Mucedorus

SCENE II. The Court

Enter Segasto solus.

SEGASTO.
’Tis well, Segasto, that thou hast thy will:
Should such a shepherd, such a simple swain,
Eclipse thy credit famous through the court?
No, ply, Segasto, ply!
And let it not be said in Aragon,
A shepherd hath Segasto’s honour won.

Enter Mouse, the Clown, calling his master.

MOUSE.
What ho! master, will you come away?

SEGASTO.
Will you come hither, I pray you, what is the matter?

MOUSE.
Why, is it not past eleven o’clock?

SEGASTO.
How then, sir?

MOUSE.
I pray you, come away to dinner.

SEGASTO.
I pray you, come hither.

MOUSE.
Here’s such a-do with you, will you never come?

SEGASTO.
I pray you, sir, what news of the message I sent you about?

MOUSE.
I tell you, all the messes be on the table already. There wants not so much as a mess of mustard half an hour ago.

SEGASTO.
Come, sir, your mind is all upon your belly,
You have forgotten what I did bid you do.

MOUSE.
Faith, I know nothing, but you bade me go to breakfast.

SEGASTO.
Was that all?

MOUSE.
Faith, I have forgotten it, the very scent of the meat hath made me forget it quite.

SEGASTO.
You have forgotten the errand I bid you do?

MOUSE.
What arrant? an arrant knave, or an arrant whore?

SEGASTO.
Why, thou knave, did I not bid thee banish the shepherd, buzzard?

MOUSE.
O, the shepherd’s bastard.

SEGASTO.
I tell thee, the shepherd’s banishment.

MOUSE.
I tell you, the shepherd’s bastard shall be well kept; I’ll look to it myself. But I pray you, come away to dinner.

SEGASTO.
Then you will not tell me whether you have banished him, or no?

MOUSE.
Why, I cannot say banishment, an you would give me a thousand pounds to say so.

SEGASTO.
Why, you whoreson slave, have you forgotten that I sent you and another to drive away the shepherd?

MOUSE.
What an ass are you; here’s a stir indeed, here’s message, arrant, banishment, and I cannot tell what.

SEGASTO.
I pray you, sir, shall I know whether you have drove him away?

MOUSE.
Faith, I think I have; an you will not believe me, ask my staff.

SEGASTO.
Why, can thy staff tell?

MOUSE.
Why, he was with me too.

SEGASTO.
Then happy I, that have obtain’d my will.

MOUSE.
And happier I, if you would go to dinner.

SEGASTO.
Come, sirrah, follow me.

MOUSE.
I warrant you, I will not loose an inch of you, now you are going to dinner. [Aside.] I promise you, I thought it seven year, before I could get him away.

[Exeunt.]