The "Plough Jacks’" Play from Kirmington, Lincs. - 1923 R.J.E.Tiddy (1923) pp.254-257 92ta11tr.xml mastermummers.org R.J.E.Tiddy The Mummers' Play Oxford, University Press, 1923, pp.254-257

Originally prepared for textual analysis during his PhD research on the 'Origins and Development of English Folk Plays' by Peter Millington (2002).

 None

Original spelling and typography is retained, except that superscripts, long s and ligatured forms are not encoded.

Line identifiers are those used for line types in the Folk Play Scripts Explorer.

 Kirmington Lincolnshire England TA1011 Publ. 1923 Xmas Plough Jacks Quack Doctor: Plough: Recruiting Sergeant Fool Sergeant Recruiting Sergeant Music Jack Indian King Doctor Lady Bold Tom Lame Jane Peter Millington's Notes:

According to Tiddy's editor R.S.T., this text was not from Tiddy's own collection. It's provenance is not given.

Scanned text downloaded from http://members.tripod.co.uk/Sandmartyn/ploug02.htm

 15-Jan-1999 Martin Collins Scanned 09-Nov-1999 Peter Millington Encoded 15-Jan-2021 Peter Millington TEI-encoded Fool Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I have come to give you a bold call As Xmas is a merry time I have come to see you all I hope you won't be offended for what I've got to say - Presently there will be some more boys and girls come tripping along this way- Some can whistle and some can sing By your consent they will come in - Hookam, Spookam, Spankam and Spain In comes the Sergeant of the same. Sergeant In comes I the recruiting Sergeant, arriving here just now I have come to list all those who can follow horse cart or plough Tinkers, tailors, pedlers nailers, all at my advance. Fool Is there anything else at your advance? Sergeant Yes my advance Is to see a fool dance Either dance sing or play Or I will shortly march away. Fool One day I tried to stop a pig And what a lark we had Sir The pig says 'umph' and away he went Right through my stunning legs Sir - Sergeant Do you call that singing? Fool Yes, plenty good enough for a man like you - Sergeant I can sing better than that myself Music Jack In comes I old music Jack 'I'll give you a tune before I go back.' Indian King Ware out my lads, let me come in For I'm the Chap they call Indian King They have been seeking me to slay But I'm here this very day I fought the fiery dragon and brought it to the slaughter, And by those means I won King George's daughter. Sergeant Slaughter, Slaughter, no more to be said, For in one instant I'll fetch off your head. Indian King How can'st thou fetch off mine head? My head is made of iron and my body of steel, My limbs are made of knuckle bone, I challenge thee to feel. Sergeant 'Slaughter' He knocks down Indian King. Fool Five pounds for a doctor. Sergeant Ten to stop away - Fool Fifteen, he must come on a case like this. Doctor In comes I the Doctor. Fool How came you to be a doctor? Doctor I travelled for it from bedside to fireside and from fireside to my mother's cupboard that's where I get all my pork pies and sausages from: - Fool But can you cure this man ? Doctor Yes, certainly, take hold of my bottle and stick While I feel this man's pulse - Feels his stomach. Fool Is that where a man's pulse lies? Doctor Yes, it is the strongest part of a man's body he 's not dead but in a trance, he's swallowed a horse and cart and can't get rid of the wheels - Jump up Jack and we'll have a dance. Sergeant's Song. Sergeant Come, my lads it's time for listing - Listing do not be afraid - You shall have all kind of liquor Likewise kiss the pretty maid. Lady I am a lady bright and fair My fortune is my charms It's true that I've been borne away Out of my dear lover's arms, He promised for to marry me As you will understand, He listed for a soldier And went into foreign land. Sergeant's Song. Sergeant Madam, I've got gold and silver Madam I've got house and land Madam I've got world and treasure, Everything at thy command - Lady What care I for your gold and silver What care I for your house and land What care I for your world and treasure All I want is a nice young man. Bold Tom In comes Bold Tom a brisk and nimble fellow Forty gallons of your best ale will make us nice and mellow. A piece of your pork pie. For believing me I'm telling no lie For we're all hungry as well as dry. Lame Jane In comes I lame Jane, with a neck as long as a crane - Once I was a young maid - now I'm a down old widow - A wig behind and a wig before Ware out my lads and I'll sweep the floor. Fool O. I'm the nice young man you want, Miss - Friends I've come to invite you to me and my wife's wedding - and that which you like best you'll have to bring with you for we are going to have a leg of a louse and a lock fried, a barley chaff dumpling buttered with wool, and those who can't nag it will have it to pull - The tail chine of a cockerel and 18 gallons of your best butter milk to rinse all down. - Sing about lads while I draw stakes. Last Song. All Good master and good mistress As you sit round your fire Remember us poor plough boys Who plough the muck and mire. The muck it is so nasty The mire it is so near We thank you for civility For what you've given us here. We wish you a merry Xmas And a Happy New Year. Good master and good mistress You see our fool's gone out We make it our ability To follow him about