John Aubrey used the phrase “Fooles holy day” in the first recorded British reference to April Fools’ Day.
Aubrey made the reference in 1686, describing the celebration with the expression “Fooles holy day.” His wording is important because it shows that the custom was established in Britain by the seventeenth century, even though the holiday’s deeper origins remain uncertain.
John Aubrey was an English antiquary and writer best known for collecting biographical anecdotes, historical observations, and archaeological information. His work preserves many details about British customs that might otherwise have disappeared, making this brief reference valuable to historians of popular culture.
The reference should not be confused with the first British April Fools’ prank. A separate event occurred in 1698, when people were tricked into going to the Tower of London to see the lions washed. Britain also developed distinctive customs, including the practice of revealing a prank by calling someone an “April fool,” and in Scotland the related Huntigowk or “hunt the gowk” tradition.