GRINGORE, PIERRE

born c. 1475, , Normandy, Fr. died c. 1538 Gringore also spelled Gringoire French actor-manager and playwright, best known as a writer of soties (satirical farces) for Les Enfants Sans Souci, a famous medieval guild of comic actors of which Gringore was for a time the second dignitary, Mre Sotte (Mother Fool). As Mre Sotte he enjoyed the favour of Louis XII and took advantage of his fool's costume to launch scathing attacks against the King's enemy Pope Julius II. After the accession of Francis I, Gringore moved to Lorraine in 1518.