[Enter Tremelio.]

TREMELIO. How now, sirra, doost thou call me?

MOUSE. You must come to my master, captain treble knave.

TREMELIO. My Lord Segasto, did you send for me?

SEGASTO. I did, Tremelio. Sirra, about your business.

MOUSE. Aye, marry: what's that, can you tell?

SEGASTO. No, not well.

MOUSE. Marry, then, I can: straight to the kitchen dresser, to John the cook, and get me a good piece of beef and brewis, and then to the buttery hatch to Thomas the butler for a jack of beer, and there for an hour I'll so be labour my self! therefore, I pray you, call me not till you think I have done, I pray you, good master.

SEGASTO. Well, sir, away.

[Exit Mouse.]

Tremelio, this it is: thou knowest the valour of Segasto spread through all the kingdom of Arragon, and such as hath found triumph and favours, never daunted at any time; but now a shepherd is admired at in court for worthiness, and Segasto's honour laid a side. My will, therefore, is this, that thou dost find some means to work the shepherd's death. I know thy strength sufficient to perform my desire, & thy love no other wise than to revenge my injuries.

TREMELIO. It is not the frowns of a shepherd that Tremelio fears. Therefore, account it accomplished, what I take in hand.

SEGASTO. Thanks, good Tremelio, and assure they self, What I promise that will I perform.

TREMELIO. Thanks, my good Lord, and in good time see where He cometh: stand by a while, and you shall see Me put in practise your intended drifts. Have at thee, swain, if that I hit thee right.

[Enter Mucedorus.]

MUCEDORUS. Viled coward, so without cause to strike a man. Turn, coward, turn; now strike and do thy worst.

[Mucedorus killeth him.]

SEGASTO. Hold, shepherd, hold; spare him, kill him not! Accursed villain, tell me, what hast thou done? Ah, Tremelio, trusty Tremelio! I sorrow for thy death, and since that thou, Living, didst prove faithful to Segasto, So Segasto now, living, shall honour The dead corpse of Tremelio with revenge. Bloodthirsty villain, Born and bred to merciless murther, Tell me, how durst thou be so bold at once To lay thy hands upon the least of mine? Assure thy self, Thou shalt be used according to the law.

MUCEDORUS. Segasto, cease, these threats are needless. Accuse not me of murther, that have done Nothing but in mine own defence.

SEGASTO. Nay, shepherd, reason not with me. I'll manifest thy fact unto the King, Whose doom will be thy death, as thou deservest. What ho, Mouse, come away!

[Enter Mouse.]

MOUSE. Why how now, what's the matter? I thought you would be calling before I had done.

SEGASTO. Come, help; away with my friend.

MOUSE. Why, is he drunk? cannot he stand on his feet?

SEGASTO. No, he is not drunk, he is slain.

MOUSE. Flaine? no, by Lady, he is not flaine.

SEGASTO. He's killed, I tell thee.

MOUSE. What, do you use to kill your friends? I will serve you no longer.

SEGASTO. I tell thee, the shepherd killed him.

MOUSE. O, did a so? but, master, I will have all his apparel if I carry him away.

SEGASTO. Why, so thou shalt.

MOUSE. Come, then, I will help; mas, master, I think his mother song looby to him, he is so heavy.

[Exeunt Segasto and Mouse.}

MUCEDORUS. Behold the fickle state of man, always mutable, Never at one. Sometimes we feed on fancies With the sweet of our desires; sometimes again We feel the heat of extreme misery. Now am I in favour about the court and country. To morrow those favours will turn to frowns: To day I live revenged on my foe, To morrow I die, my foe revenged on me.

[Exit.]

ACT II. SCENE III. The Forest.

[Enter Bremo, a wild man.]

BREMO. No passengers this morning? what, not one? A chance that seldom doth befall. What, not one? then lie thou there, And rest thyself till I have further need, Now, Bremo, sith thy leisure so affords-- An endless thing. Who knows not Bremo's strength, Who like a king commands within these woods? The bear, the boar, dares not abide my sight, But hastes away to save themselves by flight: The crystal waters in the bubbling brooks, When I come by, doth swiftly slide away, And claps themselves in closets under banks, Afraid to look bold Bremo in the face: The aged oaks at Bremo's breath do bow, And all things else are still at my command. Else what would I? Rent them in pieces and pluck them from the earth, And each way else I would revenge my self. Why who comes here with whom I dare not fight? Who fights with me & doth not die the death? Not one: What favour shews this sturdy stick to those, That here within these woods are combatants with me? Why, death, and nothing else but present death. With restless rage I wander through these woods, No creature here but feareth Bremo's force, Man, woman, child, beast and bird, And every thing that doth approach my sight, Are forced to fall if Bremo once but frown. Come, cudgel, come, my partner in my spoils, For here I see this day it will not be; But when it falls that I encounter any, One pat sufficeth for to work my will. What, comes not one? then let's begone; A time will serve when we shall better speed.

William Shakespeare
Classic Literature Library

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