Behold (O king) where he doth come, His infant young in hand. PRAXASPES. O mighty king, your grace behest With sorrow I have scann’d, And brought my child fro mother’s knee, Before you to appear: And she thereof no whit doth know, That he in place is here. KING. Set him up my mark to be, I will shoot at his heart. PRAXASPES. I beseech your grace not so to do, Set this pretence[241] apart. Farewell, my dear and loving babe; Come, kiss thy father dear; A grievous sight to me it is, To see thee slain even here. Is this the gain now from the king For giving counsel good, Before my face with such despite To spill my son’s heart-blood? O heavy day to me this is And mother in like case. YOUNG CHILD. O father, father, wipe your face, I see the tears run from your eye: My mother is at home sewing of a band; Alas, dear father, why do you cry? KING. Before me as a mark now let him stand; I will shoot at him my mind to fulfil. YOUNG CHILD. Alas, alas! father, will you me kill? Good Master King, do not shoot at me, My mother loves me best of all. KING. I have despatched him, down he doth fall; [_Shoot._ As right as a line his heart I have hit: Nay, thou shall see, Praxaspes, stranger news yet. My knight, with speed his heart cut out, And give it unto me. KNIGHT. It shall be done (O mighty king) With all celerity. LORD. My lord Praxaspes, this had not been, But your tongue must be walking; To the king of correction You must needs be talking. PRAXASPES. No correction (my lord), but counsel for the best. KNIGHT. Here is the heart, according to your grace’s behest. KING. Behold, Praxaspes, thy son’s own heart: O, how well the same was hit! After this wine to do this deed, I thought it very fit: Esteem thou may’st right well thereby, No drunkard is the king, That in the midst of all his cups Could do this valiant thing. My lord and knight, on me attend; To palace we will go, And leave him here to take his son, When we are gone him fro. ALL. With all our hearts we give consent To wait upon your grace. PRAXASPES. A woful man (O lord) am I, To see him in this case: My days I deem desires their end, This deed will help me hence, To have the blossoms of my field Destroy’d by violence. _Enter_ MOTHER. MOTHER.