In the last passage I presume the writer praises these two authors in their capacity as men of letters rather than players. This author again refers to Shakespeare but only as a poet.
A curious reference to Shakespeare as an actor will be found in a tract entitled, “Ratseis’ Ghost,” published anonymously circa 1605. Only one copy of this pamphlet is extant, which was formerly in the Library of the Earl Spencer, known as the Althorp Library. Ratseis was a highwayman who, after paying certain actors to play before him, overtook and robbed them, and as an act of consolation for their loss, gave the chief actor the following piece of advice:
“Get thee to London, for if one man were dead, they will have much need as such a one as thou art. There would be none in my opinion fitter than thyself to play his parts; my conceipt of such of thee that I durst venture of all my money in my purse on thy head to play ‘Hamlet’ with him for a wager. There thou shalt learn to be frugal, for Players were never so thrifty as they are now about London, and to feed upon all men, to let none feed upon thee, to make thy hand a stranger to thy pocket, thy heart slow to perform thy tongue’s promise, and when thou feelest thy purse well lined, buy thee some place or Lordship in the Country that, growing weary of playing, thy money may bring thee to dignity and reputation. Sir, I thank you, quoth the player for thy counsell, I promise you I will make use of it, for I have heard indeed of some that have gone to London very meanly and have come in time to be exceedingly wealthy.”
The only two well known actors in these times who had acquired fortunes and invested their money in landed estates in the country were Edward Alleyn and William Shakespeare. As the former was born in London, his birth being recorded in the parish register of St. Botolph’s, Bishopsgate, he could not have been the poor player who hailed from the country, so we can take it as reasonably proved the writer is referring to Shakespeare, who was born in Stratford-on-Avon. There is abundant proof that Shakespeare acted in at least two of Ben Jonson’s plays, namely, “Every man in his Humour” and “Sejanus.” The former was produced in 1598, the printed edition first appearing in 1600; prefixed to the play is a list of Actors, in which the name of Shakespeare stands first. “Sejanus” was acted in 1603, the play being printed two years later, in 1605. A list of actors’ names, prefixed to this edition, is arranged in two columns; Burbage’s name heads the first column, Shakespeare’s the second. The individual parts assumed by the actors are not given.
James Wright, in a rare little tract entitled, “Historica Histrionica,” 1699, encourages the view that Shakespeare, at his best, was but a mediocre actor in a “Dialogue of Plays and Players.”
Lovewit (one of the characters in the Dialogue):
“Pray, Sir, what Master Parts can you remember the old Blackfriars men to Act, in Jonson, Shakespeare and Fletcher’s plays?”
Truman (another character in the Dialogue):
“What I can at present recollect I’ll tell you. Shakespeare, who, as I have heard, was a much better poet than player. Burbage, Hemmings and others of the old sort were dead before I knew the town.”
An early reference to Shakespeare as an actor is to be found in a volume of poetry, entitled, “Willobie His Avisa, or The true Picture of a modest maid and of a chast and constant wife.”