bear comes in, and
he tumbles over her, and runs away, and leaves
his bottle of hay behind him.]

Enter_ SEGASTO _running, and_ AMADINE _after him,
being pursued with a bear_.

SEGASTO. O, fly, madam, fly, or else we are but dead!

AMADINE. Help, Segasto! help, help, sweet Segasto, or else I die!

[SEGASTO _runs away_.

SEGASTO. Alas, madam! there is no way but flight;
Then haste, and save yourself.

AMADINE. Why then I die; ah! help me in distress.

_Enter_ MUCEDORUS _like a shepherd, with a sword
drawn and a bear's head in his hand_.

MUCEDORUS. Stay, lady, stay; and be no more dismay'd;
That cruel beast, most merciless and fell,
Which hath bereaved thousands of their lives,
Affrighted many with his hard pursues,
Prying from place to place to find his prey,
Prolonging thus his life by others' death,
His carcase now lies headless, void of breath.

AMADINE. That foul, deformed monster, is he dead?

MUCEDORUS. Assure yourself thereof--behold his head;
Which, if it please you, lady, to accept,
With willing heart I yield it to your majesty.

AMADINE. Thanks, worthy shepherd, thanks a thousand times;
This gift, assure thyself, contents me more
Than greatest bounty of a mighty prince,
Although he were the monarch of the world.

MUCEDORUS. Most gracious goddess, more than mortal wight--
Your heavenly hue of right imports no less--
Most glad am I, in that it was my chance
To undertake this enterprise in hand,
Which doth so greatly glad your princely mind.

AMADINE. No goddess, shepherd, but a mortal wight--
A mortal wight distressed as thou seest:
My father here is King of Arragon:
I, Amadine, his only daughter am,
And after him sole heir unto the crown.
Now, whereas it is my father's will
To marry me unto Segasto, one,
Whose wealth through father's former usury
Is known to be no less than wonderful,
We both of custom oftentimes did use,
Leaving the court, to walk within the fields
For recreation, especially [in] the spring,
In that it yields great store of rare delights;
And, passing farther than our wonted walks,
Scarce ent'red were within these luckless woods.
But right before us down a steep-fall hill,
A monstrous ugly bear did hie him fast
To meet us both--I faint to tell the rest,
Good shepherd--but suppose the ghastly looks,
The hideous fears, the thousand hundred woes,
Which at this instant Amadine sustained.

MUCEDORUS. Yet, wo