#THE COURT JESTER WIKIPEDIA PROFESSIONAL#

The Jester was attacked moments later by Angelique, and J'edd J'arkus. The Jester stayed behind, sacrificing himself so that Luthor could escape (and against Luthor's objections). He helped Luthor steal the quantum trigger, a device that allows people to travel into different universes.Īn alarm set off in the building sent two villains in pursuit of Luthor and the Jester. Apparently, King Henry II had a very passionate sense of humor for well-timed gas, as we still do to this day.Jester and Lex Luthor broke into a building controlled by the Crime Syndicate. That is some serious acreage, even for medieval times. In addition to the manor house, the medieval flatulist was awarded at least 30 acres of land, with some scholars estimating he received as much as 100 acres.

ConclusionĪs previously mentioned, the fee book tells us that Roland got paid some serious cheddar-far more than most middle-class Englishmen did at the time. These historical records show that flatulence was more than just a joke for some, it was a livelihood.

#THE COURT JESTER WIKIPEDIA PROFESSIONAL#

The performance is one of the earliest mentions of professional flatulence in medieval history, alongside 12 musical farters in Ireland who farted their way to fame during the same century as Roland. The three-part show was part of the King’s annual Christmas celebration, apparently serving as the grand finale to the overall holiday festivities.Īside from being hilarious and an obvious indication of how much the British monarchy’s Christmas traditions have changed, Roland’s performance holds a significant place in the history of professional flatulence. After a good translation, the sentence briefly explains that Roland would perform “one jump, one whistle, and one fart” in a short one-person symphony of bodily noises. While these may seem like nonsense words to most, they’re actually Latin. “Unum saltum et siffletum et unum bumbulum.” professional flatulist The only credible source that ever mentions Roland is the Book of Fees, a 13th-century document used to account for the many fees owed by and towards the Crown.Īmongst a list of very serious and vital bureaucratic deals are a brief description of Roland’s performance and the payment he received from the Crown. All wrapped up in one crucial document, the only credible historical source we have of him, that summarizes Roland’s unique performance and the incredible reward he earned from the King. However, Roland shows us the other side of that view, the funny side we all know and love. Only the middle ages could come up with something that depressing.

Some even believed farting to be a constant sign of our mortality. Most scholars believe that the medievals still saw flatulence much in the same way we do today, as a disgusting taboo, a socially problematic aspect of the body we often avoid talking about. The truth, however, is far more complicated than that. To some readers, this historical event might indicate that medievals were a mannerless uncivilized people who unabashedly laughed at middle school humor even more than we do today. In fact, the flatulist was so successful with his timely farting abilities that King Henry II gave him his own manor house in Hemingstone, Suffolk, a region east of London. To which Roland the Farter served as the latter.

He often performed in the streets or the courts of nobility and royal families in exchange for money or, in rare cases, property. However, in the middle ages, the need for entertainment was fulfilled by jesters like Roland.

The court jester wikipedia