archaic English made good use of God's [something]. gadzooks (or od's wucks) is "God's hooks", the hooks perhaps being a reference to the nails used to fasten Christ to the cross. some of these expressions were reduced to 'od's as in ods bodikins, "[by] God's little body"; also zounds, "[by] God's wounds" and 'sblood ("God's blood") and 'sbody or ods-bobs ("God's body") and ods-pittikins ("God's pity").

these can now be heard in late summer and fall at Renaissance Festivals throughout the land.