HERE IS THE SCRIPT OF THE MIDGELY PACE EGG PLAY. THE ROLE OF SLASHER IS THE SAME AS "BOLD STRIKER" ( which you may have read elsewhere ).
NOTE: THIS IS THE REVISED VERISON FROM DELLA NOT THE ONE ORIGINALLY POSTED ON THE SITE
An example of how its performed can be seen here
THE NODIAL MUMMERS PACE EGG PLAY
Cast:
FOOL
ST GEORGE
BOLD SLASHER
DOCTOR
PRICE OF PARADISE (BLACK PRINCE)
OLD TOSSIP
Fool
Stir up the fire, and strike a light
, And see these jolly boys act to-night
. If you don't believe me, what I say
, Step in, St George, and clear the way.
St George
I am St. George, who from old England sprung,
Many bloody deeds and wonders have I done;
I've practised many a victorious thing,
My famous name throughout the world doth ring,
I followed a fair lady up to the castle gate,
Wherein I put the doors to fate;
In Caliph's gates she lay fifteen years or more,
Then I resolved to unbar the door,
Where a great giant almost struck me dead
, But by my valour I cut off his head.
I've searched the world all round and round
, But one to equal me I never found.
Bold Slasher
I am a valiant soldier,
and Slasher is my name,
With sword and buckler by my side
I hope to win the game.
And for to fight with me
I see thou art not able
, So with my trusty broad-sword
I soon will thee disable.
Saint George
Disable! Disable! it lies not in thy power,
For with my glittering sword and spear
I soon will thee devour.
Stand off! Slasher! let no more be said
, For if I draw my sword I'm sure to break thy head?
Bold Slasher
How canst thou break my head?
Since it is made of iron
, And my body's made of steel,
My hand and feet of knuckle bone,
I challenge thee to field.
{They Fight.}
Bold Slasher
Pardon.
St George
There is no pardon. Fight and die.
Now Bold Slasher's dead and gone and what becomes of me?
His body is dead,
his blood is shed,
and there his body lies.
He challenged me to fight and why should I deny't.
I struck his doublet into ten parts and sent 'em over the sea,
I sent 'em over the sea to Jamaica to make mince pies,
Mince pies hot and mince pies cold,
mince pies in addition nine days old
. Oh Doctor, Doctor
, if there yet be a travelling doctor in this town
I'll have one if it takes me over a thousand pound.
{Enter Doctor}
Doctor
Here am I !
Fool
Are you the Doctor?
Doctor
Yes, that you may plainly see, by my art and activity.
Fool
By the cap of your leg and knee?
Doctor
No you blockhead, by my art & activity
Fool
What is your fee to cure this man?
Doctor
Ten pounds is my fee
: but Jack, if thou be an honest man, \
I'll only take five of thee.
Fool
You'll be very cunning if you get any of me {aside.}
Well how far have you travelled in Doctrineship?.
Doctor
From Italy, Sicily, Germany, France and Spain,
Three times to the world and back again.
Fool
No further?
Doctor
Yes, sir, a great deal further.
Fool
How much further?
Doctor
From the fireside upstairs and back again.
fool
What can you cure?
Doctor
All sorts.
Fool
What 's all sorts?
Doctor
The itch, the pitch, the pox, the palsy and the gout,
the pains within and the pains without;
if a man gets nineteen devils in his skull,
I'll cast twenty of them out.
I've in my pockets
crutches for lame ducks,
spectacles for blind humble bees,
packsaddles and panniers for grasshoppers,
plaisters for broken-backed mice
; I cured the devil of a nang-nail, almost 55 yards long
, surely I can cure this poor man :
Here Jack, take a little out of my bottle,
and let it run down thy throttle ;
if thou be not quite slain,
rise Jack and fight again.
{Slasher rises.}
Slasher
O my back.!
Fool
What's amiss with thy back?
Slasher
My back is wounded,
And my heart is confounded,
Such a terrible job was never seen before.
To be struck out of seven senses into four score
, The like was never seen in old England before.
Prince of Paradise
I am Black Prince of Paradine, born of high renown ;
Soon I will fetch St. George's courage down!
Before St. George shall be received by me,
St. George shall die to all eternity.
Saint George
Stand off, thou black Moroccon dog
Or by my sword thou'st die ;
I'll stiffen thy body full of pellets,
And make thy buttons fly..}
Prince of Paradise
Draw out thy sword and slay.
Pull out thy purse and pay,
For I will have recompense,
Before I go away.
[Fights and dies]
Saint George
Now Prince of Paradine is dead,
And all his joys entirely fled,
Take him and give him to the flies
, Let him no more come near my eyes.
Old Tossip
Oh the next that steps in
is old Tossip you see:
He's a gallant old man you will now agree
. He wears a pig-tail:
can't you see how it cocks ?
And he spends all his time in drinking old ale.
All sing.}
All
Ladies and Gentlemen, sit by the fire,
Put your hand in your pockets, it is all we desire.
Put your hand in your pockets and pull out your purse
And give us a trifle, you'll not be much worse
. Fol-de-riddle-day. Fol-de-rol. Fol-de-riddle-dol-dee