19th century, dramatic character, England, English, Europe, historical figure, play, primary source, quotes
A number of historical jesters had plays written about them, including Dongfang Shuo 東方朔 (c. 160 – c. 93 BCE) in China, and Henry VIII’s jester Will Somers. Here we find Charles the First (1824), a dramatic fragment by Shelley, which has Charles I give an...
16th century, England, English, Europe, historical figure, primary source, quotes
A curious account of Elizabeth I’s love of jesters. Notable is the fact that she didn’t like to have dwarfs or jesters with physical disabilities, particularly as this was still within the period in Europe when many courts had dwarfs and others of...
17th century, court accounts, England, English, Europe, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Stuart
In Europe, court account books are a mine of information concerning payments, in cash and kind, made to jesters. This gives us some insight into the extent to which they could be cared for, if not downright cossetted, and some indication of their clothing, which was...
16th century, England, English, Europe, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories
‘Begging’ a fool meant taking in a person considered incapable of handling their own affairs, and acting as their guardian. So far, so magnanimous. However, this practice, while potentially offering a degree of care and protection for a...
16th century, dramatic character, England, English, Europe, primary source, quotes
Here Lear’s fool gives advice that could by usefully followed by most of us. I also like his willingness to take back his advice if you happen to find a better source of wisdom. Which of course you know you won’t, at least if you’ve read your...
15th century, 16th century, English, Europe, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Scotland
The feigning of folly could be profitable and in 15th century Scotland it appears there was enough of it going on to prompt a law prohibiting it. This and similar constraints were repeated in the parliamentary records for another 150 years or so; I have found such...
16th century, English, folk fool, India, primary source, quotes, stories
There are many stories of Indian jesters getting the better of Brahmins, often exposing their greed in the process. Note that the stock clown character of Sanskrit drama, the Vidusaka, was himself a Brahmin, as well as being a jester (some disagree with me on this,...
19th century, East Asia, English, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories
In an account of Anna Leonowens’ (1831-1915) time as governess at the court of King Mongkut of Siam (r. 1851-68), there is a reference to the recruitment and training of a dwarf-jester, Nai-Teh (Mr. Little), demonstrating the ad hoc way people came to be court...
