Digital Renaissance Editions

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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    Not Peer Reviewed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 Marques Lubeck, and Mariana.
    520Mariana. Trust me my Lord, I am sorie for your hurt.
    Lubeck. Gramercie Madam: but it is not great:
    Onely a thrust, prickt with a Rapiers point.
    Mariana. How grew the quarrel my Lord?
    Lubeck. Sweet Ladie, for thy sake.
    525There was this last night two maskes in one company,
    My selfe the formost: The other strangers were:
    Amongst the which, when the Musick began to sound the Measures,
    Eche Masker made choice of his Ladie:
    And one more forward than the rest stept towards thee:
    530Which I perceiuing, thrust him aside, and tooke thee my selfe.
    But this was taken in so ill parte,
    That at my comming out of the court gate, with iustling togither,
    It was my chaunce to be thrust into the arme.
    The doer thereof because he was the originall cause of the disorder
    535At that inconuenient time, was presently committed,
    And is this morning sent for to aunswer the matter:
    And I think here he comes. What Sir Robert of Windsor how now?
    [...] enters Sir
    Sir Robert. Yfaith my Lord a prisoner: but what ayles your arme?
    [...]rt of
    Lubeck. Hurte the last night by mischaunce.
    [...]sor with
    540Sir Robert. What, not in the maske at the Court gate?
    [...]lor.
    Lubeck. Yes trust me there.
    Sir Rob. Why then my Lorde I thank you for my nights lodging.
    Lubeck. And I you for my hurt, if it were so?
    Keeper awaie, I discharge you of your prisoner.Exit the Keeper.
    545Sir Robert. Lord Marques, you offerd me disgrace to shoulder me.
    Lubeck. Sir I knew you not, and therefore you must pardon me
    And the rather it might be alleaged to me of
    Meare simplisitie, to see another daunce with my Maistris
    disguysed, and I my selfe in presence: but seeing it
    550Was our happs to damnifie each other vnwillingly,
    Let vs be content with our harmes,
    And laye the fault where it was and so become friendes.
    Sir Robert. Yfaith I am content with my nights lodging
    If you be content with your hurt.
    555Lubeck. Not content that I haue it, but content
    To forget how I came by it.
    Sir Robert. My Lord, here comes Ladie Blaunch, lets away.
    Enter Blaunch.
    Lubeck. With good will, Ladie you will staie?
    560Exit Lubeck and Sir Robert.
    Mariana. Madam.
    Blaunch. Mariana, as I am grieued with thy presence:
    So am I not offended for thy absence,
    And were it not a breach to modestie,
    565Thou shouldest know before I left thee.
    Mariana. How neare is this humor to madnesse
    If you hould on as you begyn, you
    are in a pretie waie to scoulding.
    Blaunch. To scoulding huswife?
    570Mariana. Maddam here comes one.
    Here enters one with a letter.
    Blaunch. There doth in deed. Fellow wouldest thou haue any thing
    with any bodie here?
    Messenger. I haue a letter to deliuer to the Ladie Mariana.
    575Blaunch. Giue it me.
    Messen. There must none but shee haue it.
    Blaunch snatcheth the letter from him. Et exit messenger.
    Go to foolish fellow.
    And therefore to ease the anger I sustaine,
    580Ile be so bolde to open it, whats here?
    Sir Robert greets you well?
    Your Maistries, his loue, his life? Oh amorous man.
    How he entertaines his new Maistres?
    And bestowes on Lubeck his od friend
    585A horne night capp to keepe in his witt.
    Mariana. Maddam though you haue discourteously
    Redd my letter, yet I praye you giue it me.
    Blaunch. Then take it there, and there, and there.
    She teares it. Et exit Blaunch.
    590Mariana. How farr doth this differ from modestie:
    Yet will I gather vp the peeces, which happelie
    May shew to me the intent thereof
    Though not the meaning.
    She gathers vpp the peeces and ioynes them.
    595Mariana. Your seruant and loue sir Robert of Windsor
    Alius William the Conqueror, wisheth long health and happinesse.
    Is this William the Conqueror, shrouded vnder
    The name of sir Robert of Windsor?
    Were he the Monarch of the world
    600He should not disposesse Lubeck of his Loue.
    Therefore I will to the Court, and there if I can
    Close to be friendes with Ladie Blaunch,
    And thereby keepe Lubeck my Loue for my selfe:
    And further the Ladie Blaunch in her sute as much as I may.Exit.