Tradition claims that Tarlton started his career in London as either an apprentice, a swineherd in
Ealing, or a water-carrier; it is not impossible that he was all three. By 1583, when he is mentioned as one of the original members of the
Queen's Men, he was already an experienced actor. He was an early yet extraordinary influence on Elizabethan clowns. His epitaph says: "he of clowns to learn still sought/ But now they learn of him they taught". Tarlton was the first to study natural fools and simpletons to add knowledge to his characters. His manner of performance combined the styles of the medieval
Vice, the professional
minstrel, and the amateur
Lord of Misrule. During the play, he took it upon himself to police hecklers by delivering a devastating rhyme when necessary. He would spend time after the play in a battle of wits with the audience. He worked with
Queen Elizabeth's Men at the
Curtain Theatre at the beginning of their career in 1583. The 1600 publication ''
Tarlton's Jests'' tells how Tarlton, upon his retirement, recommended
Robert Armin take his place. He was
Queen Elizabeth's favourite
clown. He had a talent for improvising
doggerel on subjects suggested by his audience; in fact, improvised doggerel verse became known for a time as "Tarltons". To cash in on his popularity, a great number of songs and witticisms of the day were attributed to him, and after his death the text ''Tarlton's Jests'', containing many jokes in fact older than he was, made several volumes. Other books, and several ballads, coupled his name with their titles. Some have suggested that the evocation of
Yorick in
Hamlet's soliloquy was composed in memory of Tarlton. In addition to his other talents, Tarlton was a fencing master. He died on 5 September, at the home of Emma Ball, a "woman of bad reputation" and was buried the same day at
St Leonard's, Shoreditch. ==See also==