e and I bid twentie times light
on it."

_Hodge._ "And is not then my breches sewed up, to-morrow that I shuld
wear?"

_Tib._ "No, in faith, Hodge, thy breches lie, for all this never the
near."

_Hodge._ "Now a vengeance light on al the sort, that better shold
have kept it;
The cat, the house, and Tib our maid, that better should
have swept it.
Se, where she cometh crawling! Come on, come on thy
lagging way;
Ye have made a fair daies worke, have you not? pray you,
say."

* * * * *

Act I. Scene 4. Gammer, Hodge, Tib, Cocke.

_Gammer._ "Alas, alas, I may well curse and ban
This day, that ever I saw it, with Gib and the milke pan.
For these, and ill lucke together, as knoweth Cocke my boy,
Have stacke away my dear neele, and rob'd me of my joy,
My fair long straight neele, that was mine only treasure,
The first day of my sorrow is, and last of my pleasure."

_Hodge._ "Might ha kept it when ye had it; but fools will be fools
still:
Lose that is fast in your hands? ye need not, but ye will."

_Gammer._ "Go hie the, Tib, and run along, to th' end here of the town.
Didst carry out dust in thy lap? seek where thou porest
it down;
And as thou sawest me roking in the ashes where I morned,
So see in all the heap of dust thou leave no straw unturned."

_Hodge._ "Your neele lost? it is pitie you shold lacke care and
endles sorrow.
Tell me, how shall my breches be sewid? shall I go thus
to-morrow?"

_Gammer._ "Ah, Hodge, Hodge, if that I could find my neele, by the
reed,
I'd sew thy breches, I promise the, with full good double
threed,
And set a patch on either knee, shall last this months twain,
Now God, and Saint Sithe, I pray, to send it back again."

_Hodge._ "Whereto served your hands and eyes, but your neele keep?
What devil had you els to do? ye keep, I wot, no sheep.
I'm fain abrode to dig and delve, in water, mire a