Gammer Gurton's Needle - Faculty & Staff Web Pages

Diccon: Then needs must force us both
Upon my breech 1 to lay thy hand, and there to take thy oath.
Hodge: I, Hodge, breechesless,
Swear to Diccon, recheless, 2
By the cross that I shall kiss,
To keep his counsel close,
And always me to dispose
To work that his pleasure is. 3
Diccon: Now, Hodge, see thou take heed
And do as I thee bid.
For so I judge it meet
This needle again to win –
There is no shift therein
But [to] conjure up a spirit! 4
Hodge: [He trembles with fear]
What! The great devil? Diccon, I say!
Diccon: Yea, by my faith, that is the way –
Fet 5 with some pretty charm!
Hodge: And shall Ich be here safe from their claws?
Diccon: The Master Devil with his long paws
[From] Here to thee cannot reach!
Now will I settle me to this gear. 6
Gammer Gurton's Needle 19
[Hodge places his hand on Diccon's butt, and he
recites the oath after Diccon, line by line]
[Diccon indicates that Hodge must kiss his arse, and
he does.]
[Diccon begins to draw a magic circle on the ground]
[Diccon draws a much larger circle for himself and
steps inside it, then begins to conjure.]
1
Then needs . . . breech: In that case, we'll have to put our hands on my arse
2
Recheless: careless
3
And always . . . is: And always do what I can to work for him and please him.
4
Now, Hodge . . . spirit! Now, Hodge, be careful to listen and do just what I say, because I think it's necessary that, to find
this needle again – there's no way to do it, except to conjure up a spirit!
5
Fet: bound. Diccon says they'll call the devil, but bind him with a magic spell so he can't hurt them.
6
Now will . . . gear: Now I'll get right down to business!