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  • Title: Fair Em (Quarto 1, 1593)
  • Editor: Brett Greatley-Hirsch

    • 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
    Editor: Brett Greatley-Hirsch
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Fair Em (Quarto 1, 1593)

    1Actus Primus Scaena prima.
    Enter William the Conqueror: Marques Lubeck, with a picture:
    Mountney: Manuile: Ualingford: and Duke Dirot.
    Marques. WHat meanes faire Britaines mighty Conqueror
    5So suddenly to cast away his staffe?
    And all in passion, to forsake the tylt.
    D. Dirot. My Lord, this triumph we solemnise here,
    Is of meere loue to your increasing ioyes:
    Only expecting cheerefull lookes for all.
    10What sudden pangs than moues your maiestie,
    To dimme the brightnes of the day with frownes?
    W. Conqueror. Ah: good my Lords, misconster not the cause:
    At least, suspect not my displeased browes
    I amorously do beare to your intent:
    15For thanks and all that you can wish I yeeld.
    But that which makes me blush and shame to tell,
    Is cause why thus I turne my conquering eyes
    To cowardes lookes and beaten fantasies.
    Mountney. Since wee are giltlesse, wee the lesse dismay
    20To see this sudden change possesse your cheere:
    For if it issue from your owne conceits,
    Bred by suggestion of some enuious thoughts:
    Your highnes wisdome may suppresse it straight.
    Yet tell vs (good my Lord) what thought it is,
    25That thus bereaues you of your late content,
    That in aduise we may assist your grace,
    Or bend our forces to reuiue your spirits.
    W Con. Ah Marques Lubeck, in thy power it lyes
    To rid my bosome of these thraled dumps:
    30And therefore, good my Lords forbeare a while,
    That we may parley of these priuate cares,
    Whose strength subdues me more than all the world.
    Valingford. We goe and wishe thee priuate conference,
    Publicke affectes in this accustomed peace.
    35Exit all but William and the Marques.
    William. Now Marques must a Conquerer at armes
    disclose himselfe thrald to vnarmed thoughts,
    And threatned of a shaddowe, yeeld to lust:
    No sooner had my sparkeling eyes beheld
    40The flames of beautie blasing on this peece,
    But sodenly a sence of myracle
    Imagined on thy louely Maistres face,
    Made me abandon bodily regarde,
    And cast all pleasures on my woonded soule:
    45Then gentle Marques tell me what she is,
    That thus thou honourest on thy warlike shield.
    And if thy loue and interest be such,
    As iustly may giue place to myne,
    That if it be: my soule with honors wings
    50May fly into the bosome of my deere.
    Yf not, close them and stoope into my graue.
    Marques. Yf this be all renowned Conquerer:
    Aduance your drooping spirites, and reuiue
    The wonted courage of your Conquering minde,
    55For this faire picture painted on my shield
    Is the true counterfeit of louelie Blaunch
    Princes and daughter to the King of Danes:
    Whose beautie and excesse of ornamentes
    Deserues another manner of defence
    60Pompe and high person to attend her state,
    Then Marques Lubeck any way presents.
    Therefore her vertues I resigne to thee,
    Alreadie shrinde in thy religious brest,
    To be aduaunced and honoured to the full.
    65Nor beare I this an argument of loue:
    But to renowne faire Blaunch my Soueraignes child,
    In euerie place where I by armes may do it.
    William. Ah Marques, thy wordes bring heauen vnto my soule,
    And had I heauen to giue for thy reward:
    70Thou shouldst be thronde in no vnworthie place.
    But let my vttermost wealth suffice thy worth,
    Which here I vowe, and to aspire the blisse
    That hangs on quicke atchiuement of my loue,
    Thy selfe and I will traueile in disguise,
    75To bring this Ladie to our Brittaine Court.
    Marques. Let William but be thinke what may auayle,
    And let me die if I denie my ayde.
    William. Then thus the Duke Dirot and Therle Dimach
    Will I leaue substitutes to rule my Realme,
    80While mightie loue forbids my being here,
    And in the name of Sir Robert of Windsor
    Will goe with thee vnto the Danish Court.
    Keepe Williams secretes Marques if thou loue him.
    Bright Blaunch I come, sweete fortune fauour me,
    85And I will laud thy name eternally.
    Exeunt.
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