“Let the ruling king always keep a clown about him and on his council, and let the fool babble on what he like, and relentless mock the king and all his grand and royal plans and designs at the idiot’s discretion. For there is no greater councilor than one who will clearly speak truth to folly.”

– “Fifteen ways of ruling”, DE 1559, attributed to Au, the Pankrator of the Yellow City of Vesh.