Unique ‘bawdy bard’ act discovered, revealing 15th-century roots of British comedy
Scribe's note ‘By me, Richard Heege, because I was at that feast and did not have a drink’, in the Heege Manuscript (bottom of p.60 verso). This caught the attention of Cambridge researcher Dr James Wade. Credit: National Library of Scotland
An unprecedented record of medieval live comedy performance has been identified in a 15th-century manuscript. Raucous texts—mocking kings, priests and peasants; encouraging audiences to…