Brimingtom mummer.

Brimington,

Derbyshire.(1862)

Costume.
Slasher	Tunic. trousers and hat as a sailor.
St. George	Tunic, trousers and belt All white.
Black Prince	Tunic, trousers and belt. All black, with white facings
Doctor	Long tailed coat and tall hat.

King of Egypt 	Copper coloured face, crown, dark tunic and trousers.
Hector	Red tunic, belt and yellow trousers.
Beelzebub	Tunic, trousers All red.
Devil-Doubt	Tunic and trousers of flowered bizarre chintz.

All carried wooden swords "three feet long about". King of Egypt also carried a dagger. Black Prince, Beelzebub, Devil-Doubt all had black faces



Slasher
A room, a room, a gallant room,
Give me room to recite
And repeat our merry rhyme.
Remember, sir, now it's Christmas time.
Time to cut up roast pork, mince pies and pork pies
And drink a glass of beer.
If you don't believe these words I say,
Step in, St. George, and clear the way.

St. George.
I am St. George who from Old England sprung;
My famous name throughout the world hath rung,
Many deeds and wonders have I made known,
And made false tyrants tremble on their throne,
I followed a fair lady to the Giant's Gate,
Confined in dungeon to meet her fate,
When I resolved with my true nority,
To burst the door and set the prisoner free.

Black Prince.
I am Black Prince of Paradise, born of high renown,
Soon will I fetch St. George's lofty courage down.
Before I part from thee
I'll send thee to eternity.

St. George.
Stand back, thou black Morocco dog,
Or by my sword I'm sure to break thy head.

Black Prince.
How can'st thou break my head 1
My head is made of iron,
My body made of steel,
My hands and feet are knuckle bone.
I challenge thee to feel.

They fight. Black Prince is slain.

King of Egypt.
I am the King of Egypt as plainly cloth appear,
Come to seek my son and only heir.
He is slain! Who did him slay? Who did him kill'
And on this ground his precious blood did spill,

St. George.
I, please your liege, my honour to maintain;
If you'd been here you would have fared the same.

King strikes a blow with dagger at St. George, who grasps the King by the wrist.

King of Egypt.
Hector! Hector! help me with speed!
For in my life I never stood more need.
Stand not there with sword in hand,
But rise and fight at my command.

Hector.
Oh yes, my liege, I will obey,
And by my sword I hope to win the day.
I fought the fiery dragon, and brought him to slaughter,
And by this means I won the King of Egypt's daughter.

Hector and St. George fight. Hector is slain.

King of Egypt.
A doctor, a doctor, ten pounds for a doctor!

Doctor.
Here I am!

King of Egypt.
How far have you travelled ?

Doctor.
From Italy, Spitaly, German, France and Spain,
And now return to Old England once again.

King of Egypt.
What can you cure?

Doctor.
The hitch, the pitch, the palsy and the gout,
The pain within and the pain without.
If he has nineteen devils in his skull,
I can cast twenty of them out.

Hector.
Oh, my back!

Doctor.
What's amiss with thy back

Hector.
My back is wounded, my heart is confounded.
I was struck out of seven sins into fourscore.

Doctor.
Take a drink out of my bottle,
And let it run down thy throttle,
If thou be not quite slain,
Rise up, Jack, and fight again.

Hector rises and speaks

Hector.
I am a valiant knight and Hector is my name,
With my buckle and my sword I hope to win my fame.
I followed the fiery dragon to the slaughter,
And by that means I won the King of Egypt's daughter.

Beelzebub.
In comes I, Beelzebub,
Over my shoulder I carry my club.
In my hand a dripping pan,
Thinks myself a jolly old man.
If you don't believe the words I say,
Step in little Devil-doubt and clear the way.

Devil-doubt
In comes I little Devil-doubt,
If you don't give me money, I'll clear you all out.
Money I want and money I crave,
If you don't give me money,
I'll sweep you all to the grave.

All linked arms and sang

Well go no more a-rushing maids in May, We'll
Go no more a-rush-ing maids I pray, For
if you go a-rush-inq you're sure to get a brushing, so
gather up your rushes and come this way.

Sometimes they made a ring with the Fool (Slasher) in the middle. Then Hector song. If they were well received they would keep on singing.

Found in:
Helm A. & Cawte E.C. (1967) Six Mummers' Acts. The Guizer Press, Leistershire.


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