midnight
The keen and generous Burbage knew the intrinsic value of Shakspere , and to tie him to the interest of the Blackfriars , he gradually increased the Bard 's salary and gave him an interest in the stock company . Yet , other theatres staged his plays . Edmund Spenser , the greatest rhythmic poet of his day , author of the `` Faerie Queen , '' and prime favorite of Sidney and Queen Elizabeth , was lavish in his praise of the rising dramatist , while Michael Drayton and Christopher Marlowe vied with each other in admiration of the newly discovered star of intellectual brilliancy that glittered unceasingly in the sky of poetic and philosophic letters . Essex , Southampton , Raleigh , Bacon , Monmouth , Derby , Norfolk , Northumberland , Percy , Burleigh , Cecil , Montague , and many other lords of London club life , gave a ready adherence to Shakspere , and after his mighty acting on the Blackfriars and other stages , struggled with each other as to who should have the honor of entertaining him at the gay midnight suppers that delighted the amusement world of London . One of the most valuable friends William encountered in London was John Florio , a Florentine , the greatest linguist of his day , who had traveled in all lands and gathered nuggets of thought in every clime . He spoke Spanish , Italian , French , German and Greek , with the accent of a native , and had but recently translated the works of Montaigne , the great French philosopher . The Herbert-Southampton family patronized him .