ADROSTUS

Now brave Lords, our wars are brought to end, Our foes the foil and we in safety rest, It us behooves to use such clemency in peace As valour in the war It is as great honour to be bountiful at home, As to be conquerors in the field. There over my Lords the more to my conte to, Your liking, and your countries safeguard, We are disposed in marriage for to give Our daughter to Lord Segasto hear, Who shall succeed the diadem of er me: And raigue heereaft r as I tofore have done Your sole and lawful King of Arragon: What say you Lordings, Like you of my advise Then march we on to court, and rest our weari ed limbs But Cologne, I have a tale in secret kept for thee: When thou shalt hear a watch word from thy king, Think then some weighty matter is at hand That highly shall concern our state, Then Cologne look thou be not far from me And for thy service thou to before hast done, Thy truth and valour proud in every point, I shall with bounties thee enlarge therefore: So guard us to the court. Assure as I am a king, and wear the crown, I will revenge on that accursed wretch. Thanks good my Lords, if long Adr stus li e Me will at full requite your cur esies. Tremelio in recompense of thy late valour done, Take unto thee the Catalone a prince, Lately our prisoner taken in the wars Be thou his keeper, his ransom shall thine, Weel think of it when leisure shall afford: Meanwhile do use him well, his father is a King. Shepherd, thou hast herd thine accusers, Murder is laid to thy charge, What canst thou say, thou hast deserved death; Shepherd thine own confession hath condemn ned thee. Sirrah take him away, & do him to execu ion straight. How then? Indeed occasion oftentimes so falls out. Segasto cease to accuse the shepherd, His woorthynesse deserves a recompense, All we are bound to do the shepherd good: Shepherd, whereas it was my sentence, thou shouldst die So shall my sentence stand, for thou shalt die. But soft Segasto, not for this offence, Long mayest thou live, and when the sisters shall decree To cut in twain the twisted thread of life, Then let him die, for this I set thee free, And for thy valour I will honour thee. Come daughter let us now depart, to honour the worthy valour of the shepherd with our rewards. Thou shalt want for nothing. isle pardon thee deer daughter but as for him. In far conceit, not princely born. With all my heart: but this. Segasto claims my promise made to before, That he should have her as his only wife, Before my counsel when we came from war Segasto, may I crave thee let it pass. And give Amadine as wife to Mucedorus ; Thanks good Segasto, I will think of this. His silence verifies it to be true, what then; Break heart and end my paled woes, My amadine the comfort of my life, How can I joy except she were in sighed. Her absence breeds sorrow to my soul And with a thunder breaks my heart in twain. Such joy as death, I do assure me that, And nought but death, unless of her I hear, And that with speed, I cannot sighs thus long But what a tumult do I hear within. Why sirrah, thou shalt have silver and gold if it be good. O what of her, tell me? & I wll make thee a knight What do mine eyes be hold my daughter Amadine Rise up dear daughter & let these my embracing arms Show some token of thy father joy, Which ever since thy departure hath la guished in sorrow: I, such favour as thou deservest. O impudent, a shepherd and so insolent. What Mucedorns, welcome to our court, What cause hadst thou to come to me disguised? Why what wouldst thou ave; What I did promise thee, I will perform, attend on me, come le S depart. Weel wait on you with all our hearts. The slaught r oh this bear deserves great am. Come on my Lords, lets now to court Where we may finish up the joyfullest day That ever happened to a distressed King, With mirth and joy and great solemnity, Weel finish up these Hymen's rights most pleasant lie,