Mucedorus

SCENE II. Open Place near the Court of the King of Aragon

Enter the King of Aragon and Collen.

KING OF ARAGON.
Break, heart, and end my pallid woes!
My Amadine, the comfort of my life,
How can I joy, except she were in sight?
Her absence breeds sorrow to my soul
And with a thunder breaks my heart in twain.

COLLEN.
Forbear those passions, gentle king,
And you shall see ’twill turn unto the best,
And bring your soul to quiet and to joy.

KING OF ARAGON.
Such joy as death, I do assure me that,
And nought but death, unless of her I hear,
And that with speed; I cannot sigh thus long—
But what a tumult do I hear within?

[They cry within, ‘Joy and happiness.’]

COLLEN.
I hear a noise of overpassing joy
Within the court. My lord, be of good comfort,
And here comes one in haste.

Enter the Clown running.

MOUSE.
A king, a king, a king!

COLLEN.
Why, how now, sirrah? What’s the matter?

MOUSE.
Oh, ’tis news for a king, ’tis worth money.

COLLEN.
Why, sirrah, thou shalt have silver and gold, if it be good.

MOUSE.
O, ’tis good, ’tis good. Amadine—

KING OF ARAGON.
Oh, what of her? Tell me, and I will make thee a knight.

MOUSE.
How a sprite? No, by’r Lady, I will not be a sprite, masters. Get ye away, if I be a sprite, I shall be so lean, I shall make you all afraid.

COLLEN.
Thou sot, the King means to make thee a gentleman.

MOUSE.
Why, I shall want ’parel.

KING OF ARAGON.
Thou shalt want for nothing.

MOUSE.
Then stand away, trick up thyself, here they come.

Enter Segasto, Mucedorus, and Amadine.

AMADINE.
My gratious father, pardon thy disloyal daughter.

KING OF ARAGON.
What, do mine eyes behold my daughter Amadine?
Rise up, dear daughter, and let these my embracing arms
Show thee some token of thy father’s joy,
Which e’er since thy departure, hath languished in sorrow.

AMADINE.
Dear father,
Ne’er were your sorrows greater than my griefs,
Ne’er you so desolate, as I comfortless:
Yet, ne’ertheless, acknowledging myself
To be the cause of both, on bended knees,
I humbly crave your pardon.

[Kneeling.]

KING OF ARAGON.
I’ll pardon thee, dear daughter;
But as for him—

AMADINE.
Ah, father! what of him?

KING OF ARAGON.
As sure as I am a king, and wear the crown,
I will revenge on that accursed wretch.

MUCEDORUS.
Yet, worthy prince, work not thy will in wrath,
Show favour—

KING OF ARAGON.
Ay, such favour thou deserv’st.

MUCEDORUS.
I do deserve the daughter of a king.

KING OF ARAGON.
Oh, impudent! A shepherd and so insolent!

MUCEDORUS.
No shepherd am I, but a worthy prince.

KING OF ARAGON.
In fair conceit, not princely born.

MUCEDORUS.
Yes, princely born, my father is a king,
My mother queen, and of Valencia both.

[Throwing off his disguise.]

KING OF ARAGON.
What, Mucedorus? Welcome to our court!
What cause hadst thou to come to me disguis’d?

MUCEDORUS.
No cause to fear, I caused no offence, but this—
Desiring thy daughter’s virtues for to see,
Disguis’d myself from out my father’s court,
Unknown to any, in secret I did rest,
And passed many troubles near to death;
So hath your daughter my partaker been,
As you shall know hereafter more at large,
Desiring you, you will give her to me,
E’en as mine own, and sovereign of my life,
Then shall I think my travels are well spent.

KING OF ARAGON.
With all my heart, but this—
Segasto claims my promise made tofore,
That he should have her as his only wife,
Before my council, when we came from war.
Segasto, may I crave thee, let it pass,
And give Amadine as wife to Mucedorus.

SEGASTO.
With all my heart, were ’t far a greater thing;
And what I may to furnish up their rites
With pleasing sports and pastimes, you shall see.

KING OF ARAGON.
Thanks, good Segasto; I will think of this.

MUCEDORUS.
Thanks, good my lord; and while I live,
Account of me in what I can or may.

AMADINE.
And, good Segasto, these great courtesies
Shan’t be forgot.

MOUSE.
Why, hark you, master! bones, what have you done? What, given away the wench you made me take such pains for? You are wise indeed; mass, an I had known of that, I would have had her myself. Faith, master, now we may go to breakfast with a woodcock-pie.

SEGASTO.
Go, sir, you were best leave this knavery.

KING OF ARAGON.
Come on, my lords, let’s now to court,
Where we may finish up the joyfullest day
That ever happ’d to a distressed king.
Were but thy father, the Valencia lord,
Present in view of this combining knot.

A shout within; enter a Messenger.

What shout was that?

MESSENGER.
My lord, the great Valencia king,
Newly arrived, entreats your presence.

MUCEDORUS.
My father?

KING OF ARAGON.
Prepared a welcome; give him entertainment;
A happier planet never reign’d than that
Which governs at this hour.

Sound. Enter the King of Valencia, Anselmo, Rodrigo, Borachius, with others; the King runs and embraces his son.

KING OF VALENCIA.
Rise honour of my age, food to my rest:
Condemn not, mighty King of Aragon,
My rude behaviour, so compell’d by nature,
That manners stood unacknowledged.

KING OF ARAGON.
What we have to recite would tedious prove
By declaration; therefore in and feast.
Tomorrow the performance shall explain
What words conceal: till then, drums speak, bells ring,
Give plausive welcomes to our brother king.

[Sound drums and trumpets. Exeunt omnes.]