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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    Enter the Millier and Valingford.
    Miller. Alas gentleman, why should you trouble your selfe so much
    Considering the imperfections of my daughter
    Which is able to with-drawe the loue of any man from her,
    1150As alreadie it hath done in her first choyce.
    Maister Manuile hath forsaken her,
    And at Chester shalbe maried to a mans daughter of no little wealth.
    But if my daughter knew so much:
    It would goe verie neere her heart I feare me.
    1155Ualing. Father miller: such is the entyre affection to your daughter,
    As no misfortune whatsoeuer can alter.
    My fellow Mountney thou seeste gaue quicly ouer,
    But I by reason of my good meaning
    Am not so soone to be changed
    1160Although I am borne off with scornes and deniall.
    Enter Em to them.
    Miller. Trust me sir I know not what to saie,
    My daughter is not to be compelled by me,
    But here she comes herself: speake to her and spare not:
    1165For I neuer was troubled with loue matters so much before.
    Em. Good Lord shall I neuer be rid of this importunate man?
    Now must I dissemble blyndnes againe,
    Once more for thy sake Manuile thus am I inforced,
    Because I shall complete my full resolued mynde to thee.
    1170Father where are you?
    Miller. Here sweete Em, answer this gentleman
    That would so fayne enioye thy loue.
    Em. Where are you sir? wil you neuer leaue
    This idle and vaine pursuite of loue?
    1175Is not England stord enought to content you?
    But you must still trouble the poore
    Contemptible mayd of Manchester.
    Valing. None can content me but the fayre maide of Manchester.
    Em. I perceiue loue is vainly described,
    1180That being blynd himselfe,
    Would haue you likewise troubled with a blinde wife,
    Hauing the benefite of your eyes,
    But neither follow him so much in follie,
    But loue one, in whome you may better delight.
    1185Valingford. Father Miller, thy daughter shall haue honor
    By graunting mee her loue:
    I am a Gentleman of king Williams Court,
    And no meane man in king Williams fauour.
    Em. If you be a Lorde syr, as you saye:
    1190You offer both your selfe and mee great wrong:
    Yours, as apparant in limiting your loue so vnorderly,
    For which you rashly endure reprochement:
    Mine, as open and euident,
    When being shut from the vanities of this world,
    1195you would haue me as an open gazing stock to all the world:
    For lust, not loue leades you into this error:
    But from the one I will keepe me as well as I can,
    And yeeld the other to none but to my father,
    As I am bound by duetie.
    1200Ualingford. Why faire Em, Manuile hath forsaken thee,
    And must at Chester be married, which,
    If I speake otherwise than true,
    Let thy father speake what credibly he hath heard.
    Em. But can it be Manuile will deale so vnkindly,
    1205To reward my iustice with such monstrous vngentlenes.
    Haue I dissembled for thy sake?
    And doest thou now thus requite it?
    In deede these many daies I haue not seene him,
    Which hath made me marueile at his long absence.
    1210But father, are you assured of the wordes he spake,
    were concerning Manuile?
    Miller. In sooth daughter, now it is foorth,
    I must needes confirme it.
    Maister Manuile hath forsaken thee,
    1215And at Chester must be married
    To a mans daughter of no little wealth.
    His owne father procures it,
    And therefore I dare credit it,
    And do thou beleeue it,
    1220For trust mee daughter it is so.
    Em. Then good father pardon the iniurie,
    That I haue don to you onely causing your griefe,
    By ouer-fond affecting a man so trothlesse.
    And you likewise sir, I pray holde me excused,
    1225As I hope this cause will allow sufficiently for mee:
    My loue to Manuile, thinking he would requite it,
    Hath made me double with my father and you,
    And many more besides,
    Which I will no longer hyde from you.
    1230That inticing speeches should not beguile mee,
    I haue made my selfe deafe to any but to him.
    And lest any mans person should please mee more than his,
    I haue dissembled the want of my sight:
    Both which shaddowes of my irreuocable affections,
    1235I haue not sparde to confirme before him,
    My father, and all other amorous soliciters:
    Wherewith not made acquainted, I perceiue
    My true intent hath wrought mine owne sorrow.
    And seeking by loue to be regarded,
    1240Am cut of with contempt, and dispised.
    Miller. Tell me sweet Em hast thou but fained all this while for (his loue,
    That hath so descourteously for saken thee.
    Em. Credit me father I haue told you the troth,
    Wherewith I desire you and Lord Valingford not to be displeased
    1245For ought else I shall saie,
    Let my present griefe hold me excused.
    But may I liue to see that vngratfull man
    Iustly rewarded for his trecherie?
    Poore Em woulde think her selfe not a little happie,
    1250Fauour my departing at this instant,
    For my troubled thought desires to meditate alone in silence
    Exit Em.
    Ualingf Will not Em shew one chereful looke on Valingford?
    Miller. Alas sir, blame her not, you see she hath good cause,
    1255being so handled by this gentleman:
    And so Ile, leaue you, and go comfort my poore wench
    As well as I may. Exit the Miller.
    Ualingford. Farewell good father. Exit Ualingford.
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