Bawdy 15th Century Manuscript Discovered

Academics have rediscovered texts for a live comedy performance which dates back to the 15th century at the National Library of Scotland.

The manuscripts – which date back to 1480 – offer a “rarest glimpse of a medieval world rich in oral storytelling and popular entertainments,” Dr James Wade of Cambridge University, who discovered the hidden treasure, told an international publication on Wednesday, 31 May.

A household cleric and tutor to a noble family named Richard Heege is believed to have transcribed the raucous three-part act by an unknown minstrel, as the opening line humorously stated: “By me, Richard Heege, because I was at that feast and did not have a drink.”

Deemed by some to be the “first recorded stand-up comedy sketch”, the texts are unique as no clear records of a minstrel’s actual repertoire had previously been officially identified. They are also believed to have the earliest recorded use of “red herring” in the English language.

“Manuscripts often preserve relics of high art. This is something else. It’s mad and offensive, but just as valuable,” Wade added, as he gave context to the significance of the manuscripts. “Stand-up comedy has always involved taking risks and these texts are risky, they poke fun at everyone, high and low.”

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