Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 8.djvu/88

 82

NOTES AND QUERIES. [ii s. vn. FEB. i, 1913.

to the equally celebrated rt Wood's Half- pence." Of these obsolete or dialect words, the adjectival use of " boldly," and the English dialect words " Dowt " and " Conny," are noteworthy, and emphasize the- English source of this version of the St. George Play, which doubtless came over with the English tenant farmers who settled in Ulster temp. Elizabeth and James I.

The expression "the plague within the plague " is taken by a medical friend to refer to the specially deadly form of plague given by pricking a plague patient with a needle infected by a plague corpse, the object being to hasten the man s death and prevent his complaining against those who plundered him when prostrated by the disease.

The expression " Eevie Steevie radical pain " found in this version probably alludes to some quack medicine of old times.

The qualified admiration for Oliver Crom- well is characteristic of the attitude of the Ulster Protestants, who, while detesting regicide, yet owed their safety largely to the great Independent.

The lines about St. Patrick may be taken as an allusion to the conversion of Northern England by the Celtic missionaries, and may, perhaps, have been inserted as a mani- festation of the eighteenth-century spirit of independence so prevalent in Ulster.

In the last line but one the expression " bob bits " is, presumably, a late corruption.

Students of English folk-plays will note the tendency to alliteration, especially in the opening verse, and may be interested in this variant of the venerable St. George Play, of which such interesting accounts are given in E. K. Chambers's 'The Mediaeval Stage,' 2 vols., Oxford, 1903, and T. F. Ordish's ' English Folk Drama ' (Folk-Lore, vol. iv., 1893).

THE CHRISTMAS RIMES. [Enter BOOM BOOM.]

Room Room. Boom, Boom, brave gallant boys,

come give us room to rime, We 've come to show our activity upon this

Christmas time. Active young and active age, the like was never

acted on a stage. If you don't believe what I say, enter St. George

and he '11 clear the way.

[Enter ST. GEORGE.]

St. George. Here comes I, St. George, from

England have I sprung, One of those great and noble deeds of valour to

begin.

Seven long years in a close cave have I been kept, And out of that into a prison I leapt, And out of that into a block of stone

Where I spent manys a sad and a grievous moan.

Manys a joint [giant ?.] I did subdue,

I run my fiery dragon through and through,

I fought them all courageously and still has won>

the victory. Here I draw my boldly weapon. Show me the

man who dare me stand, I '11 cut him down with my courageous hand.

[Enter TURKEY CHAMPION.]

Turkey Champion. I am the man who dare

ye stand.

St. George. What are you but a poor silly lad ? Turkey Champion. I am a Turkey Champion,.

from Turkey land I came To fight the great St. George by name.

[ST. GEORGE icounds TURKEY CHAMPION*

ivith a sword thrust. T. C. falls*

St. George. A doctor, a doctor, ten pounds for

a doctor !

Not a doctor to be found,

Which shall cure this man of his deep and mortal wound !

[Enter DOCTOR.]

Doctor. I am a doctor pure and good, And with my sword I '11 staunch his blood. If this poor man's life must be saved Full fifty guineas I must have.

St. George. What can you cure, doctor ? Doctor. I can cure the plague within the

plague,

The palsy or the gout, even more than that : Bring me an old lady three score and ten W 7 ith the knuckle of her big toe broken, I car*

stick it on again. St. George. Tut, tut, doctor, that's no cure

for a dead man !

Doctor. O, I quite forgot, I have got a little bottle in my hip pocket called Eevie Steevie radical pain.

[Gives some of it to TURKEY CHAMPION, icho>

rises up cured.

Bise up, dead man, and fight again. If you don't believe what I say, enter Oliver Cromwell and he '11 clear the way.

[Enter OLIVER CROMWELL.]

Oliver Cromwell. Here comes I, Oliver Crom- well, as you may suppose

I have conquered many nations with my long, copper nose.

I make my foes to tremble and my enemies to, quake,

For I beat the jolly Dutchman till his heart was fit to break.

If you don't believe what I say, enter into St. Patrick and he will clear the way.

. [Enter ST. PATRICK.]

St. Patrick. Here comes I, St. Patrick in shining.

armour bright.

I fought a famous champion upon a worthy night. Who was St. George but St. Patrick's boy Who fed his horse on oats and hay, And afterwards has run away ? I say by George you lie, sir ! Pull out your sword and try. sir ! I '11 stick my sword out through your body, and'

make you run away, sir ! If you don't believe what I say, enter Beelzebub'

and he '11 clear the way.