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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    Not Peer Reviewed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 Manuile alone disguised.
    Manuile. Ah Em the subiect of my restlesse thoughts,
    The Anuyle whereupon my heart doth beate,
    280Framing thy state to thy desert,
    Full yll this life becomes thy heauenly looke,
    Wherein, sweete loue and vertue sits enthroned.
    Bad world, where riches is esteemd aboue them both,
    In whose base eyes nought else is bountifull.
    285A Millers daughter, sayes the multitude,
    Should not be loued of a Gentleman.
    But let them breath their soules into the ayre:
    Yet will I still affect thee as my selfe,
    So thou be constant in thy plighted vowe.
    290But here comes one, I wil listen to his talke.
    Enter Valingford at another dore, disguised Man[...]
    Valingford. Goe William Conqueror and seeke thy loue. hidin[...]
    Seeke thou a mynion in a forren land selfe.
    Whilest I drawe back and court my loue at home,
    295The millers daughter of faire Manchester
    Hath bound my feete to this delightsome soyle:
    And from her eyes do dart such golden beames,
    That holdes my harte in her subiection.
    Manuile. He ruminates on my beloued choyce:
    300God graunt he come not to preuent my hope.
    But heres another, him yle listen to.
    Enter Mountney disguised at another dore.
    L. Mountney. Nature vniust, in vtterance of thy arte,
    To grace a pesant with a Princes fame:
    305Pesant am I so to misterme my loue
    Although a millers daughter by her birth:
    Yet may her beautie and her vertues well suffice
    To hyde the blemish of her birth in hell,
    Where neither enuious eyes nor thought can perce,
    310But endlesse darknesse euer smother it.
    Goe William Conqueror and seeke thy loue,
    Whilest I drawe back and court mine owne the while:
    Decking her bodie with such costly robes
    As may become her beauties worthynes,
    315That so thy labors may be laughed to scorne,
    And she thou seekest in forraine regions,
    Be darkened and eclipst when she arriues,
    By one that I haue chosen neerer home.
    Manuile. What comes he to, to intercept my loue?
    320Then hye thee Manuile to forestall such foes.Exit Manuile
    Mountney. What now Lord Ualingford are you behind?
    The king had chosen you to goe with him.
    Ualingford. So chose he you, therefore I marueile much
    That both of vs should linger in this sort.
    325What may the king imagine of our staye?
    Mountney. The king may iustly think we are to blame:
    But I immagined I might well be spared
    And that no other man had borne my mind.
    Ualingford. The like did I: in frendship then resolue
    330What is the cause of your vnlookt for stay?
    Mountney. Lord Ualingford I tell thee as a friend,
    Loue is the cause why I haue stayed behind.
    Ualinford. Loue my Lord? of whome.
    Mountney. Em the millers daughter of Manchester.
    335Ualingford. But may this be?
    Mountney. Why not my Lord? I hope full well you know
    That loue respectes no difference of state
    So beautie serue to stirr affection.
    Ualingford. But this it is that makes me wonder most:
    340That you and I should be of one conseite
    In such a straunge vnlikly passion.
    Mountney. But is that true? my Lord: I hope you do but iest.
    Valingford. I would I did: then were my griefe the lesse.
    Mountney. Nay neuer grieue: for if the cause be such
    345To ioyne our thoughts in such a Simpathy:
    All enuie set asyde: let vs agree
    To yeeld to eythers fortune in this choyce.
    Valingford. Content say, I, and what so ere befall,
    Shake hands my Lord and fortune thriue at all.Exeunt
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