KING. Shepherd, thine own confession hath condemned thee.
Sirrah, take him away, and do him to execution straight.
CLOWN. So he shall, I warrant him. But do you hear, Master King, he is kin to a monkey; his neck is bigger than his head.
SEGASTO. Sirrah, away with him, and hang him about the middle.
CLOWN. Yes, forsooth, I warrant you. Come on, sir, a so like a sheep-biter a looks.
Enter AMADINE, and a boy with a bear's head.
AMADINE. Dread sovereign and well-beloved sire,
On benden knees I crave the life of this
Condemn'd shepherd, which heretofore preserved
The life of thy sometime distressed daughter.
KING. Preserved the life of my sometime distressed daughter?
How can that be? I never knew the time,
Wherein thou wast distress'd. I never knew the day
But that I have maintained thy estate,
As best beseem'd the daughter of a king:
I never saw the shepherd until now.
How comes it then, that he preserv'd thy life?
AMADINE. Once walking with Segasto in the woods,
Further than our accustom'd manner was,
Right before us down a steep-fall hill,
A monstrous ugly bear did hie him fast
To meet us both—now whether this be true,
I refer it to the credit of Segasto.
SEGASTO. Most true, an't like your majesty.
KING. How then?