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I refer it to the credit of Segasto.

       SEGASTO.

       Most true, and like your majesty.

       KING.

       How then?

       AMADINE.

       The bear, being eager to obtain his prey,

       Made forward to us with an open mouth,

       As if he meant to swallow us both at once;

       The sight whereof did make us both to dread,

       But specially your daughter Amadine,

       Who, for I saw no succour incident

       But in Segasto’s valour, I grew desperate,

       And he most cowardlike began to fly—

       Left me distressed to be devoured of him.

       How say you, Segasto, is it not true?

       KING.

       His silence verifies it to be true. What then?

       AMADINE.

       Then I amazed, distressed, all alone,

       Did hie me fast to scape that ugly bear,

       But all in vain, for, why, he reached after me,

       And hardly I did oft escape his paws,

       Till at the length this shepherd came,

       And brought to me his head.

       Come hither boy: lo, here it is,

       Which I present unto your majesty.

       KING.

       The slaughter of this bear deserves great fame.

       SEGASTO.

       The slaughter of a man deserves great blame.

       KING.

       Indeed occasion oftentimes so falls out.

       SEGASTO.

       Tremelio in the wars, O King, preserved thee.

       AMADINE.

       The shepherd in the woods, o king, preserved me.

       SEGASTO.

       Tremelio fought when many men did yield.

       AMADINE.

       So would the shepherd, had he been in field.

       MOUSE.

       So would my master, had he not run away.

       SEGASTO.

       Tremelio’s force saved thousands from the foe.

       AMADINE.

       The shepherd’s force would have saved thousands more.

       MOUSE.

       Aye, shipsticks, nothing else.

       KING.

       Segasto, cease to accuse the shepherd,

       His worthiness deserves a recompense,

       All we are bound to do the shepherd good:

       Shepherd, whereas it was my sentence, thou shouldst die,

       So shall my sentence stand, for thou shalt die.

       SEGASTO.

       Thanks to your majesty.

       KING.

       But soft, Segasto, not for this offence.—

       Long maist thou live, and when the sisters shall decree

       to cut in twain the twisted thread of life,

       Then let him die: for this I set thee free:

       And for thy valour I will honour thee.

       MUCEDORUS.

       Thanks to your majesty.

       KING. Come, daughter, let us now depart, to honour the worthy valour of the shepherd with our rewards.

       [Exeunt.]

       MOUSE. O master, hear you, you have made a fresh hand now you would be slow, you; why, what will you do now? you have lost me a good occupation by the means. Faith, master, now I cannot hang the shepherd, I pray you, let me take the pains to hang you: it is but half an hour’s exercise.

       SEGASTO.

       You are still in your knavery, but sith a I cannot

       have his life I will procure his banishment for ever.

       Come one, sirra.

       MOUSE.

       Yes, forsooth, I come.—Laugh at him, I pray you.

       [Exeunt.]

       ACT III.

      

      SCENE I. Grove near the Court.

       [Enter Mucedorus solus.]

       MUCEDORUS.

       From Amadine and from her father’s court,

       With gold and silver and with rich rewards,

       Flowing from the banks of golden treasuries,—

       More may I boast and say: but I,

       Was never shepheard in such dignity.

       [Enter the messenger and the clown.]

       MESSENGER.

       All hail, worthy shepherd.

       MOUSE.

       All reign, lowly shepherd..

       MUCEDORUS.

       Welcome, my friends; from whence come you?

       MESSENGER. The King and Amadine greets thee well, and after greetings done, bids thee depart the court: shepherd, begone.

       MUCEDORUS.

       Whose words are these? came these from Amadine?

       MESSENGER.

       Aye, from Amadine.

       MOUSE.

       Aye, from Amadine.

       MUCEDORUS.

       Ah, luckless fortune, worse than Phaeton’s tale,

       My former bliss is now become my bale.

       MOUSE.

       What, wilt thou poison thy self?

       MUCEDORUS.

       My former heaven is now become my hell.

       MOUSE.

       The worse ale house that I ever came in, in all my life.

       MUCEDORUS.

       What shall I do?

       MOUSE.

       Even go hang thy self half an hour.

       MUCEDORUS.

       Can Amadine so churlishly command,

       To banish the shepherd from her Father’s court?

       MESSENGER.

       What should shepherds do in the court?

       MOUSE.

       What should shepherds do amongst us? have we not

       Lords enough on us in the court?

       MUCEDORUS.

       Why, shepherds are men, and kings are no more.

       MESSENGER.

       Shepherds are men and masters over their flock.

       MOUSE.

       That’s a lie: who pays them their wages then?

       MESSENGER. Well, you are always interrupting of me, but you are best look to him, least you hang for him when he is gone.

       [Exit.]

       [The Clown sings.]

       MOUSE.

       And you shall hang for company,

       For leaving me

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