Anonymous. Gammer Gurton's Needle
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library

| Table of Contents for this work |
| All on-line databases | Etext Center Homepage |

The fyrste Acte. The.iiii. Sceane.

[Enter: Gammer. Hodge. Tyb. Cocke.]

Gammer

ALas hoge, alas I may well cursse and ban
This daie that euer I saw it, with gyb and the inylke pan
For these and ill lucke to gather, as knoweth
Cocke my boye
Haue stacke away my deare neele, and robd me of my boye
My fayre longe strayght neele that was myne one y treasure
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 meede not but ye will.
Gammer

Go hie thee tib, and run thou hoore, to thend here of the towne
Didst cary out dust in thy lap, seeke wher thou porest it downe
And as thou sawest me roking, in the asshes where I morned.
So see in all the heape of dust, thou leaue no straw vnturned.
Tyb

That chal gammer swythe and tyte, and sone be here agayne.
Gammer

Tib stoope & loke downe to ye ground to it, & take some paine.


-8-



Hodge

Here is a prety matter, to see this gere how it goes
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 ye, wt full good double threed
And set a patch on either knee, shuld last this monethes twaine
Now god & good Saint Sithe I praye, to send it home againe.
Hodge

Wherto serued your hands & eies, but this your neele to kepe
What deuill had you els to do, ye kept ich wot no sheepe
Cham faine a brode to dyg and delue, in water, myre and claye
Sossing and possing in the durte, styll from day to daye
A hundred thinges that be abrode, cham set to see them weele
And foure of you syt idle at home, and can not keepe a neele.
Gammer

My neele alas ich lost it hodge, what time ich me vp hasted
To saue the milke set vp for the, which gib our cat hath wasted
Hodge

The Deuill he burst both gib, and Tib, with all the rest
Cham alwayes sure of the worst end, who euer haue the best


-9-



Where ha you ben fidging abrode, since you your neele lost
Gammer

Withm the house and at the dore, sittmg by this same post
Wher I was loking a long howre, before these folks came here,
But welaway, all was in vayne, my neele is neuer the nere.
Hodge

Set me a candle, let me seeke and grope where euer 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.
r

Goe hye thee soone and grope behynd the old brasse pan,
Whych thing when thou hast done
Ther shalt thou fynd an old shooe, wher in if thou looke well
Thou shalt fynd lyeng an inche of a whyte tallow candell,
Lyght it, and brynge it tite awaye.
Cocke

That shalbe done anone.
Gammer

Nay tary hodg til thou hast light, and then weele seke ech one.
Hodge

Cum away ye horson boy, are ye a slepe; ye must haue a crier.
Cocke

Ich cannot get the candel light here is almost no fler.
Hodge

Chi1 hold the a peny chil make ye come if yt ich may catch thine eares
Art deffe thou horson boy ? cocke I say, why canst not heares.
Gammer

Beate hym not Hodge but help the boy and come you two togethe.


-10-