Kemps Nine Daies Wonder | Page 3

wench that can dance Sellengers Round[xii:1] but can talke of Dick Burbage and Will Kempe.
"Phil. Indeed, M. Kempe, you are very famous, but that is as well for workes in print as your part in kue.
"Kempe. You are at Cambridge still with sice kue,[xii:2] and be lusty humorous poets; you must vntrusle:[xii:3] I road this my last circuit purposely, because I would be iudge of your actions.
"Bur. M. Stud., I pray you take some part in this booke, and act it, that I may see what will fit you best. I thinke your voice would serue for Hieronimo:[xii:4] obserue how I act it, and then imitate mee.
"Stud. 'Who call[s] Hieronomo from his naked bed, And,' &c.
"Bur. You will do well after a while.
"Kemp. Now for you, me thinkes you should belong to my tuition, and your face me thinkes would be good for a foolish Mayre or a foolish iustice of peace. Marke me.[xii:5] 'Forasmuch as there be two states of a common wealth, the one of peace, the other of tranquility; two states of warre, the one of discord, the other of dissention; two states of an incorporation, the one of the Aldermen, the other of the Brethren; two states of magistrates, the one of gouerning, the other of bearing rule; now, as I said euen now, for a good thing cannot be said too often, Vertue is the shooing-horne of iustice, that is, vertue is the shooing-horne of doing well, that is, vertue is the shooing-horne of doing iustly, it behooueth mee and is my part to commend this shooing-horne vnto you. I hope this word shooing-horne doth not offend any of you, my worshipfull brethren, for you, beeing the worshipfull headsmen of the towne, know well what the horne meaneth. Now therefore I am determined not onely to teach but also to instruct, not onely the ignorant but also the simple, not onely what is their duty towards their betters, but also what is their dutye towards their superiours.' Come, let me see how you can doe; sit downe in the chaire.
"Phil. 'Forasmuch as there be,' &c.
"Kemp. Thou wilt do well in time, if thou wilt be ruled by thy betters, that is by my selfe, and such graue Aldermen of the playhouse as I am.
"Bur. I like your face and the proportion of your body for Richard the 3; I pray, M. Phil., let me see you act a little of it.
"Phil. 'Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by the sonne of Yorke.'
"Bur. Very well, I assure you. Well, M. Phil. and M. Stud., wee see what ability you are of: I pray walke with vs to our fellows, and weele agree presently.
"Phil. We will follow you straight, M. Burbage.
"Kempe. Its good manners to follow vs, Maister Phil. and Maister Otioso.
[Exeunt Burbage and Kempe.]"[xiii:1]
The other drama in which Kemp personally figures is of great rarity, and has escaped the notice of those writers who have touched on his biography. It was the joint work of Day, William Rowley, and Wilkins;[xiv:1] and is entitled The Travailes of The three English Brothers. Sir Thomas, Sir Anthony, Mr. Robert Shirley. As it is now play'd by her Maiesties Seruants, 1607,[xiv:2] 4to. Sir Anthony Shirley having been sent to Italy as ambassador from the Sophy, the following scene is supposed to take place at Venice.
"Enter seruant.
"Ser. Sir, heres an Englishman[xiv:3] desires accesse to you.
"Sir Ant. An Englishman? whats his name?
"Ser. He calls himselfe Kempe.
"Sir Ant. Kemp! bid him come in. [Exit Seruant]. Enter Kempe. Welcome, honest Will; and how doth all thy fellowes in England?
"Kemp. Why, like good fellowes, when they haue no money, liue vpon credit.
"Sir Ant. And what good new Plays haue you?
"Kemp. Many idle toyes; but the old play that Adam and Eue[xiv:4] acted in bare action vnder the figge tree drawes most of the Gentlemen.
"Sir Ant. Jesting, Will.
"Kemp. In good earnest it doth, sir.
"S. Ant. I partly credit thee; but what Playe[s] of note haue you?
"Kemp. Many of name, some of note; especially one, the name was called Englands Ioy;[xv:1] Marry, hee was no Poet that wrote it, he drew more Connies in a purse-nette, then euer were taken at any draught about London.
"[Re]Enter Seruant.
"Seru. Sir, heres an Italian Harlaken come to offer a play to your Lord-ship.
"Sir Ant. We willingly accept it. [Exit Seruant.] Heark, Kempe: Because I like thy iesture and thy mirth, Let me request thee play a part with them.
"[Enter Harlaken and Wife.]
"Kem. I am somewhat hard of study, and like your honor, but if they well inuent any extemporall meriment, ile put out the small sacke of witte I ha' left in venture with them.
"S. Ant. They shall not deny 't. Signior Harlaken, he is content. I pray thee question him. Whisper.
"Kemp. Now, Signior, how many are