[114] It was at length converted into an hospital.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE NEEDLE.
“A grave Reformer of old Rents decay’d.”
J. Taylor.
“His garment—
With thornes together pind and patched was.”
Faerie Queene.
Hodge. “Tush, tush, her neele, her neele, her neele, man; neither flesh nor fish,
A lytle thing with an hole in the ende, as bright as any syller,
Small, long, sharp at the point, and straight as any piller.”
Diccon. “I know not what it is thou menest, thou bringst me more in doubt.”
Hodge. “Knowest not what Tom tailor’s man sits broching thro’ a clout?
A neele, a neele, a neele, my gammer’s neele is gone.”
Gammer Gurton’s Needle.
It is said in the old chronicles that previous to the arrival of Anne of Bohemia, Queen of Richard the Second, the English ladies fastened their robes with skewers; but as it is known that pins were in use among the early British, since in the barrows that have been opened numbers of “neat and efficient” ivory pins were found to have been used in arranging the grave-clothes, it is probable that this remark is unfounded.