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Diccon: Watch well, for the knave will be there as sure as is your creed!
I would spend myself a shilling to have him swinged 1 well!
Chat: I am as glad as a woman may be, of this thing to hear tell!
By Gog's bones, when he cometh, now that I know the matter,
He shall at the first skip to leap in scalding water!
With a worse turn besides! When he will, let him come.
Diccon: I tell you as my sister: 2 you know what meaneth "Mum!" 3
[Dame Chat exits into her ale house]
THE FOURTH ACT
The Fourth Scene
[Diccon remains]
Diccon: Now lack I but my doctor to play his part again.
And lo, where he cometh towards – peradventure 4 to his pain!
[Dr. Rat enters from Gammer's house]
D. Rat: What good news, Diccon, fellow? Is Mother Chat at home?
Diccon: She is, sir, and she is not, but it please her to whom. 5
Yet did I take her tardy, 6 as subtle as she was!
D. Rat: The thing that thou wentst for, hast thou brought it to pass?
Diccon: I have done what I have done, be it worse [or] be it better!
And Dame Chat? At her wit's end I have almost set her!
D. Rat: Why, hast thou spied the nee'le? I pray thee tell.
Diccon: I have spied it in faith, sir; I handled myself so well.
And yet the crafty quean had almost take[n] my trump; 7
But, ere all came to an end, I set her in a dump! 8
D. Rat: How so, I pray thee, Diccon?
1
Swinged: beaten
2
I tell . . . sister: I tell you in strictest confidence
3
You know what meaneth "Mum!": You know what "Be quiet!" means.
4
Peradventure: perhaps
5
She is…whom: She is at home, but she may not answer the door; it depends on who's knocking.
6
Yet did . . . tardy: Anyway, she was too slow in her wits for me
7
Almost take … trump: Almost outwitted me (as a crafty card player can outwit another)
8
Set her in a dump: upset her, outwitted her, to her distress
Gammer Gurton's Needle 43