The Yeomen of the Guard
THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD or The Merryman and His Maid Written by W.S. GILBERT Composed by ARTHUR SULLIVAN First produced at the Savoy Theatre, 3rd October 1888. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ SIR RICHARD CHOLMONDELEY ( Lieutenant of the Tower ) COLONEL FAIRFAX ( under sentence of death ) SERGEANT MERYLL (of the Yeomen of the Guard ) LEONARD MERYLL (his son ) JACK POINT ( a Strolling Jester ) WILFRED SHADBOLT . (Head Jailer and Assistant Tormentor ) THE HEADSMAN FIRST YEOMAN SECOND YEOMAN FIRST CITIZEN SECOND CITIZEN ELSIE MAYNARD (a Strolling Singer ) PHŒBE MERYLL (Sergeant Meryll's Daughter ) DAME CARRUTHERS (Housekeeper to the Tower ) KATE (her Niece ) Chorus of YEOMEN OF THE GUARD , GENTLEMEN , C ITIZENS , etc. SCENE : Tower Green TIME : 16th Century ACT I SCENE . – Tower Green. Phœbe discovered spinning . SONG – PHŒBE When maiden loves, she sits and sighs, She wanders to and fro; Unbidden tear-drops fill her eyes, And to all questions she replies, With a sad ‘heighho!’ ’Tis but a little word – ‘heighho!’ So soft, ’tis scarcely heard – ‘heighho!’ An idle breath – Yet life and death May hang upon a maid’s ‘heighho!’ When maiden loves, she mopes apart, As owl mopes on a tree; Although she keenly feels the smart, She cannot tell what ails her heart, With its sad ‘Ah, me!’ ’Tis but a foolish sigh – ‘Ah, me!’ Born but to droop and die – ‘Ah, me!’ Yet all the sense Of eloquence Lies hidden in a maid’s ‘Ah, me!’ ( weeps ) Enter WILFRED . WILFRED . Mistress Meryll! PHŒBE . (looking up ) Eh! Oh! It’s you, is it? You may go away, if you like.
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