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THE Recruiting Serjeant.
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THE RECRUITING SERJEANT, A MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT As it is Perform'd at the THEATRE-ROYAL IN DRURY-LANE
[tableau from play]
LONDON. Printed for WILLIAM GRIFFIN, at GARRICK'S HEAD, in Catherine Street, Strand. MDCCLXX. Price.1s.
ADVERTISEMENT.
[]THIS Piece was performed laſt Sum⯑mer at RANELAGH; but, though very much approved by the beſt Judges of Muſical Compoſition, by being performed in an Orcheſtra, loſt the better Part of its Effect.
It was thought it would pleaſe more in Action upon the Theatre; and with the Addition of a new Scene and Chorus, and a Ballet ſuitable to the Subject; is now, accordingly, once more preſented to the Public, with the neceſſary Advantages of Dreſſes and Decorations.
[]The Muſic is compoſed by Mr. DIBDIN, who has already had the Honour to be particularly diſtinguiſhed by the Public, for his Songs in the PADLOCK, and the JUBILEE: it is preſumed, he has been at leaſt as happy in this, as in any of his former Compoſitions. As to the Words, being calculated merely for the Uſe of the Compoſer, the Author hopes, in that Light only they will be conſidered.
Dramatis Perſonae.
[]- SERJEANT,
- Mr. Banniſter.
- COUNTRYMAN,
- Mr. Dibdin.
- WIFE,
- Mrs. Wrighten.
- MOTHER,
- Mrs. Dorman.
SCENE, a COUNTRY PLACE.
[]THE Recruiting Serjeant.
Scene, the View of a Village, with a Bridge: on one Side, near the Front, a Cottage; on the other, at the Foot of the Bridge, an Ale-houſe. When the Curtain riſes, two Light-horſe Men, ſuppoſed to be on their march, are diſcovered, ſitting at the Ale-houſe Door, with their Arms againſt the Wall; their Horſes at ſome diſtance. The Serjeant then paſſes with his Party over the Bridge, Drums and Fifes playing; and afterwards the Countryman, his Wife, and his Mother come out from the Cottage.
QUARTETTO.
SERJEANT.
ALL gallant lads, who know no fears,
To the drum-head repair:
To ſerve the king for volunteers,
Speak you, my boys, that dare.
Come, who'll be a grenadier?
The liſting money down,
Is three guineas, and a crown,
To be ſpent in punch, or beer.
COUNTRYMAN.
[10]Adds fleſh, I'll go with him.
MOTHER.
Oh no.
WIFE.
Dear Joe.
COUNTRYMAN.
Adds fleſh, I'll go with him.
A. 2.
Oh no!
COUNTRYMAN.
Adds fleſh, but I will:
So hold your tongues ſtill.
Nor mother, nor wife,
Thof they ſtrive for their life,
Shall baulk't; an my fancy be ſo.
SERJEANT.
Come beat away a Royal March.
Rub, rub, rub a dub;
Rub, rub, rub a dub:
Of no poltroons I come in ſearch,
Who cowardly ſneak;
When the tongues of war ſpeak:
But of noble ſouls, who death dare ſtand,
Againſt the foes of old England.
COUNTRYMAN.
[11]I'll be a ſoldier, ſo that's flat.
A. 2.
You won't, you won't.
COUNTRYMAN.
I'll be dead, an I don't;
What wou'd the teazing toads be at;
MOTHER.
You graceleſs rogue,
Is your heart a ſtone?
WIFE.
I'm fleſh of your fleſh,
And bone of your bone.
COUNTRYMAN.
Zounds, let me alone.
SERJEANT.
Drums ſtrike up a flouriſh, and follow me now
All honeſt hearts and clever;
Free quarters and beer at the ſign of the Plow:
Huzza! King George for ever.
SCENE II.
[12]The Serjeant, the Countryman, the Mother, the Wife; ſome of the Party go into the Ale-houſe with the Light-horſe Men.
COUNTRYMAN.
Hip, Meaſter Serjeant.
WIFE.
Go, yourſelf deſtroy.
SERJEANT.
What ſays my cock?
COUNTRYMAN.
Mayhop I wants employ.
A lad about my ſoize, though, wou'd na' do,
SERJEANT.
Ay, for a colonel.
COUNTRYMAN.
And a coptain too!
SERJEANT.
For both, or either.
COUNTRYMAN.
But, I doubts, d'ye ſee,
Such pleaces are na' for the loikes o'me.
SERJEANT.
[13]Liſt for a ſoldier, firſt, ne'er fear the reſt:
This guinea—
MOTHER.
Joe, his curſed gould deteſt.
Art not aſham'd, an honeſt mon to 'tice?
The king ſhou'd knaw it.
COUNTRYMAN.
Who wants yowr advice?
AIR.
MOTHER.
Out upon thee, wicked locuſt,
Worſe in country nor a plague;
Men by thee are hocuſt, pocuſt,
Into danger and fatigue:
And the Juſtices outbear thee
In thy tricks, but I don't fear thee,
No, nor thoſe that with thee league.
My ſon has enough at home,
He needs not for bread to roam;
[14]Already his pay,
Is twelve-pence a day,
His honeſt labour's fruits;
Then get thee a trudging quick,
For gad, if I take a ſtick,
I'll make thee repent,
When here thee wert ſent,
A drumming for recruits.
SCENE III.
[15]The Serjeant, the Countryman, the Wife; the Mother going into the Cottage, returns with three little Children.
COUNTRYMAN.
Then won't you go, and let a body be?
SERJEANT.
Zounds, is the woman mad!
MOTHER.
Dawn't ſwear at me.
WIFE.
Dear Joſeph, what's come o'er thee? tell me, do:
Three babes we have, I work for them, and you;
You work for us, and both together earn,
What keeps them tight, and puts them out to learn.
But if a ſoldiering, you're bent to roam,
We all ſhall ſhortly to the pariſh come;
And the churchwardens, no one to befriend us,
Will, for the next thing, to the workhouſe ſend us.
Thee know'ſt at workhouſe how poor folks are ſerv'd;
Bill, Tom, and Suſan, will be quickly ſtarv'd.
[16] *AIR.
Oh cou'd you bear to view,
Your little Tom and Sue;
Ta'en up by croſs o'erſeers:
And think that helpleſs I,
To give them, when they cry,
Have nothing but my tears?
You cannot have the heart,
With them and me to part,
For folks, you know not who!
With richer friends than we,
And prouder you may be,
But none will prove ſo true.
SCENE IV.
[17]The Serjeant, the Countryman, the Mother.
SERJEANT.
Comrade, your hand: I love a lad of ſoul;
Your name, to enter on my muſter roll;
To Juſtice Swear'em then, to take our oath:
COUNTRYMAN.
Hold, Serjeant, hold, there's time enough for both.
If I've a moind to liſt, I'll liſt, d'ye ſee;
But ſome diſcourſe firſt, betwixt yow and me.
A ſouldier's life—
SERJEANT.
The fineſt life that goes;
Free quarters ev'ry where—
COUNTRYMAN.
Ay, that we knows.
SERJEANT.
Then wenches!
COUNTRYMAN.
You've free quarters too, with they;
Girls love the red coats—
SERJEANT.
[18]Gad, and well they may.
COUNTRYMAN.
But when to fareign wars your men reſort
Fighting—a battle—
SERJEANT.
'Tis the rareſt ſport.
COUNTRYMAN.
Tell us a little about that.
SERJEANT.
I will.
WIFE.
Don't liſten to him, Joe!
COUNTRYMAN.
Do you be ſtill.
AIR.
SERJEANT.
What a charming thing's a battle!
Trumpets ſounding, drums a beating;
Crack, crick, crack, the cannons rattle.
Ev'ry heart with joy elating.
With what pleaſure are we ſpying,
From the front and from the rear,
[19]Round us in the ſmoaky air,
Heads, and limbs, and bullets flying!
Then the groans of ſoldiers dying:
Juſt like ſparrows, as it were,
At each pop,
Hundreds drop;
While the muſkets prittle prattle:
Kill'd and wounded,
Lie confounded;
What a charming thing's a battle!
But the pleaſant joke of all,
Is when to cloſe attack we fall;
Like mad bulls each other butting,
Shooting, ſtabbing, maiming, cutting;
Horſe and foot,
All go to't,
Kill's the word, both men and cattle;
Then to plunder:
Blood and thunder,
What a charming thing's a battle!
SCENE V.
[20]The Serjeant, the Countryman, the Mother, the Wife.
MOTHER.
Call you this charming? 'Tis the work of hell.
WIFE.
How do'ſt thou like it, Joe?
COUNTRYMAN.
Why pretty well.
SERJEANT.
But pretty well!
COUNTRYMAN.
Why need there be more ſaid?
But may'nt I happen too to loſe my head?
SERJEANT.
Your head!
COUNTRYMAN.
Ay.
SERJEANT.
Let me ſee! your head, my buck!
COUNTRYMAN.
[21]A leg, or arm too?
SERJEANT.
Not if you've good luck.
COUNTRYMAN.
Good luck!
SERJEANT.
The chance of war is doubtful ſtill;
Soldiers muſt run the riſk—
COUNTRYMAN.
They may that will.
SERJEANT.
Why, how now, Joſeph, ſure you mean to jeſt!
COUNTRYMAN.
I have thought twice, and ſecond thoughts are beſt.
Shew folks with beaſtis to our village came,
And hung at door a picture of their game;
Bears, lions, tygers, there were four or five;
And all ſo like, you'd ſwear they were alive.
A gaping at the cloth, the mon ſpied me,
For two-pence, friend, you may walk in, ſays he;
But, gad, I was more wiſe, and walked my way;
I ſaw ſo much for naught, I would not pay.
To ſee a battle thus, my moind was bent;
But you've ſo well deſcrib'd it, I'm content.
SERJEANT.
[22]Come, brother ſoldiers, let us then be gone:
Thou art a baſe paltroon—
COUNTRYMAN.
That's all as one.
AIR.
Ay, ay, maſter Serjeant, I wiſh you good day,
You've no need at preſent, I thank you, to ſtay;
My ſtomach for battle's gone from me, I trow;
When it comes back again, I'll take care you ſhall know.
With cudgel, or fiſt, as long as you liſt:
But as for this fighting,
Which ſome take delight in;
This ſlaſhing and ſmaſhing, with ſword and with gun;
On conſideration, I've no inclination,
To be the partaker of any ſuch fun.
I'll e'en ſtay at home in my village,
And carry no arms but for tillage;
My wounds ſhall be made,
With the ſcythe or the ſpade,
If ever my blood ſhould be ſhed.
A finger or ſo
Shou'd one wound, or a toe;
For ſuch a diſtaſter
There may be a plaiſter,
But no plaiſter ſticks on a head.
SCENE VI.
[23]The Countryman, the Wife, the Mother.
WIFE.
Then wilt thou ſtay Joe?
MOTHER.
Wilt thee, boy of mine?
COUNTRYMAN.
Wife give's the hand, and Mother give us thine.
Laſt night you dodg'd me to the ale-houſe, Jane;
I ſwore to be reveng'd—
WIFE.
I ſee it plain.
COUNTRYMAN.
I ſwore to be reveng'd, and vow'd, in ſhort,
To liſt ma, to be even with thee for't.
But kiſs me, now my plaguy anger's o'er.
WIFE.
And I'll ne'er dodge thee to the ale-houſe more.
[24] DUET.
COUNTRYMAN.
From henceforth, wedded to my farm,
My thoughts ſhall never rove on harm;
I to the field perchance may go,
But it ſhall be to reap or ſow.
WIFE.
Now bleſſings on thy honeſt heart,
Thy wife ſhall bear an equal part;
Work thee without doors; ſhe within,
Will keep the houſe, and card and ſpin.
COUNTRYMAN.
How fooliſh they in love with ſtrife,
Who quit the peaceful country life;
WIFE.
Where wholeſome labour is the beſt,
And ſureſt guide to balmy reſt!
A. 2.
That lot true happineſs ſecures,
And, bleſs'd be prais'd, is mine and yours.
Content beneath the humble ſhed,
We'll toil to earn our babies bread;
With mutual kindneſs bear love's yoke,
And pity greater, finer folk.
SCENE THE LAST.
[25]Here is introduced an Entertainment of Dancing, in the Characters of Light-Horſe Men, Recruits, and Country Girls; after which the Serjeant comes out, with a Drink⯑ing Glaſs in his Hand, followed by his Party, to the Country-man, the Wife, and the Mother, who have been looking on the Dance.
SERJEANT.
Well, countryman, art off the liſting pin,
Yet, wilt thou beat a march?
WIFE.
Dear Joe! come in.
MOTHER.
Hang-dog be gone, and tempt my boy no more.
WIFE.
Do, Serjeant, pray now.
COUNTRYMAN.
Mother, Wife, give o'er.
I ſee the gentleman no harm intends.
SERJEANT.
[26]I! Heav'n forbid; but let us part like friends.
We've got a bottle here, of humming ale.
'Tis the King's health.
COUNTRYMAN.
And that I never fail.
Lord love, and bleſs him, he's an honeſt man.
SERJEANT.
Lads, where's your muſic?
COUNTRYMAN.
Nay, fill up the can.
We'll drink the Royal Family.
SERJEANT.
So do:
King, Queen, and all.
COUNTRYMAN.
And Jane ſhall drink them too.
AIR.
Here's a health to King George; peace and glory attend him;
He's merciful, pious; he's prudent and juſt;
Long life, and a race like himſelf, Heav'n ſend him,
And humble the foes to his crown in the duſt.
[27]CHORUS.
Beat drums, beat amain:
Let the ear-piercing fife,
To our meaſures give life;
While each Britiſh heart,
In the health bears a part,
And joins the loyal ſtrain.
WIFE.
Here's a health to the Queen; gracious, mild and engag⯑ing,
Accompliſh'd in all that a woman ſhould own;
The cares of her conſort with ſoftneſs aſſwaging,
Whoſe manners add ſplendor, and grace to a throne.
CHORUS.
Beat drums, beat amain:
Let the ear-piercing fife,
To our meaſures give life;
While each Britiſh heart,
In the health bears a part,
And joins the loyal ſtrain.
MOTHER.
Here's a health to thoſe beautiful babes, whom the nation
Regards as a pledge from the ſire it reveres;
Heav'n ſheild the ſweet plants, from each rude viſitation,
And rear them to fullneſs of virtue and years.
[28]CHORUS.
Beat drums, beat amain:
Let the ear-piercing fife
To our meaſures give life;
While each Britiſh heart,
In the health bears a part,
And joins the loyal ſtrain.
SERJEANT.
Here's ſucceſs to his majeſty's arms: ever glorious,
And great may they be, on the land and the main:
As juſt is their cauſe, may they ſtill prove victorious,
And puniſh the raſhneſs of France and of Spain.
CHORUS.
Beat drums, beat amain:
Let the ear-piercing fife
To our meaſures give life;
While each Britiſh heart,
In the health bears a part,
And joins the loyal ſtrain.
FINIS.
Notes
*
Taking a Boy and Girl, one in each Hand.
- Citation Suggestion for this Object
- TextGrid Repository (2020). TEI. 4150 The recruiting serjeant a musical entertainment as it is perform d at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane. University of Oxford Text Archive. . https://hdl.handle.net/21.T11991/0000-001A-5A61-2