Fools, Jesters and Mirthmen

Those in italics were mirthmen, but not licensed fools or jesters. Adelsburn ( Burkard Kasper ), jester to George I. He was not only a fun-maker, but also a ghostly adviser of the Han over i an. Aksakoff , the fool of Czarina Elizabeth of Ru ia (mother of Peter II.). He was a stolid brute, fond of practical jokes. Angély ( L. ) jester to Louis XIV., and last of the licensed fools of France. He is mentioned by Boileau in Satires i. and viii. Aopi ( Mon signore ), who succeeded Soglia as the merryman of Pope Gregory xVI. Armstrong ( Archie ), jester in the courts of James I. and Charles I. One of the characters in Scott’s novel, The Fortunes of Nigel. Being condemned to death by King James for sheep-stealing, Archie implored that he might live till he had read his Bible through for his soul’s weal. This was granted, and Archie rejoined, with a sly look, “Then de’il tak’ me ’gin I ever read a word on’t!” Berdic , “joculator” to William the Conqueror. Three towns and five car acutes in Gloucestershire were given him by the king. Bluet d’Arbéres (seventeenth century), fool to the duke of Mantua. During a pestilence he conceived the idea of offering his life as a ransom for his countrymen, and actually starved himself to death to stay the plague. Bonny ( Patrick ), jester to the regent Morton. Borde ( Andrew ), usually called “Merry Andrew,” physician to Henry VIII. (1500-1549). Brusquet . Of this court fool Brantôme says: “He never had his equal in repartee” (1512-1563). Caillet ( Guillaume ), who flourished about 1490. His likene is given in the frontispiece of the Ship of Fools (1497). Chicot , jester of Henri III. and Henri IV. Alexandre Dumas has a novel called Chicot the Jester (1553-1591). Colquhoun ( Jemmy ), predece or of James Geddes, jester in the court of Mary queen of Scots. Coryat , “prince of non-official jesters and coxcombs.” Kept by Prince Henry, brother of Charles I. Coulon , doctor and jester to Louis XVIII. He was the very prince of mimics. He sat for the portraits of Thiers, Molé, and Comte Joseph de Villèle (died 1858). Da´gonet ( Sir ), jester to King Arthur. He was knighted by the king himself. Derrie , a court jester to James I. Contemporary with Thom. Dufresnoy , poet, playwright, actor, gardener, gla -manufacturer, spendthrift, wit, and honorary fool to Louis XIV. His jests are the “Joe Millers” of France. Geddes ( James ), jester in the court of Mary, queen of Scots. He was daft, and followed Jemmy Colquhoun in the motley. Glorieux ( Le ), jester of Charles le Hardi of Burgundy. Gonella , domestic jester of the duke of Ferrara. His jests are in print. Gonella used to ride a horse all skin and bone, which is spoken of in Don Quixote . Hafod ( Jack ), a retainer in the house of Mr. Bartlett, of Castle mort on, Worcesters hire. He died at the close of the eighteenth century, and has given birth to the expre ion “As big a fool as Jack Hafod.” He was the ultimus scurrarum in Great Britain. Heywood ( John ) author of numerous dramatic works (1492-1565). Jean ( Seigni ), or “Old John;” so called to distinguish him from Jean or Johan, called Le Fol de Madame , (fl. 1380). Johan , Le Fol de Madame mentioned by Marot in his epitaphs. Johnson ( S. ), familiarly known as “Lord Flame,” the character he played in his own extravaganza of Hurlo-Thrumbo (1729). Kgaw ( General ), a Saxon general, famous for his broad jests. Kill i grew ( Thomas ), called “King “King Charles’s jester” (1611-1682). Longely , jester to Louis XIII. Narr ( Klaus ), jester to Frederick, “the Wise,” elector of Pru ia. Patch , court fool of Elizabeth, wife of Henry VII. Patche , Cardinal Woolsey’s jester. The cardinal made Henry VIII. a present of this “wise fool,” and the king returned word that “the gift was a most acceptable one.” Patison , licensed jester to Sir Thomas More. He is introduced by Hans Holbein in his famous picture of the lord chancellor’s family. Paul ( Jacob ), Baron Gundling. This merryman was laden with titles in ridicule by Frederick William I. of Pru ia. Pearce ( Dickie ), fool of the earl of Suffolk. Dean Swift wrote an epitaph on him. Rayère , court jester to Henry I. of England. Rosen ( Kunz von der ), private jester to the emperor Maximilian I. Scogan , court jester to Edward IV. Soglia ( Cardinal ), the fun-maker of Pope Gregory XVI. He was succeeded by Aopi. Somers ( Will ), court jester to Henry VIII. The effigy of this jester is at Hampton Court. And in Old Fish Street was once a public-house called Will Somers’s tavern (1490-1560). Stehlin ( Profe or ), in the household of czarina Elizabeth of Ru ia. He was teacher of mathematics and history to the grand-duke (Peter II.), and was also his licensed buffoon. Tarleton , ( Richard ), the famous clown, and jester in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, but not attached either to the court or to any nobleman (1530-1588). Thom , one of the court jesters of James I. Contemporary with Derrie. Triboulet , court jester to Louis XII. and François I. (1487-1536). Licinio, the rival of Titian, took his likene , which is still extant. Wallett ( W.F. ), court jester to Queen Victoria. He styles himself “the queen’s jester,” but doubtle has no warrant for the title from the Lord Chamberlain. Walter , jester to Queen Elizabeth. Will , “my lord of Leicester’s jesting player;” but who this “Will” was is not known. It might be Will Johnson, Will Sly, Will Kimpe, or even Will Shakespeare. Yorick , jester in the court of Denmark. Referred to by Shakespeare in his Hamlet , act v. sc. 1. (Dr. Doran published The History of Court Fools , in 1858).