THE ENGLISH MUMMING PLAY
By Eddie Cass, Michael J Preston and Paul Smith, published by the Folklore Society at £4.50. 40pp. ISBN: 0-903515-21-0
Two useful bibliographies to sources for studying the subjects in question. Don't expect any essays or other actual information in either of these, but if you have an interest in the history or development of these subjects, and the approaches which historians and folklorists take to them, then these booklets will be of interest to you as to who wrote what and when.
The former covers works on subjects including May songs, garlanding and May Queens, maypoles and pageantry, Robin Hood, sweeps' and milkmaids' festivities, and local studies of events in Padstow, Minehead, Helston, Castleton and others, as well as the historical aspects of "Merrie Englandism"; the latter provides sources for sword-dance plays, Robin Hood plays, wooing plays, the Souling Play, the Hero/combat drama and others, along with the historical context and theories about the development and social role of mumming plays generally.
Both are very useful guides to what has already been written about their respective subject and anyone interested in either would save much time in sourcing relevant information by investing in them.