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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    1425Elner. Shee hath stolne a conscience to serue her own turne:
    But you are deceiued, yfaith he will none of you.
    Manuile. Indeed, dread Lord, so deere I held her loue,
    As in the same I put my whole delight.
    But some impediments which at that instant hapned,
    1430Made me forsake her quite,
    For which I had her fathers franke consent.
    William. What were the impediments?
    Manuile. Why shee could neither heare nor see.
    William. Now shee doth both. Mayden how were you cured?
    1435Em. Pardon my Lord, Ile tell your grace the troth,
    Be it not imputed to me as discredite.
    I loued this Manuile so much, that still methought
    When he was absent did present to mee
    The forme and feature of that countenance
    1440Which I did shrine an ydoll in mine heart:
    And neuer could I see a man methought
    That equald Manuile in my partiall eye.
    Nor was there any loue betweene vs lost,
    But that I held the same in high regard,
    1445Vntill repaire of some vnto our house,
    Of whom my Manuile grew thus iealous:
    As if he tooke exception I vouchsafed
    To heare them speake, or saw them when they came:
    On which I straight tooke order with my selfe
    1450To voyde the scruple of his conscience,
    By counterfaiting that I neither saw nor heard,
    Any wayes to rid my hands of them.
    All this I did to keepe my Manuiles loue,
    Which he vnkindly seekes for to reward.
    1455Maluile. And did my Em to keepe her faith with mee
    Dissemble that shee neither heard nor sawe.
    Pardon me sweet Em, for I am onely thine.
    Em. Lay off thy hands, disloyall as thou art,
    Nor shalt thou haue possession of my loue,
    1460That canst so finely shift thy matters off.
    Put
    F 2