HODGE. By m' fay, sir, that ye shall, What matter soever here was done, ich can tell your maship: My Gammer Gurton here, see now, Sat her down at this door, see now, And as she began to stir her, see now, Her nee'le fell in the floor, see now, And while her staff she took, see now, At Gib her cat to fling, see now, Her nee'le was lost in the floor, see now; Is not this a wondrous thing, see now? Then came the quean dame Chat, see now, To ask for her black cup, see now: And even here at this gate, see now, She took that nee'le up, see now, My gammer then she yede,[275] see now, Her nee'le again to bring, see now, And was caught by the head, see now; Is not this a wondrous thing, see now? She tare my gammer's coat, see now, And scratched her by the face, see now, Chad thought sh'ad stopp'd her throat, see now; Is not this a wondrous case, see now? When ich saw this, ich was wroth, see now, And stert between them twain, see now, Else ich durst take a book-oath, see now, My gammer had been slain, see now. GAMMER. This is even the whole matter, as Hodge has plainly told. And chould fain be quiet for my part, that chould. But help us, good master, beseech ye that ye do, Else shall we both be beaten, and lose our nee'le too. DOCTOR RAT. What would ye have me to do? tell me, that I were gone, I will do the best that I can to set you both at one. But be ye sure dame Chat hath this your nee'le found? GAMMER. Here comes the man, that see her take it up off the ground, Ask him yourself, Master Rat, if ye believe not me, And help me to my nee'le, for God's sake and Saint Charity.[276] DOCTOR RAT. Come near, Diccon, and let us hear what thou can express. Wilt thou be sworn, thou seest dame Chat this woman's nee'le have? DICCON. Nay, by Saint Benet, will I not, then might ye think me rave.[277] GAMMER. Why did'st not thou tell me so even here? canst thou for shame deny it? DICCON. Ay, marry, gammer: but I said I would not abide by it. DOCTOR RAT. Will you say a thing, and not stick to it to try it? DICCON. Stick to it, quoth you, Master Rat? marry, sir, I defy it.[278] Nay, there is many an honest man, when he such blasts hath blown In his friend's ears, he would be loth the same by him were known: If such a toy be used oft among the honesty,[279] It may [not] beseem a simple man of your and my degree. DOCTOR RAT. Then we be never the nearer, for all that you can tell.