In the neighbourhood of Reading, at Compton, and other places, a Turkish Knight takes the place of the French Officer, and announces himself in the following lines:—

Here comes I, a Turkish Knight,
Come from Turkey-land to fight;
I myself and seven more,
Fought a battle of eleven score-
Eleven score of well-armed men ;
We never got conquered it by them.

King George replies :—

Whoa, thou little fellow, as talks so bold;

'Bout they other Turkish chaps I've been told. Draw thy sword, most parfile knight,

Draw thy sword and on to fight,

For I'll have satisfaction before I goes to-night.
My head is made of iron,

My body's made of steel;
And if ye won't believe me,
Just draw thy sword and feel.

[They fight.

In the Steventon mummers' play King George calls himself the " Africky King. Beau Slasher, the French officer, fights with him. At Bright-Walton, Molly is known as Queen Mary, possibly a corruption of the Blessed Virgin. The play in this village is performed in most approved fashion, as the Rector has taken the matter in hand, coached the actors in their parts, and taught them

some elocution.

It is acted in the school

room in a village entertainment, where it affords great delight to the rustics, no less. than to the performers themselves.

The mumming play as performed at Islip, Oxon, in December last, is thus reported by an eye-witness and faithful recorder of old

customs:

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

Molly, an old woman, in a sun-bonnet, carrying a broom.
King George, carries a broadsword.

Duke of Northumberland, carries a broadsword.

Doctor, blue coat with brass buttons.

Beelzebub, black face, bludgeon in one hand, frying-pan in the other.

Fat Jack, has large hump on his back, and carries thick stick.

Enter MOLLY, with broom in hand.

In comes I, old Molly, sweeping up.

Merry, merry Christmas and happy New Year,
Pocket full of money and cellar full of beer.

I had six children last night; I bred them up in a tinder-box.

I had a slice of bread and lard given me the night before;

I eat all that myself. Don't you think I am a jolly old other mother to them all?

(Shouts) Come in, next man.

Enter NORTHUMBERLAND, brandishing sword.

In come I, the Royal Duke of Northumberland,
With my broadsword in my hand.

Where's the man that would dare to bid me

stand?

I would cut him as small as flies,

And send him to the cookshop to make mincepies,

Mince-pies hot, mince-pies cold;

I'd send him to the Old Man before he's nine days old.

Molly. Come in, next man.

Enter KING GEORGE, brandishing sword.

Where is that man that dares to bid me stand? Although he swaggers and swears he'd cut me up as small as flies,

And send me to the cookshop to make mince-pies, Mince-pies hot, mince-pies cold,

And send me to the Old Man before I'm nine days old.

Battle to battle betwixt you and I,

See which is on the ground first, you or I.
Guard your blows and guard your nose,
Or down on the ground you quickly goes.

[They fight, and Northumberland falls. King Doctor! Doctor! I've killed a man. Doctor's voice from without. More like a monkey, and stole his face.

King. Doctor! Doctor! do your part,

For King George is wounded to the heart,

There is an obvious blunder here. If "King George is wounded to the heart," then he, and not Northumberland, ought to fall, and the dialogue should be spoken by Northumberland.

From the heart to the knee;

I'll give five shillings for a good old doctor like thee. Doctor. I shan't come for five shillings, or nothing

like it.

King. Ten shillings, then.

Doctor. That's more like it.

King. Come in, Jack Spinney!

Enter DOCTOR.

My name's not Jack Spinney,

My name's Mister Spinney-
A man of great pain,

Do more than you or any man again.
King. What can you do so clever?
Doctor. Cure the magpie of toothache.

King. How should you do it?

Doctor. Cut off his head and throw his body in the ditch.

King. Come and serve this man the same.
Doctor. In comes I, old Doctor Good,

Whose hands are never stained with blood.

I'm not one of these quick-quack doctors. I come to do the good of the country, both to ladies and gentlemen.

I can cure the hip, the pip,

The palsy and the gout;

And if the Old Man's in that man,

I can fetch him out.

I've travelled Old England, Scotland, Wales, and Spain,

Take one of my soft pills and rise again.

[Gives pill, and Northumberland rises.

Come in, next man.

Enter BEELZEBUB.

In comes I, old Beelzebub,

On my shoulders I carry my club ;
In my hand a frying-pan;

Don't you think I'm a jolly old man?

Come in, next man.

Enter FAT JACK.

In comes I, old Fat Jack,

My wife and family at my back;

My wife's so big, my family small,

I've brought you a rattle to please you all.
[They all dance round the room.
falls down and groans.

King. My wife Susannah looks very ill.

Doctor. What's her complaint?

King. Toothache, I think.

Doctor. Fetch my horse, Jack.

Fat Jack. I shan't. Fetch it yourself.
Doctor. What !

Fetch him this minute.

Molly

Keep a dog and bark myself! (Fat Jack brings up one of the disengaged characters, and Doctor tries to get on his back; he plunges about.) Give us a leg up, Jack. Woa! woa! (Doctor is thrown off.) Jack, you give

my horse too much corn.

Fat Jack. I only give him a bean and a half.

Doctor. That's a bean too much.

Fat Jack. Feed him yourself next time.

(Doctor examines Molly, and gets out a pair of pincers.) Toothache, you think?

King. Yes.

Doctor. Just come and give a pull then. (Takes