[BP] Charles Louis. 'He received permission from the House of Commons to sit and hear on Oct. 24, <1643>, but does not seem to have actually made his appearance till the 28th: when an address of welcome was made by the Prolocutor, Dr. <William> Twisse, who had been at one time chaplain to the princess <his mother>, and a reply was made by the prince. Somewhat fragmentary notes of his speech are found in the first volume of the minutes of the Westminster Assembly, which has never been published'—a note kindly sent me by Dr. A. F. Mitchell, Emeritus Professor of Ecclesiastical History in St. Andrews.
William Shakespear (1564-1616).
[963]Mr. William Shakespear was borne at Stratford upon Avon in the county of Warwick. His father was a butcher, and I have been told heretofore by some of the neighbours, that when he was a boy he exercised his father's trade, but when he kill'd a calfe he would doe it in a high style, and make a speech. There was at that time another butcher's son in this towne that was held not at all inferior to him for a naturall witt, his acquaintance and coetanean, but dyed young.
This William being inclined naturally to poetry and acting, came to London, I guesse, about 18; and was an actor at one of the play-houses, and did act exceedingly well (now B. Johnson was never a good actor, but an excellent instructor).
He began early to make essayes at dramatique poetry, which at that time was very lowe; and his playes tooke well.
He was a handsome, well shap't man: very good company, and of a very readie and pleasant smooth witt.
The humour of ... the constable, in Midsomernight's Dreame, he happened to take at Grendon in Bucks—I thinke it was Midsomer night that he happened to lye there—which is the roade from London to Stratford, and there was living that constable about 1642, when I first came to Oxon: Mr. Josias Howe is of that parish, and knew him. Ben Johnson and he did gather humours of men dayly where ever they came. One time as he was at the tavern at Stratford super Avon, one Combes, an old rich usurer, was to be buryed, he makes there this extemporary epitaph,
Ten in the hundred the Devill allowes,
But Combes will have twelve, he sweares and vowes:
If any one askes who lies in this tombe,
'Hoh!' quoth the Devill, ''Tis my John o Combe.'
He was wont to goe to his native countrey once a yeare. I thinke I have been told that he left 2 or 300 li. per annum there and thereabout to a sister. Vide his epitaph in Dugdale's Warwickshire.