Editing Jester (section)

===English royal court jesters===
Many royal courts throughout English royal history employed entertainers and most had professional fools, sometimes called "licensed fools". Fool Societies, or groups of nomadic entertainers, were often hired to perform acrobatics and juggling.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Debra |date=2020-12-26 |title=What It Was Really Like To Be A Court Jester - Grunge |url=https://www.grunge.com/302144/what-it-was-really-like-to-be-a-court-jester/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=Grunge.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Jesters were also occasionally used as psychological warfare. Jesters would ride in front of their troops, provoke or mock the enemy, and even serve as messengers. They played an important part in raising their own army's spirits by singing songs and reciting stories.<ref>{{Cite web |last=sheldon |first=Natasha |date=2018-09-19 |title=The Role of Fool was a Staple in Medieval Culture... In Some of the Most Unexpected Ways |url=https://historycollection.com/the-many-roles-of-the-medieval-fool/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=History Collection |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Debra |date=2020-12-26 |title=What It Was Really Like To Be A Court Jester - Grunge |url=https://www.grunge.com/302144/what-it-was-really-like-to-be-a-court-jester/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=Grunge.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[Henry VIII|Henry VIII of England]] employed a jester named [[Will Sommers]]. His daughter [[Mary I of England|Mary]] was entertained by [[Jane Foole]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Westfahl |first=Gary |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kaL0BwAAQBAJ&dq=Henry+VIII+of+England+employed+a+jester+named+Will+Sommers.+His+daughter+Mary+was+entertained+by+Jane+Foole.&pg=PA686 |title=A Day in a Working Life: 300 Trades and Professions through History [3 volumes]: 300 Trades and Professions through History |date=2015-04-21 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-61069-403-2 |language=en}}</ref>

During the reigns of [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth I]] and [[James I of England]], [[William Shakespeare]] wrote his plays and performed with his theatre company the [[Lord Chamberlain's Men]] (later called the [[King's Men (playing company)|King's Men]]). [[Clown]]s and jesters were featured in Shakespeare's plays, and the company's expert on jesting was [[Robert Armin]], author of the book ''Foole upon Foole''. In Shakespeare's ''[[Twelfth Night]]'', [[Feste]] the jester is described as "wise enough to play the fool".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Shakespeare |first=William |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t8AzAQAAMAAJ&dq=In+Shakespeare's+Twelfth+Night,+Feste+the+jester+is+described+as+%22wise+enough+to+play+the+fool%22.&pg=PA95 |title=The Works of Shakespeare ....: Twelfth night; or, What you will, ed. by M. Luce |date=1906 |publisher=Methuen & Company Limited |language=en}}</ref>

In Scotland, [[Mary, Queen of Scots]], had a jester called [[Nichola (fool)|Nichola]]. Her son, King [[James VI of Scotland]], employed a jester called [[Archibald Armstrong]]. During his lifetime Armstrong was given great honours at court. He was eventually thrown out of the King's employment when he over-reached and insulted too many influential people. Even after his disgrace, books telling of his jests were sold in London streets. He held some influence at court still in the reign of [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] and estates of land in [[Ireland]]. [[Anne of Denmark]] had a Scottish jester called [[Tom Durie]]. Charles I later employed a jester called [[Jeffrey Hudson]] who was very popular and loyal. Jeffrey Hudson had the title of "Royal [[Dwarfism|Dwarf]]" because he was short of stature. One of his jests was to be presented hidden in a giant pie from which he would leap out. Hudson fought on the [[Cavalier|Royalist]] side in the [[English Civil War]]. A third jester associated with Charles I was called Muckle John.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Buckle |first=Henry Thomas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G73FAAAAMAAJ&dq=A+third+jester+associated+with+Charles+I+was+called+Muckle+John.&pg=PA201 |title=The Miscellaneous and Posthumous Works of Henry Thomas Buckle |date=1872 |publisher=Longmans, Green and Company |language=en}}</ref>