| 'A-m-i-c-u-s, a-m-i-c-u-m...'The boy
scribbled away with his quill, spraying ink blots around
him, as he sat frustrated in his Latin lesson. Outside it
was a lovely sunny day. The rays of sunlight pushed their
way through the small leaded windows of the Dame school
which his parents, Henry and Elizabeth Swann, forced him
to attend for the huge sum of 2d a week. The one good
thing about school, was his best friend, Hamnet. Hamnet
was loyal and good fun. He also had an interesting
homelife : his father was a playwright and had even
written plays for her Majesty herself! "Swann! Come 'ere!" shouted the teacher. " 'eadmaster wants yer!" " Yes, sir,"said Henry (the boy). At the Headmaster's desk, he saw the outside meadows beckoning him, but he ignored them. Shaking, he sat down in a moth-eaten chair, hoping he had got good marks for something. Then he quickly stood back up when the Headmaster came in. "I am very sorry for taking you out of Latin..." Henry giggled under a cough, for he hated Latin - it was the worst subject in the world! " But your parents ... they were very nice people... your parents died just after you left the house for school," whispered the Headmaster just in case anyone was outside the door. " So you will have to leave school for you can no longer afford it." "But what did they die of?"said Henry in tears. "Small Pox," whispered the Headmaster. Henry was shocked and mixed up all at the same time, not going to school but no parents to go home to. Henry ran, ran and ran. He did not know where he was going, but he wanted to get faraway, away from everything. Then suddenly... "SPLAT!" Henry had fallen head first into an open drain which ran down the middle of the street. Hamnet (who had been following Henry) pulled him up, out of the muck. (Henry's new green breeches (extremely expensive) covered in muck!) and asked if he was all right and if he wanted to play at his father's home in London. " Stratford to London is a very long way to walk, at least a few weeks and do you know the way?" gasped Henry. " I've never been to London, but Father taught me over and over again, so if..." But Henry was not listening. They went to Henry's house, collected all his belongings and food, then set off to London. * * * |
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| As
they walked across London Bridge, the noise was
deafening: there were carriages everywhere; the smell was
sickening and there were so many houses and people.
Hamlet jabbered on about how he was going to show Henry
to his Father and about how Henry was going to be an
actor. Meanwhile Henry was dragging his feet to go to
London tripping in all the horse muck and hearing
"Gardez-l'eau!" from above and street pedlars
calling out all their wares. Henry stopped when Hamnet
said that he was going to be an actor. "What !" shouted Henry. "An actor... Wow! I've always wanted to be one... Oh... MY GOSH! " " Hold your horses , I said you 'might' be an actor... Here is the Globe Theatre, it's huge, is it not, "said Hamnet,"Oh, and this is my Father... William Shakespeare!" A man with long dark hair appeared behind a building with another man, talking about 'The new play'. William Shakespeare was wearing a lace ruff, hose in forest green and his doublet was Royal purple, gesticulating wilding and talking really quickly. "Ah, yes the famous Henry, heard lots about you... "said Shakespeare with curiosity, "tell me, has your voice broken yet? " " No Master Shakespeare... Hamnet, you told me he was called Edward Edgar," said Henry surprised. "Our secret name," whispered Hamnet, "I'd rather people did not know my surname for they would all want to go and see my Father. By the way the auditions are today for 'Much Ado About Nothing'... It's a new play..." |
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