The two foundations of St. Bartholomew's Hospital : A. D. 1123 and A. D. 1546, being an introductory address given at a meeting of the Abernethian Society, October 8th, 1885 / by W. Morrant Baker.

  • William Morrant Baker
Date:
1885
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The two foundations of St. Bartholomew's Hospital : A. D. 1123 and A. D. 1546, being an introductory address given at a meeting of the Abernethian Society, October 8th, 1885 / by W. Morrant Baker. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/66 (page 3)
    he attained the flower of youth, he began to haunt the houfeholds of noblemen and the palaces of princes ; where under every elbow of them he fpread their cufhions, with japes and batterings deleCtably anointing their eyes, by this manner to draw to him their friendships. And ftill, he was not content with this, but often haunted the King’s palace [Henry I.], and among the noifeful prefs of that tumultuous Court informed himfelf with polity and cardinal Suavity, by the which he might draw to him the hearts of many a one. “ There, in Spectacles, in feasts, in plays, and other courtly mockeries and trifles intending, he led forth the bufinefs of all the day. This wife to the King and great men, gentle and courteous and known familiar and fellowly he was.” Rahere is often referred to as the King’s minstrel, or even his jester; but there is no good reason for believing that he ever held any official position in either capacity. He seems to have been rather the kind of man who would have been more properly termed the King’s favourite, had his birth been noble or his social position more assured. As it was, the inferiority of his birth was probably overlooked for the sake of the brilliancy of his social gifts ; although we may well believe that by those who were jealous of his success he may have been nicknamed the minstrel or the jester; and the tradi- tion of his having held some such position at Court may have been thus originated. Stow says, “ Rahere was a pleasant-witted gentle-