The fyrste Acte. The.iiii. Sceane. 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. 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 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.