MUCEDORUS. Dread sovereign, I must needs confess I slew this captain in mine own defence, Not of any malice, but by chance; But mine accuser hath a further meaning. SEGASTO. Words will not here prevail, I seek for justice, and justice craves his death. KING. Shepherd, thine own confession hath condemned thee. Sirrah, take him away, and do him to execution straight. CLOWN. So he shall, I warrant him. But do you hear, Master King, he is kin to a monkey; his neck is bigger than his head. SEGASTO. Sirrah, away with him, and hang him about the middle. CLOWN. Yes, forsooth, I warrant you. Come on, sir, a so like a sheep-biter a looks. _Enter_ AMADINE, _and a boy with a bear's head_. AMADINE. Dread sovereign and well-beloved sire, On benden knees I crave the life of this Condemn'd shepherd, which heretofore preserved The life of thy sometime distressed daughter. KING. Preserved the life of my sometime distressed daughter? How can that be? I never knew the time, Wherein thou wast distress'd. I never knew the day But that I have maintained thy estate, As best beseem'd the daughter of a king: I never saw the shepherd until now. How comes it then, that he preserv'd thy life? AMADINE. Once walking with Segasto in the woods, Further than our accustom'd manner was, Right before us down a steep-fall hill, A monstrous ugly bear did hie him fast To meet us both--now whether this be true, I refer it to the credit of Segasto. SEGASTO. Most true, an't 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 coward-like began to fly. Left me distress'd to be devour'd of him-- How say you, Segasto? is it not true? KING. His silence verifies it to be true. What then? AMADINE. Then I amaz'd, distressed, all alone, Did hie me fast to 'scape that ugly bear. But all in vain; for why he reached after me, And oft I hardly did[174] 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. 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_.