Kemps nine daies wonder: performed in a daunce from London to Norwich / With an introduction and notes by the Rev. Alexander Dyce.

  • William Kempe
Date:
1840
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Kemps nine daies wonder: performed in a daunce from London to Norwich / With an introduction and notes by the Rev. Alexander Dyce. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    haue happened vpon the most excellent vocation in the world for money ; they come North and South to bring it to our playhouse ; and for honours, who of more report then Dick Burbage and Will Kempe ? he is not counted a Gentleman that knowes not Dick Burbage and Wil Kempe ; there’s not a country wench that can dance Sellengers Round* 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,f and be lusty hu- morous poets; you must vntrusle:{ 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: § obserue how I act it, and then imitate mee. “ Stud. ‘ Who call{s ] Hieronomo from his naked bed, And,’ &e. “ 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.|| ‘ Forasmuch as there be two states of a common wealth, the one of peace, the other of tranquility ; two states of warre, the * i.e. St. Leger’s Round, an old country dance. t+ Terms used in the Buttery Books at the universities : see Minsheu in v. v. Size and Cue. ~ An allusion to Dekker’s Satiromastix, or The Vntrussing of the Humorous Poet. § A character in Kyd’s Spanish Tragedy. The speech here given by Studioso from that celebrated piece (and which Burbage of course ought previously to recite), begins in the earlier 4tos. ‘¢ What outcries pluck me from my naked bed ;” and in the later— ‘© What outcry calls,’”’ &c. See Dodsley’s Old Plays, iii. 130, last ed. || From this passage it has been conjectured that Kemp acted Justice Shallow.