Gammer Gurton's Needle - Faculty & Staff Web Pages
Gammer Gurton's Needle - Faculty & Staff Web Pages
Gammer Gurton's Needle - Faculty & Staff Web Pages
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<strong>Gammer</strong> <strong>Gurton's</strong> <strong>Needle</strong> 33<br />
Chat: I trow, drab, I shall dress thee! 1<br />
[To Hodge]<br />
Tarry, thou knave, I hold thee a groat I shall make these hands bless thee!<br />
[Hodge runs away. Dame Chat continues to beat<br />
<strong>Gammer</strong>]<br />
Take this, thou old whore, for amends and learn thy tongue well to tame,<br />
And say thou met me at this bickering, not thy fellow but thy dame! 2<br />
[Dame Chat exits; a moment later, Hodge runs back<br />
onstage, holding a heavy club]<br />
Hodge: Where is the strong-stewed whore? 'Chi'll give her a whore's mark!<br />
Stand out one's way, that Ich kill none in the dark!<br />
Up, <strong>Gammer</strong>, and ye be alive! 'Chi'll fight for us both!<br />
[Dame Chat throws her door open suddenly; Hodge<br />
cowers back.]<br />
Come not near me, thou scolding callet! To kill thee Ich were loath! 3<br />
Chat: Art here again, thou hoddypeak! 4<br />
What, Doll, bring me out my spit! 5<br />
Hodge: 'Chi'll broach 6 thee with this!<br />
By m'father's soul, 'Chi'll conjure that foul spirit!<br />
[He calls back over his shoulder to Cocke, who is<br />
standing in the doorway of <strong>Gammer</strong>'s house]<br />
Let [the] door stand, Cocke! 7 [to Dame Chat:] Why comes indeed?<br />
[To Cocke:] Keep [the] door, thou whoreson boy!<br />
Chat: Stand to it, thou dastard, 8 for thine ears! I'll teach thee, a sluttish toy! 9<br />
[Dame Chat rushes toward Hodge, who runs away<br />
from her.]<br />
Hodge: Gog's wounds, whore, 'Chi'll make thee avaunt!<br />
[He runs inside <strong>Gammer</strong>'s house and slams the door]<br />
Take heed, Cocke, pull in the latch! 10<br />
[Dame Chat stands outside the closed door of<br />
<strong>Gammer</strong>'s house and yells at Hodge inside]<br />
1<br />
Dress thee: fix you<br />
2<br />
And say . . . dame: Tell people that in this fight I wasn't your equal but your better.<br />
3<br />
To kill…loath: I'd hate to have to kill you!<br />
4<br />
Hoddypeak: literally, a snail's shell; figuratively, an idiot<br />
5<br />
Spit: sharp iron pole used to roast meat over a fire<br />
6<br />
Broach: roast<br />
7<br />
Let door . . . Cocke!: Let the door stay open, Cocke! [So Hodge can retreat from Dame Chat if she attacks him.]<br />
8<br />
Dastard: a mean but cowardly person<br />
9<br />
I'll teach…toy: I'll show you, you nasty little creep!<br />
10<br />
Take heed . . . latch!: Hurry, Cocke, and lock the door!
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