Fair Em, the Miller's Daughter of Manchester · chunk 22 of 23
Anonymous · published 1591 · first performed or written 1590 [c.1589-1591] (Annals) comedy · Derby's (Strange's) Men unassigned nearest T11 Siblings, kin and confidants · 510 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T11: sister, brother, love, friend, heart, father, mother, woman, lord, hear.
Here be two women, may it please your grace, that are contracted to one man, And are in strife whether shall have him to their husband. Stand forth women and say, To whether of you did he first give his faith. To me forsooth. To me my gracious Lord. Speak Manville, to whether didst thou give thy faith? To say the troth: this maid had first my love. Yea Manville, but there was no witness by. Thy conscience Manville a hundred witnesses. She hath stolen a conscience to serve her own turn. But you are deceived, i'faith he will none of you. In deed, dread Lord, so dear I held her love, As in the same I put my whole delight. But some impediments which at that instant happened, Made me forsake her quite, For which I had her father's frank consent. What were the impediments? Why she could neither hear nor see. Now she doth both. Maiden, how were you cured: Pardon my Lord, I'll tell your grace the troth, Be it not imputed to me as discredit. I loved this Manville so much, that still methought When he was absent did present to me The form and feature of that countenance Which I did shrine an idol in mine heart. And never could I see a man methought That equalled Manville in my partial eye. Nor was there any love between us lost, But that I held the same in high regard, Until repair of some unto our house, Of whom my Manville grew thus jealous: As if he took exception I vouchsafed To hear them speak, or saw them when they came: On which I straight took order with myself To void the scruple of his conscience, By counterfeiting that I neither saw nor heard, Any ways to rid my hands of them. All this I did to keep my Manville love, Which he unkindly seeks for to reward. And did my Em to keep her faith with me Dissemble that she neither heard nor saw. Pardon me sweet Em, for I am only thine. Lay off thy hands, disloyal as thou art, Nor shalt thou have possession of my love, That canst so finely shift thy matters off. Put case I had been blind and could not see, As often times such visitations falls That pleaseth God which all things doth dispose: Shouldest thou forsake me in regard of that? I tell thee Manville, hadst thou been blind, Or deaf, or dumb, or else what impediments might befall to man, Em would have loved and kept, And honoured thee: yea, begged if wealth had failed For thy relief. Forgive me sweet Em. I do forgive thee with my heart, And will forget thee too if case I can: But never speak to me, nor seem to know me. Then farewell frost: Well fare a wench that will. Now, Elner I am thine own my girl. Mine Manville? thou never shalt be mine. I so detest thy villainy. That whilst I live I will abhor thy company.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Here be two women, may it please your grace, that are contracted to one man, And are in strife whether shall haue him to their husband. Stand foorth women and saie, To whether of you did he first giue his faith. To me forsooth. To me my gratious Lord. Speak Manuile, to whether didst thou giue thy faith? To saie the troth: this maide had first my loue. Yea Manuile, but there was no witnesse by. Thy conscience Manuile a hundred witnesses. Shee hath stolne a conscience to serue her own turne. But you are deceiued, yfaith he will none of you. In deede, dred Lord, so deere I held her loue, As in the same I put my whole delight. But some impediments which at that instant hapned, Made me forsake her quite, For which I had her fathers franke consent. What were the impediments? Why shee could neither heare nor see. Now shee doth both. Mayden, how were you cured: Pardon my Lord, Ile tell your grace the troth, Be it not imputed to mee as discredite. I loued this Manuile so much, that still methought When he was absent did present to mee The forme and feature of that countenance Which I did shrine an ydoll in mine heart. And neuer could I see a man methought That equald Manuile in my partiall eye. Nor was there any loue betweene vs lost, But that I held the same in high regard, Vntill repaire of some vnto our house, Of whome my Manuile grewe thus iealous: As if he tooke exception I vouchsafed To heare them speake, or saw them when they came: On which I straight tooke order with my selfe To voide the scrupule of his conscience, By counterfaiting that I neither sawe nor heard, Any wayes to rid my hands of them. All this I did to keepe my Manuiles loue, Which he vnkindly seekes for to rewarde. And did my Em to keepe her faith with mee Dissemble that shee neither heard nor sawe. Pardon me sweet Em, for I am onely thine. Lay off thy hands, disloyall as thou art, Nor shalt thou haue possession of my loue, That canst so finely shift thy matters off. ut case I had beene blinde and could not see, As often times such visitations falles That pleaseth God which all things doth dispose: Shouldest thou forsake mee in regard of that? I tell thee Manuile, hadst thou beene blinde, Or deafe, or dumbe, or else what impediments might befall to man, Em would haue loued and kept, And honoured thee: yea, begde if wealth had faylde For thy releefe. Forgiue mee sweete Em. I do forgiue thee with my heart, And will forget thee too if case I can: But neuer speake to mee, nor seeme to know mee. Then farewell frost: Well fare a wench that will. Now, Elner I am thine owne my gyrle. Mine Manuile? thou neuer shalt be myne. I so detest thy villanie. That whilest I liue I will abhor thy company.