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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    Not Peer Reviewed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 Valingford and Mountney at two sundrie dores, looking
    angerly each on other with Rapiers drauen.
    815Mountney. Ualingford, so hardlie I disgest an iniurie
    Thou hast profered me, as were not that I detest to doe 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 liude to braue me as thou doest wretch as thou arte,
    wherein hath Ualingford 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 beene kept inuiolably
    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. Subtil thou art, and cunning in thy frawd,
    That giuing me occasion of offence,
    Thou pickst a quarrell to excuse thy shame.
    Why Ualingford, was it not enough for thee
    835To be a ryuall 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 fayning 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.
    Ualingford. 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,
    845Alledging that shee could not see the Sunne.
    The same coniectured I to be thy drift,
    That fayning so shee might be ridd of mee.
    Mountney. The like did I by thee. But are not these naturall impe-(diments?
    Ualidgford. In my coniecture merely counterfeit:
    850Therefore lets ioyne hands in frindship once againe,
    Since that the iarre grewe only by coniecture.
    Mountney. With all my heart: Yet lets trye the truth hereof.
    Ualingf. With right good will. We wil straight vnto her father,
    And there to learne whither it be so or no. Exeunt.