[Enter Mucedorus solus.]
MUCEDORUS. Unknown to any here within these woods With bloody Bremo do I led my life. The monster, he doth murther all he meets, He spareth none and none doth him escape. Who would continue, who but only I, In such a cruel cutthroat's company? Yet Amadine is there; how can I choose? Ah, silly soul, how often times she sits And sighs, and calls: 'come, shepherd, come, Sweet Mucedorus, come and set me free; When Mucedorus present stands her by: But here she comes.
[Enter Amadine.]
What news, fair Lady, as you walk these woods.
AMADINE. Ah, hermit, none but bad & such as thou knowest. MUCEDORUS. How do you like your Bremo and his woods? AMADINE. Not my Bremo nor Bremo his woods. MUCEDORUS. And why not yours? me thinks he loves you well. AMADINE. I like him not, his love to me is nothing worth.
MUCEDORUS. Lady, in this me thinks you offer wrong, To hate the man that ever loves you best.
AMADINE. Ah hermit, I take no pleasure in his love; Neither yet doth Bremo like me best.
MUCEDORUS. Pardon my boldness, fair lady: sith we both May safely talk now out of Bremo's sight, Unfold to me, if so you please, the full discourse How, when, and why you came into these woods, And fell into this bloody butcher's hands.
AMADINE. Hermit, I will; Of late a worthy shepherd I did love.
MUCEDORUS. A shepherd, lady? sure a man unfit To match with you.
AMADINE. Hermit, this is true, and when we had--MUCEDORUS. Stay there, the wild man comes. Refer the rest until another time.
[Enter Bremo.]
BREMO. What secret tale is this? what whispering have we here? Villain, I charge thee tell thy tale again.
MUCEDORUS. If needs I must, lo, here it is again: When as we both had lost the sight of thee, It grieved us both, but specially thy queen, Who in thy absence ever fears the worst, Least some mischance befall your royal grace. 'Shall my sweet Bremo wander through the woods? Toil to and fro for to redress my want, Hazard his life; and all to cherish me? I like not this,' quoth she, And thereupon craved to know of me If I could teach her handle weapons well. My answer was I had small skill therein, But glad, most mighty king, to learn of thee. And this was all.
BREMO. Wast so? none can dislike of this. I'll teach You both to fight: but first, my queen, begin. Here, take this weapon; see how thou canst use it.
AMADINE. This is too big, I cannot wield it in my arm.
BREMO. Ist so? we'll have a knotty crabtree staff For thee.--But, sirra, tell me, what saist thou?
MUCEDORUS. With all my heart I willing am to learn. BREMO. Then take my staff & see how canst wield it. MUCEDORUS. First teach me how to hold it in my hand.
BREMO. Thou holdest it well. Look how he doth; thou maist the sooner learn.
MUCEDORUS. Next tell me how and when tis best to strike.
BREMO. Tis best to strike when time doth serve, Tis best to loose no time.
MUCEDORUS. [Aside.] Then now or never is my time to strike. BREMO. And when thou strikest, be sure thou hit the head. MUCEDORUS. The head?
BREMO. The very head.
MUCEDORUS. Then have at thine! [He strikes him down head.] So, lie there and die, A death no doubt according to desert, or else a worse as thou deservest a worse.
AMADINE. It glads my heart this tyrant's death to see.
MUCEDORUS. Now, lady, it remains in you To end the tale you lately had begun, Being interrupted by this wicked wight. You said you loved a shepherd.
AMADINE. Aye, so I do, and none but only him, And will do still aslong as life shall last.
MUCEDORUS. But tell me, lady; sith I set you free, What course of life do you intend to take?
AMADINE. I will disguised wander through the world, Till I have found him out.
MUCEDORUS. How if you find your shepherd in these woods? AMADINE. Ah, none so happy then as Amadine.
[He discloseth himself.]
MUCEDORUS. In tract of time a man may alter much; Say, Lady, do you know your shepherd well?