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  • Title: Fair Em (Quarto 2, 1631)
  • Editors: Brett Greatley-Hirsch, Kevin A. Quarmby
  • ISBN:

    Copyright Digital Renaissance Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: Anonymous
    Editors: Brett Greatley-Hirsch, Kevin A. Quarmby
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Fair Em (Quarto 2, 1631)

    of Manchester.
    Yea, and Williams too if he denie her mee?Exit Zweno.
    Enter William taken with souldiers.
    1005William. Could any crosse, could any plague be worse?
    Could heauen or hell did both conspire in one
    To afflict my soule, inuent a greater scourge
    Than presently I am tormented with?
    Ah Mariana cause of my lament:
    1010Ioy of my heart, and comfort of my life
    For thee I breath my sorrowes in the ayre,
    And tire my selfe: for silently I sigh,
    My sorrowes afflicts my soule with equall passion.
    Souldier. Go to sirrah, put vp, it is to small purpose.
    1015William. Hence villaines hence, dare you lay your hands
    Vpon your Soueraigne?
    Souldier. Well sir, we will deale for that,
    But here comes one will remedie all this.
    Enter Demarch.
    1020Souldier. My Lord, watching this night in the campe,
    We tooke this man, and know not what he is:
    And in his companie was a gallant dame,
    A woman faire in outward shewe shee seemd,
    But that her face was mask'd we could not see
    1025The grace and fauour of her countenance.
    Demarch. Tell me good fellow of whence and what thou art.
    Souldier. Why do you not answer my Lord?
    He takes scorne to answer.
    Demarch. And takest thou scorne to answer my demand?
    1030Thy proud behauiour very well deserues
    This misdemeanour at the worst be construed.
    Why doest thou neither know, nor hast thou heard?
    That in the absence of the Saxon Duke,
    Demarch is his especiall Substitute
    1035To punish those that shall offend the lawes.
    William. In knowing this, I know thou art a traytor,
    A rebell, and mutenous conspirator.
    Why Demarch, knowest thou who I am?
    Demarch.