SEGASTO. When heaps of harms do hover over-head, 'Tis time as then, some say, to look about, And so [of] ensuing harms to choose the least. But hard, yea hapless, is that wretch's chance, Luckless his lot and caitiff-like accurs'd, At whose proceedings fortune ever frowns-- Myself, I mean, most subject unto thrall; For I, the more I seek to shun the worst, The more by proof I find myself accurs't. Erewhiles assaulted with an ugly bear: Fair Amadine in company all alone: Forthwith by flight I thought to save myself, Leaving my Amadine unto her shifts; For death it was for to resist the bear, And death no less of Amadine's harms to hear. Accursed I in ling'ring life thus long In living thus, each minute of an hour Doth pierce my heart with darts of thousand deaths: If she by flight her fury do escape, What will she think? Will she not say--yea, flatly to my face, Accusing me of mere disloyalty-- A trusty friend is tried in time of need; But I, when she in danger was of death, And needed me, and cried, Segasto, help! I turn'd my back, and quickly ran away, Unworthy I to bear this vital breath! But what, what needs these plaints? If Amadine do live, then happy I. She will in time forgive, and so forget. Amadine is merciful, not Juno-like, In harmful heart to harbour hatred long. _Enter_ MOUSE _the Clown running, crying, Clubs_! MOUSE. Clubs, prongs, pitchforks, bills! O help! A bear, a bear, a bear! SEGASTO. Still bears, and nothing else but bears? Tell me, sirrah, where she is. CLOWN. O sir, she is run down the woods: I see her white head and her white belly. SEGASTO. Thou talkest of wonders, to tell me of white bears; But, sirrah, didst thou ever see any such? CLOWN. No, faith, I never saw any such; But I remember my father's words, He bad me take heed I was not caught with a white bear. SEGASTO. A lamentable tale, no doubt. CLOWN. I tell you what, sir; as I was going afield to serve my father's great horse, and carried a bottle of hay upon my head--now, do you see, sir?--I, fast hoodwinked, that I could see nothing, perceiving the bear coming, I threw my hay into the hedge and ran away. SEGASTO. What, from nothing? CLOWN. I warrant you, yes; I saw something; for there was two load of thorns besides my bottle of hay, and that made three. SEGASTO. But tell me, sirrah; the bear that thou didst see, Did she not bear a bucket on her arm? CLOWN. Ha, ha, ha! I never saw bear go a-milking in all my life. But hark you, sir, I did not look so high as her arm; I saw nothing but her white head and her white belly. SEGASTO. But tell me, sirrah, where dost thou dwell? CLOWN. Why, do you not know me? SEGASTO. Why, no; how should I know thee? CLOWN. Why then you know nobody, and you know not me[170]. I tell you, sir, I am the goodman Rat's son, of the next parish over the hill. SEGASTO. Goodman Rat's son; why, what's thy name? CLOWN. Why, I am very near kin unto him. SEGASTO. I think so; but what's thy name.