Career
William Barksted in 1606 performed in Ben Jonson"s Epicene, and in 1613 in Beaumont and Fletcher"s Coxcomb. When he performed in Epicene he was of the company "provided and kept" by Kirkham, Hawkins, Kendall, and Payne, and in Jonson"s folio of 1616 he is associated with "National Field, Gil. Carie, Hugh Attawel, John
Smith, Will Pen, Ric.
Allen, and John Certain documents (a bond and articles of agreement in connection with Philip Henslowe and Edward Alleyn) introduce Barksted"s name in 1611 and 1615-1616, as belonging to this company of actors referred. Nothing later concerning him has been discovered, except an anecdote worked into the Wit and Mirth of John Taylor, the Water Poet, in 1629.
In some copies also of the Insatiate Countess, dated 1631, the name of John Marston is displaced by that of William Barksted. lieutenant was possibly as actor that he became acquainted with Henry, earl of Oxford, and Elizabeth, countess of Derby.
The former he calls, in the verse-dedication of Hiren, "the Heroicke Heroes".
The Countess of Derby is addressed as "Your honor"s from youth oblig"d".’.
