map 4 - Distribution of Clusters

G

G

G G

G G

G

H

H H N

H

E D

E E D G N

N

N D

E N

N N ND

E

E N

N

N

P P

P

E P

N NP

P

N N P W

NS P P WP

N

N P

N P

N N

P

S

C H

E C

S C C C

C C

C C

C C C EC C

E C C C

S S C C E

S S

C S

S SC

S

S

S S

S S S S

S

SH S

S

Key

C = Cotswolds Versions G = Galoshins Versions P = Recruiting Sergeant Plays

D = Sword Dance Versions H = Halloween Versions S = Southern English Versions

E = Irish Versions N = Northern English Versions W = Multiple Wooing Plays

SZSW SX SY

TM

IV IW

SS ST SU TQ TR

SN SO SP TL

IQ IR IS IT

SJ SK TF TG

IM IN IO

SH

SD SE TA

NY NZ

IB IC

NX

IF IH IJ

SC

IL

IG

NR NS NT NU

NN NONM

NF NG NH NJ

NC ND


HP

HY

HU

NB


128

Map 5 - My head is made of iron. My body's made of steel

... I challenge thee to feel

SF

S

SF

SF

SF SF

SF

SF

SF SF

SF SF SF

SF

SF

SF

SF

SF SF

SF SF SF

SF

SF

SF S SF

SF

S SF

SF SF

SF

SF

SF

F S

SF

SF

S SF SF

Key

S = Std.ID 1860 - My head is made of iron. My body's made of steel

F = Std.ID 1870 - My hand and feet of knuckle bone. I challenge thee to feel

SZSW SX SY

SP TL TM

IV

SU TQ TR

IQ IR IS IT

SJ

SN SO

IW

SS ST

SK TF TG

IN IO

SH

TASD SE

NY NZ

IB IC

NX

IF IG IH IJ

SC

IMIL

NR NS NT NU

NM NN NO

NC ND

NF NG NH NJ

HU

NB


HP

HY


129

Map 6 - Beelzebub, the jolly old man

Y

M

Y

M

M M M M

M

M M M

M

M M

M

M

M Y

Y

M M

Y Y Y Y

Y

M Y

M Y

Y YM

Y

Y

M Y

Y M Y Y

Y

Y Y

Y Y Y Y

Y Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y Y

Key

M = Std.ID 2490 - I think myself a jolly old man

Y = Std.ID 2495 - Don't you think I'm a jolly old man

SZSW SX SY

SP TL TM

IV

SU TQ TR

IQ IR IS IT

SJ

SN SO

IW

SS ST

SK TF TG

IN IO

SH

TASD SE

NY NZ

IB IC

NX

IF IG IH IJ

SC

IMIL

NR NS NT NU

NM NN NO

NC ND

NF NG NH NJ

HU

NB


HP

HY


130

Map 7 - I am a doctor pure and good / And with my skill I can staunch his blood

G

G G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G G

G G G

G

Key

G = Std.ID 2210/2220 - I am a doctor pure and good / And with my skill I can staunch his blood

HY

TR

SP TL TM

ST SU TQ

IQ

SW SX

IV IW

SS

IR IS

SY SZ

IT

SJ

SN SO

SK TF TG

IM IN IO

SH

SC SD SE TA

NY NZ

NU

IB IC

NX

IF IG IH

NN NO

IL

NR NS NT

IJ

NM

NF NG NH NJ

HU

NB


NC ND

HP


131

Map 8 - Beelzebub v Father Christmas

B

B

B

B B B

B

B B B

B

B B

B

B

BC B

B

B B

B B

B

B B

B B

B B

B

B

B

B B

BC BCBC B

BC C

B

B B BC B

BC BC C

C BC C

C B

C C

C C

C

C

C C

C C C BC

C

C

C BC

C

Key

B = Std.ID 2460 - Here comes I old Beelzebub

C = Std.ID 3060 - In comes I old Father Christmas,welcome or welcome not

SZSW SX SY

SP TL TM

IV

SU TQ TR

IQ IR IS IT

SJ

SN SO

IW

SS ST

SK TF TG

IN IO

SH

TASD SE

NY NZ

IB IC

NX

IF IG IH IJ

SC

IMIL

NR NS NT NU

NM NN NO

NC ND

NF NG NH NJ

HU

NB


HP

HY


132

Map 9 - Use of W.Walker's "Peace Egg" Chapbook in Folk Plays

�

�

��

� ��

�

� � ��

� ��

��

� ��

�� ¢

� ��

� �

� � � ��

��

� � ��

� ��

� � ��

��

� �

� � � ��

� ��

� � � ��

� � � � �

� ��

�

��

� � � ��

�

� ��

�

Key

� = 1 to 16 lines

� = 17 to 32 lines

� = 33 or more lines

¢ = W.Walker's "Peace Egg" Chapbook


HP

HY

HU

NB

SZSW SX SY

TM

IV IW

SS ST SU TQ TR

SN SO SP TL

IQ IR IS IT

SJ SK TF TG

IM IN IO

SH

SD SE TA

IG

NY NZ

IB IC

NX

IF IH IJ

SC

IL

NR NS NT NU

NM NN NO

NC ND

NF NG NH NJ

textual analysis of english quack doctor plays: some new discoveries · 2018. 3. 29. · peter...

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