He excelled in tragedy as well as comedy, a circumstance that has escaped the research of all his biographers. This curious fact is recorded in a very scarce volume, “_Stradlingi ( Joannis) Epigrammata_,” 1607, which contains verses on Tarlton. He was born at Condover in the county of Salop; was (according to tradition) his father's swineherd, and owed his introduction at court to Robert Earl of Leicester. Certain it is that Elizabeth took great delight in him, made him one of her servants, and allowed him wages and a groom. According to Taylor the water poet, (“Wit and Mirth”) “ Dicke Tarlton said that hee could compare Queene Elizabeth to nothing more fitly than to a sculler; for,” said he, “neither the queene nor the sculler hath a fellow.” He basked all his eccentric life in the sunshine of royal favour. The imperial tigress, who condemned a poor printer to be hanged, drawn, and quartered, for publishing a harmless tract, civilly asking her, when tottering and toothless, to name her successor, listened with grinning complacency to the biting jests and waggeries of her court-fool; grave judges and pious bishops relaxed their reverend muscles at his irresistible buffooneries; while the “many-headed beast,” the million, hailed him with uproarious jollity. Here * I must needs remember Tarlton, in his time with the queen his soveraigne, and the people's generall applause. “Richard Tarlton, ** for a wondrous plentifull, pleasant, extemporal wit, was the wonder of his time. He was so beloved that men use his picture for their signes.” “Let him *** (the fanatic Prynne) try when he will, and come upon the stage himself with all the scurrility of the Wife of Bath, with all the ribaldry of Poggius or Boccace, yet I dare affirm he shall never give that contentment to beholders as honest Tarlton did, though he said never a word.” * Heywood's Apology for Actors. ** Howes, the editor of Stowe's Chronicle. *** Theatrum Redivivum, by Sir Richard Baker. --“Tarlton, when his head was onely seene, The tire-house doore and tapistrie betweene, Set all the multitude in such a laughter, They could not hold for scarse an houre after.” * * Peacham's Thalia's Banquet, 1620.