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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    Enter Ualingford and Mountney at two sundrie dores, looking
    angerly each on other with Rapiers drawen.
    815Mountney. Ualingford, so hardlie I disgest an iniurie
    Thou hast profered me, as wer't not that I detest to do what stands
    Not with the honor of my name,
    Thy death should paie thy ransome of thy fault.
    Ualingford. And Mountney, had not my reuenging wrath,
    820Incenst with more than ordinarie loue
    Beene such for to depriue thee of thy life,
    Thou hadst not liued to braue me as thou doest: wretch as thou art,
    Wherein hath Valingford offended thee?
    That honourable bond which late we did confirme
    825In presence of the gods,
    When with the Conqueror we arriued here
    For my part hath been kept inviolably
    Till now too much abused by thy villanie,
    I am inforced to cancell all those bands,
    830By hating him which I so well did loue.
    Mountney. Subtill thou art, and cunning in thy fraud,
    That giuing me occasion of offence,
    Thou pickst a quarrell to excuse thy shame.
    Why Valingford, was it not enough for thee
    835To be a riuall twixt me and my loue,
    But counsell her to my no small disgrace,
    That when I came to talke with her of loue,
    Shee should seeme deafe, as faining not to heare?
    Valingford. But hath shee Mountney vsed thee as thou sayest?
    840Mountney. Thou knowest too well shee hath:
    Wherein thou couldest not do me greater iniurie.
    Valingford. Then I perceiue we are deluded both:
    For when I offered many gifts of Gold and iewels
    To entreat for loue, shee hath refused them with a coy disdaine,
    845Alleaging that shee could not see the sunne.
    The same coniectured I to be thy drift,
    That fayning so shee might be rid of mee.
    Mountney, The like did I by thee. But are not these naturall im-(pediments?
    Validgford. In my coniecture merely counterfeit:
    850Therefore lets joyne hands in friendship once againe,
    Since that the iarre grew only by coniecture.
    Mountney. With all my heart: Yet lets trye the truth thereof.
    Valingf. With right good will. We will straight vnto her father,
    And there to learne whether it be so or no. Exeunt.