The hospitall of incurable fooles: erected in English, as neer the first Italian modell and platforme, as the vnskilfull hand of an ignorant architect could deuise

Of scoffing Fooles: the one and twentith discourse.

TAles, bables, fables, I will not say wittily, but scoffingly related together with cor∣respondent actions, gestures, and opera∣tions to the same, constitute those kinde of men, whom we here call scoffing or ie∣sting Fooles, whose intent is no other, but to recreat and make merrie the world, they retayning in their heads a disposition more then Iouiale, from whence inuentions flow abundantly, and a thousand odde prancks they eue∣rie day performe in presence of the multitude: as that Clisophus parasite to Philip K. of Macedonia, of whō Lyn∣ceus Samius maketh mention in his commentaries, who perceiuing that his master by chaunce had broken one of his legs, began likewise to goe limping like him, and scoffingly wreathed his eies, mouth and teeth, in eating any sharpe sauces, imitating diligently and like an Ape, his Lord and master in euerie thing. Of Clariso∣phus also Dyonisius the Tyrant his iester, we finde thus much written in Hegesander, that whensoeuer he saw his master laugh a part with any nobleman or Baron, hee would also giggle soundly himself: so that one day Dyo∣nisius obseruing this Sycophant, he asked him why hee

so laughed, to whō the Gnato answered, I laugh for this cause: In that I imagin those matters which passe betwixt you deserue no lesse, cōsidering you your selues so laugh at them, as you do. But aboue al M. Varro, & Galba make mention of a certaine base Tarentine scoffer, called Rhintone, who was another Cesco of our daies, for in all matters, how weighty or serious soeuer they were, he had euer a scoffe ready at the fingers end, which peraduēture might well be mother or sister vnto him: as also in this point, Sosicrates in his first booke of the Cretane af∣faires, attributeth to the Phestians as a peculiar proper∣tie, that they were scoffers, for from their childhood, they studied quicke and stinging sayings, for the sharp∣ning of their wits, which by such applications are great∣ly whetned. In ancient times, Mandiogenies and Strato Athenian, were famour Buffons, as Hippolochus Mace∣don in an epistle which he writ to Linceus testifieth, and so was Callimidon, Locusta, Dinia, and Menedemus, to whom Telefanes in his booke of Cityes saith, that philip king of Macedonia writ, for their scoffing and pleasantiests, wherein he tooke extreme delight. A∣mong others also Cassiodorus, by Sinopeus the Comicall Poet, and Pantaleon by the Poet Theognes in his louer, are magnified. These be they that sweepe the courts of Princes and great men, who for the most part are great∣ly delighted with these kinde of Fooles, as sometimes Philip of Macedonia, who tooke in them such content∣ment, that as Atheneus writeth in the fourteenth of his Gymnosophistes he sent a talent of gold to certaine para∣sites, which before we named, for their iests and sayings: Demetrius Poliorceta, as Philarcus writeth in the sixt booke of his Histories, was also so great a friend to scof∣fers,

as that he could neuer haue them an hower from his heeles. The like Herodotus writeth of Amasina king of Aegypt, who desired more the companie of iesters and Buffons, then of those prudent and wise. But yet it is much, that Nicostratus ascribeth this verie genius or humour to Romaine Scilla, who otherwise was so graue and strickt in all his proceedings. Of late daies, one Go∣nella was a notable Buffon, as likewise Carafalla; and yet of later memorie Boccofresca the Padoan, who I am per∣swaded had neuer his equall for Buffonerie, much lesse any superiour: and he was so much the more an ingeni∣ous scoffer, by how much he would neuer once smile himselfe, though he made all the rest of the companie almost burst with laughing: for he was not like the Ti∣rinthians, so celebrated by Theophrastus, who being na∣turall Buffons borne, had on a time generall recourse to the Oracle of Delphos, to know whether there were any meanes, for the recouerie of this kinde of Folly; to whom the Oracle made answere, that I, there was: so they could sacrifice a Bull to Neptune god of the sea without laughing, the which thing not being able to execute, they remained in the same state of Buffonerie, as at the first. Yet scoffers and iesters are good in this one point, for they make men merrie, and expell melan∣choly from the heart, neither do they eate their bread in treacherie, as flatterers doe, from whom proceedeth nothing but shame, and detriment togither. Now these Fooles haue before their cell in the Hospitall, an image of god Fabulanus erected as their friend and fauou∣rer: wherefore let it seeme no maruaile, though to him, who is protector of these friuolous chatterers, in this inuocation following, we duly & fitly recōmend them.

A prayer to god Fabulanus, for scoffing Fooles.

THese men O God Fabulanus bee true gna∣thoes, friendes and affecters by life of thy name: for they neither thinke nor speake of any thing but fables and tales, which spring from thee, and inserted in them, take so deepe roote as that they shewe themselues to be the children and true ofspring of God Fabulanus: and for this cause thy glo∣rious godhead must needes haue a care of thy deere friendes, that are conuersant with the kings and princes of the worlde, holding them in so tender esteeme, as that it may be knowne, how without thy assistance, they coulde vtter nothing sauorie or gratious in any sorte: Vouchsafe them therefore requisite protection, and so effect, that they may be stirred vp to offer at thy aulter, which thou hast amongst the Tirinthians, the tales of Piouan Arlotto, printed in parchment with text letters, to the ende the gift and present which they offer, may aptly correspond with thee their courteous and boun∣tifull benefactour.

Notes

• Linceus Samius
• Hegesander.
• Marcus Varro. Galba.
• Sosicrates.
• Hippolochus.
• Telefanes.
• Sinopeus. Theognes.
• Atheneus.
• Philarcus.
• Herodotus.
• Nicostratus.