Gammer Gurton's Needle - Faculty & Staff Web Pages
Gammer Gurton's Needle - Faculty & Staff Web Pages
Gammer Gurton's Needle - Faculty & Staff Web Pages
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
D. Rat: Alas, sir, ask you that?<br />
Is it not made plain enough through the mouth of Dame Chat?<br />
The time agreeth, my head is broken, her tongue cannot lie; 1<br />
Only upon a bare nay she sayeth it was not I. 2<br />
<strong>Gammer</strong> <strong>Gurton's</strong> <strong>Needle</strong> 49<br />
Chat: No, marry, it was not indeed! Ye shall hear one thing:<br />
This afternoon a friend of mine for good will 3 gave me warning,<br />
And bade me well look to my roost and all my capons' 4 pens,<br />
For if I took not better heed, a man would have my hens.<br />
Then I to save my goods took so much pains as [for] him to watch;<br />
And as good fortune served me, it was my chance him for to catch. 5<br />
What strokes he bore away, or other what was his gains<br />
I wot not – but sure I am he had something for his pains! 6<br />
Bailey: Yet [you] tell us not who it was.<br />
Chat: Who it was? A false thief, that came like a false fox my poultry to kill and<br />
mischief! 7<br />
Bailey: But knowest thou not his name?<br />
Chat: I know it, but what then?<br />
It was that crafty cullion 8 Hodge, my <strong>Gammer</strong> <strong>Gurton's</strong> man.<br />
Bailey [to Scapethrift]: Call me the knave hither. He shall sure kiss the stocks.<br />
I shall teach him a lesson for filching 9 hens or cocks!<br />
[Scapethrift exits into <strong>Gammer</strong>'s house]<br />
Dr. Rat: I marvel, Master Bailey, so bleared be your eyes!<br />
An egg is not so full of meat 10 as she is full of lies!<br />
When she hath played this prank to excuse all this gear,<br />
She layeth the fault on such a one as I know was not there.<br />
Chat: Was he not there? Look on his pate! 11 That shall be his witness!<br />
D. Rat: I would my head were half as whole; I would seek no redress!<br />
1<br />
The time . . . lie: It happened at the same time, you see my injuries, and she can't lie about it.<br />
2<br />
Only upon . . . I: You only have her unsupported word that I was not her victim.<br />
3<br />
For good will: out of kindness of heart<br />
4<br />
Capon: a castrated rooster<br />
5<br />
Chance for him to catch: good luck to catch him in the act<br />
6<br />
That is, "I don't know how he was injured or whether he took anything, but I know very well he had a few bruises!"<br />
7<br />
Mischief is not often used as a verb, as it is here: it means "to harm"<br />
8 Cullion: rogue, rascal<br />
9 Filching: stealing<br />
10 Meat: food<br />
11 Pate: top of his head
Change language