This blog will introduce you to some of the other, perhaps lesser know ones - modern day equivalents are still available to hire for any event, although they tend to be used more during full day Medieval events rather than weddings or banquets.
The Simpleton....Or Simple Tom as we know him, today.
Simple Tom is a character based very loosely on the medieval peasant, but with the addition of 21st Century comic timing and stupidity. Simple Tom engages with the public as a rather bumbling fool, with the ability to draw upon whatever is happening and turn it into a humorous situation. He may be found with Spud (his not very medieval potato puppet,) he may "marry" one of the pretty wenches at the event....being both groom and parson at the same time.....there is no knowing what will happen next but you can be certain that it will provoke much hilarity and amusement among those who witness it.
The Gongfarmer:
What, you may well ask, is a Gongfarmer. Put simply, he was the medieval character with the worst possible job. He could only work at night between 9.00pm and 5.00am, it was a smelly but well paid job but could lead to early death. Have you guessed yet?
He was the person who was responsible for clearing up the human excrement (or poo!!). The word "gong" came from the Old English "gang" which meant "to go," and was used as the name both for the privey (toilet) and it's contents. They had to clear out the public, and later, private toilets and remove the contents out of the town. It would be taken to dumps where it would later be used as fertiliser. A gongfarmer at the time of Queen Elizabeth 1st (1533 - 1603) earned six pence a day, which was a lot of money then. Because of the stench while digging up the solid excrement, gongfarmers could be overcome by asphyxiation so many of them employed young boys to lift the buckets out of the pit or work in confined spaces.
There are currently two gongfarmers in the UK (actors not real!!!) who are available to hire for medieval events. They will explain all about the job in interesting and humorous ways and may even provide "samples". For more information click here.
Just for fun...try this "gongfarmer" game (which isn't really historically accurate!!)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/games/gong-farmer-game
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/games/gong-farmer-game
More Medieval character next time......
