The fyrst Acte. The iiii. Sceane.
Gammer. Hodge. Tyb. Cocke.
Gammer. Alas, Hoge, alas! I may well cursse and ban A iv
This daie, that ever I saw it, with Gyb and the mylke pan;
For these and ill lucke togather, as knoweth Cocke, my boye,
Have stacke away my deare neele, and robd me of my joye,
My fayre long strayght neele, that was myne onely treasure; 5
The fyrst day of my sorow is, and last end of my pleasure!
Hodge. Might ha kept it when ye had it! but fooles will be fooles styll.
Lose that is vast in your handes ye neede not but ye will.
Gammer. Go hie the, Tib, and run thou, hoore, to thend here of the towne![669]
Didst cary out dust in thy lap; seeke wher thou porest it downe, 10
And as thou sawest me roking, in the ashes where I morned,
So see in all the heape of dust thou leave no straw unturned.
Tyb. That chal, Gammer, swythe and tyte,[670] and sone be here agayne!
Gammer. Tib, stoope & loke downe to the ground to it, and take some paine.
Hodge. Here is a prety matter, to see this gere how it goes; 15
By Gogs soule, I thenk you wold loes your ars, and it were loose!
Your neele lost, it is pitie you shold lack care and endlesse sorow.
Gogs deth! how shall my breches be sewid? Shall I go thus to morow?
Gammer. Ah Hodg, Hodg! if that ich cold find my neele, by the reed,
Chould sow thy breches, ich promise the, with full good double threed, 20
And set a patch on either knee shuld last this monethes twaine.
Now God and good Saint Sithe[671] I praye to send it home againe!
Hodge. Wherto served your hands and eies, but this your neele to kepe?
What devill had you els to do? ye kept, ich wot, no sheepe!
Cham fame abrode to dyg and delve, in water, myre, and claye, 25
Sossing and possing in the durte styll from day to daye.
A hundred thinges that be abrode, cham set to see them weele,
And four of you syt idle at home, and can not keepe a neele!
Gammer. My neele! alas! ich lost it, Hodge, what time ich me up hasted
To save the milke set up for the, which Gib, our cat, hath wasted. 30
Hodge. The Devill he burst both Gib and Tib, with al the rest!
Cham alwayes sure of the worst end, who ever have the best!
Where ha you ben fidging abrode, since you your neele lost?
Gammer. Within the house, and at the dore, sitting by this same post,
Wher I was loking a long howre, before these folks came here; 35
But welaway, all was in vayne, my neele is never the nere!
Hodge. Set me a candle, let me seeke, and grope where ever it bee.
Gogs hart, ye be so folish, ich thinke, you knowe it not when you it see!
Gammer. Come hether, Cocke; what, Cocke, I say!
Cocke. Howe, Gammer?
Gammer. Goe, hye the soone,
And grope behynd the old brasse pan, whych thing when thou hast done, 40
Ther shall thou fynd an old shooe, wherein if thou look well,
Thou shalt fynd lyeng an inche of a whyte tallow candell.
Lyght it, and bryng it tite away.
Cocke. That shalbe done anone.
Gammer. Nay, tary, Hodge, till thou hast light, and then weele seke ech one. 45
Hodge. Cum away, ye horson boy, are ye aslepe? ye must have a crier!
Cocke. Ich cannot get the candel light: here is almost no fier.
Hodge. Chil hold[672] the a peny chil make the come, if that ich may catch thine eares!
Art deffe, thou horson boy? Cocke, I say; why canst not heares?
Gammer. Beate hym not, Hodge, bul help the boy, and come you two together.