Info on William Kemp of 'Kemp's Jig'

Subject: Info on William Kemp of 'Kemp's Jig'
From: Ian HP
Date: 23 Apr 01 - 04:16 PM

'Kemp's Jig' (sometimes 'Jigg') was written by anon. in honour of William Kemp, a professional jester who jested before Queen Elizabeth I. I know the following about him, does anyone know more or any good sources/leads? He was a member of William Shakespeare's troupe, whose role was to perform jigs and mimes to keep the audience entertained after the plays. Mr. Kemp is most remembered for his energetic dancing (I seem to remember it described as Morris dancing, though I wouldn't swear to it - anyone know?), which he once performed continuously for nine days, dancing all the way from London to Norwich. This became known as his "nine dais wonder", about which Kemp wrote a book (is this still available, anyone?), and for which the mayor of Norwich gave him a forty shilling a year pension for the rest of his life. The tune that bears his name is not a jig as we understand it today: in Shakespeare's time it simply meant a fair-paced and humorous melody. There is another tune in his honour called 'When Kemp Did Dance Alone'. The author of this tune (also known by the title of the words it was later attached to, 'Robin Hood, Maid Marian and Little John are gone') was Thomas Weekles, c. 1575-1623. He was an English madrigalist and church musician, described by a contemporary as "a drunckard and notorious swearer and blasphemer"!

I'd love to know more, especially about the book. Anyone?

Subject: RE: Info on William Kemp of 'Kemp's Jig'
From: Greyeyes
Date: 23 Apr 01 - 05:15 PM

Here are some Blickies to sites which may have stuff you don't know.

Click here

Click here

Click here

These are the short entries for William Kemp (or Kempe)copied & pasted from the British Library catalogue. You'll need to search here for the full bibliographic details. Many of the reprints were limited edition facsimiles of only a few hundred copies. You would certainly be able to get a copy via inter library loan in the UK, it shouldn't be too hard in the US either, I'm not sure where you are.

[8] Kemps nine daies wonder. performed in a daunce from London to Norwich. containing the pleasure, paines and kinde entertainment of William Kemp between London and that Citty in his late Morrice. wherein is somewhat set downe worth note; to reproove the slaunders spred of him; many things merry, nothing hurtfull. map and drawings by Robert Yaxley Kemp. Will. fl. 1593-1602 1985 [9] Kemps nine daies wonder. performed in a daunce from London to Norwich. containing the pleasure, paines and kinde entertainment of William Kemp between London and that Citty in his late Morrice. wherein is somewhat set downe worth note; to reproove the slaunders spred of him; many things merry, nothing hurtfull. drawings by Robert Laxley Kemp. Will. fl. 1593-1602 c1997 [10] Will Kemp. Shakespeare's forgotten clown. Chris Harris Harris. Chris. 1942- 1983 [11] K.'s nine daies Wonder, etc. (Facsimile reproduction: superintended by E. W. Ashbee.) B.L. KEMP. William. Actor London printed, 1600 [reprinted, 1876?]. 4o. [12] K.'s nine daies Wonder, etc. (Facsimile reproduction: superintended by E. W. Ashbee.) B.L. [Another edition.] KEMP. William. Actor 1883. [13] Kempes Nine Daies Wonder ... Edited from the original MS. by E. Goldsmid. KEMP. William. Actor pp. vii. 42. 1884. [14] Kemp's Nine Days' Wonder, etc. KEMP. William. Actor 1903. [15] Kemps nine daies wonder, etc. KEMP. William. Actor [16] Old Rumford & William Kemp's Nine daies wonder. KEMP. William. Actor Hornchurch: printed at the Chestnut Leaf Private Press, 1970. pp. 9. 13 cm.

Beware of some of those links, one of them describes the nine day Morris dance as a 23 day jig. They are NOT reliable sources.

Hope this is useful. We have a copy of the book in my library if you'd like a first hand description of it.

Cheers
Paul

Subject: RE: Info on William Kemp of 'Kemp's Jig'
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 23 Apr 01 - 05:31 PM

My recollection is that Kemp was the replacement for Richard Tarelton, and both were sort of song, dance, and slapstick type commedians. Kemp was replaced by Robert Armin, who was a more subtle type of commedian. He publish his jest book about different kinds of fools/jesters, 'Fool upon Fool' in 1600 and 1604 (both unique copies in Folger Shakespeare Library), and expanded it as 'A Nest of Ninnies' in 1608 (Folger and Bodleian). See his 'Derry's Fair' (Monaghan Fair), c 1597-9 in file BMADD on my website. Search on 'Tarleton' and 'Kemp' in the broadside ballad index on my website to turn up songs and tunes related to them.

Subject: RE: Info on William Kemp of 'Kemp's Jig'
From: Mr Red
Date: 23 Apr 01 - 07:05 PM

you'll probably find it elswhere but a morris dancer and early english specialist told me Kemp did it for a wager (probably many en route) and by dancing he proved he was fit and free of the plague. The alternative would have been to go to Norwich and camp outside the city limits for one weeks quarrantine. The dance was more lucrative.

Subject: RE: Info on William Kemp of 'Kemp's Jig'
From: IanC
Date: 24 Apr 01 - 05:22 AM

Ian

Here's information as published originally by Kemp. Might be less liable to inaccuracies!

William Kemp

Cheers!
Ian

Subject: RE: Info on William Kemp of 'Kemp's Jig'
From: IanC
Date: 24 Apr 01 - 08:39 AM

Sorry

Having read it, I wasn't sure that I'd made it clear that the link above is to a net copy of Kemp's book. If you read his account of events, you'll find that his "9 Dayes Wonder" did, in fact, take 23 days.

Cheers!
Ian

Subject: RE: Info on William Kemp of 'Kemp's Jig'
From: GUEST,Greyeyes
Date: 24 Apr 01 - 09:18 AM

Aha, I see, but was it a jig? :-)

The illustration in the 1600 edition shows him with bells on his ankles, which would indicate a morris dance, and he describes it as a "late Morrice". The 1985 edition I've got hold of has a short glossary of words in the book no longer in common usage. I'll transcribe it later.

Subject: RE: Info on William Kemp of 'Kemp's Jig'
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 24 Apr 01 - 10:54 AM

I used to have an LP called Kempes Jig by a band called "Jester" which purported to be the original tune and variations as composed byy Kemp for the Nine days wonder. Couldn't say how authentic it is but there are certainly Jigs included in the variations.

Subject: RE: Info on William Kemp of 'Kemp's Jig'
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 24 Apr 01 - 12:54 PM

Morris Dancing is not generally a form of progression, except in a couple of dances, ie. Winster. The majority of Morris Dances are also performed by a Set of dancers, numbering 4,5,6 or 8. The form known as Jigs, are performed by 1 or 2 dancers. I guess that the individual moves could be extended in a linear fashion. Anyone who manages to dance from Norwich to London has my greatest admiration. I was knackered the last time I did The Nutting Girl (the dance that is) 4-5 times in one day. OK so i did other dances too. I guess if you were really trying you would make about 1 mile out of that, I can still see the tower of Norwich Cathedral. JohnB

Subject: RE: Info on William Kemp of 'Kemp's Jig'
From: Tom D.
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 12:47 AM

Bill Ochs, in his excellent handbook on the Clarke Tin Whistle (called, ironically enough, "The Clarke Tin Whistle--A Handbook by Bill Ochs"), devotes a page to the tuneand Kemp's feat. Bill's reference to the feat of the nine day dance, etc. is accompanied by the sheet music for the tune "Kemp's Jig", which may, in fact, be the tune or one of tunes that Kemp danced to. Bill's book has recently been re-released in a larger format and with a CD instead of the audio cassette that came with the original. It is a great resource for the whistle player.

Enjoy,

Tom D.

Subject: RE: Info on William Kemp of 'Kemp's Jig'
From: Ian HP
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 01:08 PM

That's fantastic. Thanks, folks.

Subject: RE: Info on William Kemp of 'Kemp's Jig'
From: wildlone
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 03:27 PM

The copy I have got was published on the 12 april 1923 by Bodley Head it also contains Henrie Chettle's Kind-harts Dream.
dave

Subject: RE: Info on William Kemp of 'Kemp's Jig'
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 26 Apr 01 - 12:02 AM

For the E. A. who printed Kemp's nine daies vvonder see ZN116 and ZN2423 in the broadside ballad index on my website.

Subject: RE: Info on William Kemp of 'Kemp's Jig'
From: Helen
Date: 26 Apr 01 - 07:27 PM

I first heard this on a Meg Christian album. She played it on guitar and also wrote a song to it.

Beautiful.

Here is a midi of the tune. (When I first connected to the 'Net and discovered midi files this was one of the first tunes I searched for and I couldn't find it. Glad it is there now - or maybe the search engine I use is more powerful, i.e. Google.com)

http://perso.club-internet.fr/rezard/kempsji.mid

Helen