Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/593

* COTJBT FOOL. 509 COURTNEY. the office of court fool become a regular and in- dispensable fiuiction. At the end of the four- teenth century the fashion developed rapidly. Queens, dauphins, dukes, and wealthy barons all maintained their fools. The symhcils of such a personage were: the shaven head; the fool's cap of gay colors with ass's ears and cock's comb; the fool's sceptre, which was variously formed; the bells, which were mostly attached to the cap, but in some cases to other parts of the dress; and a large collar. The rest of the costume was regulated by the taste of the master. Of these professional fools, some obtained an historical reputation, as Triboulet, jester of King Francis I., of France, and his successor, Brusquct: Klaus Narr, at the Court of the Elector Frederick the Wise of Prussia, and Seogan, court fool to Kdward IV. of England. The kings and regents of Scot- land had their jesters; and the sarcastic sayings of some of these privileged personages — such as those of Patric Bonny, jester to the Regent Jlor- ton — are still remembered. English court jesters died out with the Stuart-s, one of the last of the race being the famous Archie Armstrong. Besides the regular fools recognized and dressed as such, there was a higher class, called merry counselors, generally men of talent, who availed themselves of the privilege of free speech to ridicule the follies and vices of their contem- poraries. Of these, Kunz von der Rosen, jester to the Emperor Jlaximiliau I. ; John Hey^vood, a prolific dramatic poet and epigrammatist at the Court of Henry VIII.; and Angely, a French courtier, were particularly distinguished for talent and wit. In all times there have existed at courts persons who, without becoming jesters by profession, were allowed the privilege of castigating the company by their witty and satirical attacks, or who served as an object for the wit of others. ^Vmong these were the Saxon general Kyaw, celebrated for his blunt jests ; and the learned .Jacob Paul. Baron Gundling, whom Frederick William I. of Prussia, to show his contempt for science and the artificial Court system, loaded with titles. Often imbecile or weak-minded persons were kept for the enter- tainment of the company. The custom survived long in Russia, where Peter the Great had so many fools that he divided them into distinct classes, and kept them with him wherever he went. As late as the nineteenth centuiy the Czar of Russia kept a jester at court, and in France just before the Revolution Marie An toinette had her fool. Consult; Nick, Die Hof- ■und Volksnarren (Stuttgart, 1861); Flijgel, Geschichie der koinischen Litteratur (Leipzig, 1784) ; and Doran, Ilistori/ of Court Fools (Lon- don, IS 58). COURTHOPE, William John (1842—). An English author. He was born July 17, 1842; was educated at Harrow and at New College, O.xford, where his career was most distinguished; was appointed professor of poetry at Oxford (1893), and honoraiy fellow of New College (1896). As professor of poetry he has delivered valuable lectures on Life in Poetry. Among his publications are Lndihria Liinw, an allegorical burlesque (1869) ; The Paradise of Birds, a fine extravaganza (1870) ; Life of Addison (1882) ; an exhaustive history of English poetry, of which two volumes (189.5-07) have appeared. He also edited, with biographv. five volumes of the standard edition of Pope (10 vols., 1871-89). COURT LEET (from court + leet, AS. Icode, OIKt. lint, Ger. Lcute, people; connected with OCh. Slav, (liidii, Lett, luudis, people, and ulti- mately with Skt. mil, to grow). In Engli>h law, a local customary court of great antiipiity and of a popular character, having a limited criminal jurisdiction. It has been declared to be "the most ancient court in the land for criminal mat- ters, the court baron being of no less antiquity in civil," and it is supjiosed to have been de- rived from the Anglo-Saxon folk-mote, in contra- distinction, perhaps, to the 'liall-mote,' or court baron, which consisted of the freehohlers, sitting in the hall of the manor. Though usually found in connection with manors, the leet was not, properly speaking, a manorial court. There were town leets, borcnigh leets, and hundred leets. But it was in con- nection with the manor, to whose internal or- ganization it was peculiarly adajjled, that the court leet reached its highest development. Though held by the steward, with the aid of the freemen of the manor (they were not required to be freeholders, as in the court baron), it was still regarded as belonging to the King. It was, in effect, a royal magistrate's or police court, having complete jurisdiction only of minor of- fenses (misdemeanors) and the jurisdiction of a committing magistrate in cases of felony and treason. These latter it referred to the su- perior trilnnials of the country for trial and punishment. The court has now completely lost its importance, having been superseded by the police and county courts, though it still has a nominal existence in some manors. See Court Bakon ; Mamoe ; and consult the authorities referred to under Manor; also Jacob, Law Dic- tionary (title, "Court Leet") (London. 1809) ; Pollock and Maitland, History of English Law (2d ed., London and Boston, 1899) ; Gurdon, history . . . of Court Baron and Court Leet (London, 1731). COURTLY, Charles. Sir Hareourt Court- ly's son, in Dion Bcucicault's London Assurance, believed by his father to be mild and studious, while in reality he is a fast 3'oung man of fashion. COURTLY, Sir Harcovrt. An old beau in Dion Boueieault's London Assurance. His sou Charles wins away from him the heiress he was to marry. COURTLY NICE, Sir. An insignificant fop, the ])rincipal character of Crowne's comedy Sir Courtly yice. COURTMANS-BERCHMANS, koort'miins berK'mans, Joanna (1811-00). A Flemish au- thor, born at Oudegend. East Flanders. After the death of her husband in 1856, she conducted a school at Maldegem. She was closely identified with the movement aiming at the advancement of Flemish literature. Several of her poems and novels enjoy great popularity. They include: Het yeschenk van den jayer (1864) : De zu:arle Hoeve (2d ed., 1866) : De Koewachter (1873) ; De Hooymoediae (1882). COURT-MARTIAL. See Coubts, Militakt. COURTNEY, kert'ni. Leonard Henry (1832 — ). An English Liberal-L'nionist statesman, born at Penzance. He graduated at Cambridge in 1855. and was called to the bar three years later. From 1872 to 1875 he occupied the chair