March issue - Magazine - Page 25
Glenside
News
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LOCAL INTEREST
AS WE WERE
Snippets from local newspapers about our villages 100 years ago
Grantham Journal January 12th 1931
Ploughboy Plays
Local Versions of Dying Customs
Plough Monday January 12
One of the most interesting and valuable of the old customs – the ploughboy or mummer play – is practically
extinct, but many villagers still know them by heart… It is only a few years ago that the plays were
performed in earnest, and much trouble was spent in their presentation.
In the Colsterworth version the Fool rst enters and says “In comes I who's never been yit
With my big head and little wit.”
th
A 'rst man' then comes in and makes a few jokes followed by a 'Lady' who bewails the unfaithfulness of her
ploughboy lover in a song. The Fool then courts the Lady, and then Beelzebub bursts in and says “In comes I, old Beelzebub
And over my shoulder I carry my Club
Under my arm my white leather frying pan
And don't you think I'm a funny old man
If you don't I do.”
Then enters the 'farmer's man' singing his ploughing song. Beelzebub then challenges anyone in the room.
The Fool accepts the challenge “I dare
My head is made of iron
My body's made of steel
My legs and knees are made of knuckle-bone
And you can't make me feel.”
Beelzebub knocks him down with a bladder. A 'doctor' is called for and arrives giving a long account of his
wonderful cures; he cures the Fool, which is followed by several choruses. The listeners are reminded that the
ploughboys “plod through mud and rain”, and that beer would not be unacceptable.
The last chorus is “We're not your London actors
That act upon the stage
We are your country ploughboys
That work for little wage
So now our song is ended
We thank you for your cheer
We wish you all good night
And another happy year.”
The Castle Bytham play had a nal chorus for the mean and tight-sted (and was probably sung outside the
house of the person concerned)!
“We don't thank you for your civility
Nor for what you gave us here
We hope the devil may fetch you
Before another year.”
RB
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