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The bad repute into which jugglers had fallen did not prevent the kings of
France from attaching buffoons, or fools, as they were generally called,
to their households, who were often more or less deformed dwarfs, and who,
to all intents and purposes, were jugglers. They were allowed to indulge
in every sort of impertinence and waggery in order to excite the
risibility of their masters These buffoons or fools
were an institution at court until the time of Louis XIV., and several,
such as Caillette, Triboulet, and Brusquet, are better known in history
than many of the statesmen and soldiers who were their contemporaries.LOTS more to read
: www.gutenberg.org/.../10940/10940-h/10940-h.htm
Triboulet (1479 – 1536) was a microcephalic jester of kings Louis XIIFrancis I of France. He appears in Victor Hugo's Le Roi s'amuse and its opera version, Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto: "Rigoletto" was a blend of "Triboulet" and French rigole, intending to deflect the censorship that Hugo's work had received.
A triboulet, a jester dressed entirely in red, is a character associated with the carnival of Monthey in Switzerland.
- Triboulet once came to the Monarch with a complaint.
- Triboulet: "A noble had threatened to hang me!"
- The Monarch: "Don't worry! If he hangs you I'll have him beheaded fifteen minutes later."
- Triboulet: "Well, would it be possible to behead him 15 minutes before?"
- Once, Triboulet could not contain himself, and slapped the monarch
on the bum. The monarch lost his temper and threatened to execute
Triboulet. A little later, the monarch calmed down a little, and
promised to forgive Triboulet if he could think of an apology more
insulting than the offending deed.
- A few seconds later, Triboulet responded: "I'm so sorry, your
majesty, that I didn't recognize you! I mistook you for the Queen!" 
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the late middle ages, clowns
emerged as a professional comic– actors imitating
the antics of Court Jesters who humored kings.
The Court jesters
were members of the royal court staff. The Jester were often
catalysts for social change. The Jesters were given freedoms
granted to no one else. They could answer back to anyone in authority
and make jest of almost anyone or anything without fear of punishment.
The Jesters wore brightcostumes:
- green and saffron colored
- bells
- jagged collars
- coats
- pointed three color caps.
Their skills consistedof:
-
-
- juggling
- acrobatics
- storytelling
- puppetry
- magic
- contortion
- tightrope walking
- fire eating
- working with animals
-
French Jesters such as
Triboulet and Caillette (1525-40)
and English Jesters such
as Somers (1560) and Tarlton (1588)
Entertainroyalty with skills:
music, dance and wit, those not fortunate enough to
be hired by the King, wandered the streets as minstrels, attracting
an audience where ever they could.
The word “clown” which meant “clod”, came into being during
the 16th century. It was during this time, the period of the
Renaissance, that the Italian clowns came alive.
The Harlequin clown originated
in the Italian theater. His mission was to spoil the tricks of
the other clowns.
The traditionally aHarlequin wore:
- a black and white checkered
suit - white ruffle collar
- black mask.
A type of Harlequin
As the clown moved to the
stage he began to play roles as clumsy, slow-witted servants
but they kept their variety skills.
Around 1642 there came a somber
period in clowning history. The Puritans closed the English theaters.
When the theaters reopened in 1660, clowns were not welcome in
the sedate drama of the Restoration. Undaunted, English clowns
continued to perform on improvised stages and in the street.
https://www.clownschool.net/History/HMiddleAges.html