Motley Motley Motley is the traditional costume of the court jester, fool, or the harlequin character in "commedia dell'arte". The harlequin wears a patchwork of red, green and blue diamonds that is still a fashion motif. The word "motley" is described in the Oxford English Dictionary as a cognate of "medley", although the unrelated "mottled" has also contributed to the meaning. The word is most commonly used as an adjective or noun, but is also seen as a verb and adverb. When used as a noun, it can mean "a varied mixture". As an adjective, it is generally disparaging — a
Jester them were song, music, and storytelling, but many also employed acrobatics, juggling, telling jokes, and magic tricks. Much of the entertainment was performed in a comic style and many jesters made contemporary jokes in word or song about people or events well known to their audiences. The modern use of the English word "jester" did not come into use until the mid-16th century, during Tudor times. This modern term derives from the older form "gestour", or "jestour", originally from Anglo-Norman (French) meaning "story-teller" or "minstrel". Other earlier terms included "fol", "disour", and "bourder". These terms described entertainers who differed in