A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Vii Part 34

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.

CLOWN. So would my master, had he not run away. [_Aside_.

SEGASTO. Tremelio's force saved thousands from the foe.

AMADINE. The shepherd's force hath saved thousands mo.

CLOWN. Ay, shipsticks, nothing else. [_Aside_.

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 should'st die, So shall my sentence stand, for thou shalt die.

SEGASTO. Thanks to your majesty.

KING. But soft, Segasto, not for this offence.

Long may'st 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 him 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_.

CLOWN. 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 this 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 I cannot have his life, I will procure his banishment for ever.

Come on, sirrah.

CLOWN. Yes, forsooth, I come.

Laugh at him, I pray you.

[_Exeunt.

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 shepherd in such dignity.

_Enter the_ MESSENGER _and the_ CLOWN.

MESSENGER. All hail, worthy shepherd!

CLOWN. All rain, lousy shepherd!

MUCEDORUS. Welcome, my friends, from whence come you?

MESSENGER. The King and Amadine greet thee well, And after greetings done, bids thee depart the court Shepherd, begone.

CLOWN. Shepherd, take law legs; fly away, shepherd.

MUCEDORUS. Whose words are these? Come these from Amadine?

MESSENGER. Ay, from Amadine.

CLOWN. Ay, from Amadine.

MUCEDORUS. Ah! luckless fortune, worse than Phaeton's tale, My former bliss is now become my bale.

CLOWN. What, wilt thou poison thyself?

MUCEDORUS. My former heaven is now become my h.e.l.l.

CLOWN. The worst alehouse That I ever came in in all my life.

MUCEDORUS. What shall I do?

CLOWN. Even go hang thyself 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?

CLOWN. What should shepherds do among us?

Have we not lords enough o'er[175] us in the court?

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

MESSENGER. Shepherds are men, and masters over their flock.

CLOWN. 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, Lest you hang for him, when he is gone.

[_Exit.

The_ CLOWN _sings_.

CLOWN. _And you shall hang for company, For leaving me alone_.

Shepherd, stand forth, and hear thy sentence.

Shepherd, begone within three days, in pain of My displeasure; shepherd, begone; shepherd, begone, Begone, begone, begone; shepherd, shepherd, shepherd.

[_Exit_.