Bard Bard In medieval Gaelic and British culture, a bard was a professional story teller, verse-maker, music composer, oral historian and genealogist, employed by a patron (such as a monarch or noble), to commemorate one or more of the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities. Originally a specific, lower class of poet, contrasting with the higher rank known as "fili" in Ireland and Highland Scotland, with the decline of living bardic tradition in the modern period the term "bard" acquired generic meanings of an author or minstrel, especially a famous one. For example, William Shakespeare, and Rabindranath Tagore,
Profession of the supreme pontiff (Council of Basel) Profession of the supreme pontiff (Council of Basel) The Council at Basel decreed, in its 23rd session (26 March 1436) that anyone elected Pope should make, as a condition for his election to be valid, the "profession of the supreme pontiff", a formula declaring recognition of the Council as a "General Council" that it drew up specifically for that purpose. What the formula that each cardinal, meeting in conclave, was called upon to swear, declaring: "I shall not make obeisance to anyone elected as pontiff before he takes the "oath" prescribed by this council of Basel", refers to as an