buffoonry

English

Etymology

From buffoon +‎ -ry.

Noun

buffoonry (countable and uncountable, plural buffoonries)

1. Archaic form of buffoonery.
   • 1726, [Daniel Defoe], “Of the Manner of Satan’s Acting and Carrying on His Affairs in This World, and Particularly of His Ordinary Workings in the Dark, by Possession and Agitation”, in The Political History of the Devil, as well Ancient as Modern: […], London: […] T. Warner, […], →OCLC, part II (Of the Modern History of the Devil), page 222:

     [W]e ſet him [the Devil] up like a Scare-Crovv to fright Children and old VVomen, to fill up old Stories, make Songs and Ballads, and in a VVord, carry on the lovv priz'd Buffoonry of the common People; […]

   • 1738–1741, William Warburton, The Divine Legation of Moses […], volumes (please specify |volume=I, II.1, or II.2), London: […] Fletcher Gyles, […], →OCLC:

     [We] have […] a strong inclination to make a farce of it, and mingle buffoonry with the most serious scenes.