Chapter Torquil of the Oak to Touchstone of T by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Touchstone, a clown filled with “quips and cranks and wanton wiles.” The original of this character was Tarlton, the favourite court jester of queen Elizabeth.—Shakespeare: As You Like It (1598).

N.B.—His famous speech is “the seven degrees of affront:” (1) the retort courteous, (2) the quip modest, (3) the reply churlish, (4) the reproof valiant, (5) the counter-check quarrelsome, (6) the lie circumstantial, and (7) the lie direct (act v. sc. 4).

Tarleton [1530–1588] was inimitable in such parts as “Launcelot” in the Merchant of Venice [Shakespeare] and “Touchstone.” For these clowns’ parts he never had an equal, and never will have.—Baker: Chronicles.