_Gammer._ Now Hodge, mayst nowe be glade, cha newes to tell thee;
Ich knowe who hais my neele; ich trust soone shalt it see.
_Hodge._ The devyll thou does! hast hard, Gammer, in deede, or doest
but jest?
_Gammer._ Tys as true as steele, Hodge.
_Hodge._ Why, knowest well where dydst leese it?
_Gammer._ Ich know who found it, and tooke it up! shalt see or it be
longe. 5
_Hodge._ Gods mother dere! if that be true, farwel both naule an
thong!
But who hais it, Gammer, say on; chould faine here it disclosed.
_Gammer._ That false fixen, that same Dame Chat, that counts her selfe
so honest.
_Hodge._ Who tolde you so?
_Gammer._ That same did Diccon the bedlam, which saw it done.
_Hodge._ Diccon? it is a vengeable knave, Gammer, tis a bonable[698]
horson, 10
Can do mo things then that, els cham deceyved evill:
By the masse, ich saw him of late cal up a great blacke devill!
O, the knave cryed "ho, ho!" he roared and he thundred,
And yead bene here, cham sure yould murrenly ha wondred.
_Gammer._ Was not thou afraide, Hodge to see him in this place? 15
_Hodge._ No, and chad come to me, chould have laid him on the face,
Chould have, promised him!
_Gammer._ But, Hodge, had he no hornes to pushe?
_Hodge._ As long as your two armes. Saw ye never Fryer Rushe[699]
Painted on a cloth, with a side long cowes tayle,
And crooked cloven feete, and many a hoked nayle? 20
For al the world, if I shuld judg, chould recken him his brother.
Loke, even what face Frier Rush had, the devil had such another.
_Gammer._ Now Jesus mercy, Hodg! did Diccon in him bring?
_Hodge._ Nay Gammer, here me speke, chil tel you a greater thing;
The devil (when Diccon had him, ich hard him wondrous weel) 25
Sayd plainly here before us, that Dame Chat had your neele.
_G_[_am_]_mer._ Then let us go, and aske her wherfore she minds to
kepe it;
Seing we know so much, tware a madnes now to slepe it.
_Hodge._ Go to her, Gammer; see ye not where she stands in her
doores?
Byd her geve you the neele, tys none of hers but yours. 30
The iii. Acte. The iii. Sceane.