University of Virginia Library

The .v. Sceane.

Gammer. Tyb, Cocke. Hodge.
Gāmer
How now Tyb, quycke lets here, what newes thou hast brought hether.

Tyb.
Chaue tost and tumbled yender heap our & ouer againe
And winowed it through my fingers, as mē wold winow grain
Not so much as a hens turd but in pieces I tare it
Or what so euer clod or clay I found, I did not spare it
Lokyng within and eke without, to fynd your neele (alas)
But all in vaine and without help, your neele is where it was.

Gāmer
Alas my neele we shall neuer meete, adue, adue for aye.

Tyb.
Not so gammer, we myght it fynd if we knew where it laye.

Cocke.
Gogs crosse Gammer if ye will laugh looke in but at the doore
And see how Hodg lieth tomblynge and tossing amids the floure
Rakyng there some fayre to find amonge the asshes dead
Where there is not one sparke, so byg as a pyns head,
At last in a darke corner two sparkes he thought he sees
Which where indede nought els but Gyb our cats two eyes
Puffe quod hodg thinking therby to haue fyre without doubt
With that Gyb shut her two eyes, & so the fyre was out
And by and by them opened, euen as they were before,
With that the sparkes appered euen as they had done of yore,
And euen as hodge blew the fire as he did thincke
Gyb as she felt the blast strayght way began to wyncke,
Tyll Hodge fell of swering, as came best to his turne,
The fier was sure bewicht, and therfore wold not burne:
At last Gyb vp the stayers, among the old postes and pinnes,
And Hodge he hied him after till broke were both his shinnes:
Cursynge and swering othes, were neuer of his makyng,
That Gyb wold fyre the house, if that shee were not taken.

Gāmer
See here is all the thought that the foolysh Urchyn taketh,
And Tyb me thinke at his elbowe almost as mery maketh
This is all the wyt ye haue when others make their mone,
Come downe Hodge, where art thou and let the Cat alone.

Hodge
Gogs harte, help and come vp, Gyb in her tayle hath fyre.
And is like to burne all if shee get a lytle hier:
Cum downe (quoth you,) nay then you might count me a patch,
The house cometh downe on your heads if it take ons ye thatch.

Gāmer
It is the cats eyes foole that shineth in the darke.

Hodge
Hath the Cat do you thinke in euery eye a sparke.

Gāmer
No, but they shyne as lyke fyre as euer man see.

Hodge
By the masse and she burne all, yoush beare the blame for mee

Gāmer
Cum downe & help to seeke here our neele that it were found
Downe Tyb on tho knees I say, downe Cocke to the ground.
To God I make a vowe, and so to good Saint Anne
A candell shall they haue a peece, get it where I can,
If I may my neele find in one place or in other.

Hodge
Now a vengeaunce on gib lyght, on gyb and gybs mother
And all the generacyon of Cats both far and nere
Looke on the ground horson thinke thou the neele is here.

Cocke.
By my trouth gammer me thought your neele here I saw
But when my fyngers toucht it, I felt it was a straw.

Tyb
See Hodge whats tys, may it not be within it,

Hodge
Breake it foole with thy hand and see and thou canst fynde it.

Tyb
Nay breake it you Hodge accordyng to your word.

Hodge
Gogs sydes, fye it styncks: it is a Cats tourd,
It were well done to make thee eate it by the masse.

Gāmer
This matter amendeth not my neele is still where it wasse
Our candle is at anende let vs all in quight
And come another tyme, when we haue more lyght