A bibliographer traces the fortunes of the joke in England, from the Saxon king who gave a manor to his jester and Rahere the court entertainer who founded St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, through the jest-books of Tudor and Stuart times. He follows particular anecdotes across centuries and countries, and weighs the gossip attached to figures such as Davenant.
A learned, entertaining survey for anyone curious where old jokes come from. Download the free EPUB.