-
Title
-
Mummers' play
-
Writer
-
Unknown
-
Notes
-
Alfred Williams - ... 'Is not this exactly what the mummers used to do in Wiltshire and elsewhere?
It is curious in England mumming was often confused with wassailing. Even at Cricklade something of the kind took place, and we see that the Wassailers of that town dressed in fancy costume and wore coloured ribbons, such as usually done by mummers. But it was not the general rule to dress in gay costume, or to wear any but the ordinary clothes in the local wassail.
As in England mumming was often confused with the wassail; in Ireland it was confused with Morris dancing. The time of year at which the mumming was observed accordingly fell at May Day, or Whitsuntide, instead of at Christmas. The mummers, consisting of young men and women, wore fancy dresses trimmed with ribbon or coloured paper, and they carried drums or tambourines. The clown wore a mask, and others bore holly bushes. The clown also carried a pole, with a bunch of rags at the end, like a mop. These he dipped in pools of water by the wayside, and sprinkled any of the crowd who were within his reach. In our Wiltshire mummer's play we had a bladder tied on a string with which to buffet those who pressed too hard upon the company.
The full explanation of the characters of the Mummers' Play is not easy; but we possess vary good clues. [... ]Their activities were extended or curtailed according to the circumstances, and the degree of hospitality shown by the occupants of the house at which the play was presented.'
Transcribed and edited by Chris Wildridge, 2008.
