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Clown Bluey's History of Clowns: Jesters: Will Sommers won universal adoration and was known as 'the poor man's friend'. Robert Armin, one of Shakespeare's actors wrote 'he is one not meanly esteemed by the King for his merriment'
Will Sommers born in Shropshire, as some say,
Was brought to Greenwich on a holy day,
Presented to the King; which fools disdain'd
T shake him by the hand, or else asham'd
How er'e it was, an ancient people say,
With much adoe was wonne to it that day.
Lean he was, hollow eyde, as all report,
And stoop he did, too; yet in all the court
Few men were more belv'd then was this foole,
Whose merry prate kept with the King much rule.
When he was sad, the King and he would rime:
This Will exiled sadness many a time.
I could describe him as I did rest,
But in my mind I do not think it best:
My reason this; how ere I do descry him,
So many knew him that I may belye him,
Therefore, to please all people, one by one,
I hold it best to let that paines alone;
Onely this much, hee was a poor man's friend
and helpt the widow often in the end.
The King would ever grant what he could crave,
For well he knew Will no exacting knave:
But whisht the King to doe good deeds great store,
Which caused the court to love him more and more.
During Edward VI's reign Will retired from court. He is believed to have been buried at St Leonards Church, Shoreditch, on 15 June 1560 |
![Clown Bluey's History of Clowns: Jesters - William Sommers - Jester to King Henry VIII [Mary Evans Picture Library]](http://www.clownbluey.co.uk/albums/Clown-Blueys-History-of-Clowns-images/William_Sommers_Jester_to_King_Henry_8th.jpg "Clown Bluey's History of Clowns: Jesters - William Sommers - Jester to King Henry VIII [Mary Evans Picture Library]")