This is the name given to the boys and young men who go from door to door after night in the week preceding Christmas. They are looking for money. Most of them are disguised and all wear fantastic dress. Some represent doctors, strawmen etc.
The actors are:-
The Prince
The Doctor
Jack Straw
Buck Sweep
Devil a Doubt
Wee Ned
Master Man
Jack Frost
Every troop has some musical instrument and every character has a rhyme. Coming to the door they knock loudly and shout "Mummers". If admitted they troop into the living room lead by the Prince who proclaims as follows;-
Room! Room! Gallant boys
Give us room to rhyme
Give us some activity
About the Christmas time
Christmas comes but once a year
And when it comes
It brings good cheer
And if you don't believe me
In what I say
Enter in the next men
And he'll soon clear the way
Buck Sweep enters and says;
Here come I, Buck Sweep
All the money I get I keep
Six shillings is the cost
Hurry up before the frost
Pull out your purse, pay Sir
Or if you don't
I'll run my bayonet through your heart
And make you die away Sir
He runs the bayonet through the Prince who falls to the ground.
Buck calls for a Doctor saying
Oh Doctor, Doctor
Ten pounds for a doctor
Is there no doctor to be found
The doctor enters with the words;
Here come I wee Doctor Browne
The best wee doctor in the town.
|