14 I LOVED A LASS, A FAIR ONE! [1629 ? To maidens' vows and swearing; Henceforth, no credit give! 'Twas I, that paid for all things! If ever that Dame NATURE No riches now can raise me, Kemp's nine days' wonder. Performed in a dance from London to Norwich. Containing the Pleasure, Pains, and kind Entertainment of WILLIAM KEMP, between London and that city, in his late Morrice. Wherein is somewhat set down worth note, to reprove the slanders spread of him; many things merry, nothing hurtful. Written by himself, to satisfy his friends. Printed by E. A. for NICHOLAS LING, and are to be sold at his shop, at the West Door of Saint Paul's Church. 1600. To the true ennobled Lady, and his most bountiful Mistress, Mistress ANNE FITTON, Maid of Honour to the most sacred Maid Royal, Queen ELIZABETH. HONOURABLE MISTRESS, N THE wane of my little wit, I am forced to desire your protection; else every ballad singer will proclaim me bankrupt of honesty! A sort of mad fellows, seeing me merrily disposed in a Morrice, have so bepainted me in print, since my gambols began from London to Norwich, that (having but an ill face before) I shall appear to the world without a face, if your fair hand wipe not away their foul colours. One hath written Kemp's farewell, to the tune of Kery, mery, buffe; another, his desperate dangers in his late travail; the third, his entertainment to Newmarket, which town I came never near, by the length of half the heath. Some swear in a trenchmore, I have trod a good way to win the world; others that guess righter, affirm, "I have without good help, danced myself out of the world!" Many say many things that were never thought. But, in a word, your poor Servant offers the truth of his Progress and profit, to your honourable view! receive it, I beseech you! such as it is, rude and plain: for I know your 18 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. W. Kemp. pure judgement looks as soon to see beauty in a blackamoor, or hear smooth speech from a stammerer, as to find anything but blunt mirth in a Morrice dancer! especially such a one as WILL. KEMP, that hath spent his life in mad jigs and merry jests. Three reasons move me to make public this journey. One, to reprove lying fools I never knew. The other, to commend loving friends, which, by the way, I daily found. The third, to show my duty to your honourable self. Whose favours, among other bountiful friends, make me, despite of this sad world, judge my heart Cork, and my heels Feathers: so that, methinks, I could fly to Rome (at least, hop to Rome, as the old proverb is) with a mortar on my head. In which light conceit, I lowly beg pardon and leave: for my tabourer strikes his Hunt's up! I must to Norwich! Imagine, noble Mistress! I am now setting from my Lord Mayor's! the hour, about seven! the morning, gloomy! the company, many! my heart, merry! Your worthy Ladyship's Most unworthy servant, WILLIAM KEMP. |