A common name for a court fool; Henry VII and Henry VIII both had fools called 'Pach'. In the Life of Robin Goodfellow, Pach seems to perform the function of a censor of housewifery and care of the stock rather than Court Jester:

About mid-night do I walke, and for the trickes I play they call me Pach. When I find a slut asleepe, I smuch her face if it be cleane; but if it be durty, I wash it in the next pissepot that I can finde: the balls I use to wash such sluts withal is a sows pancake, or a pilgrimes salve.
Those that I find with their heads nitty and scabby, for want of combing, I am their barbers, and cut their hayre as close as an apes tayle; or else clap so much pitch on it, that they must cut it off themselves to their great shame. Slovens also that neglect their master's businesse, they doe not escape. Some I find that spoyle their master's horses for want of currying: those I doe daube with grease and soote, and they are faine to curry themselves ere they can get cleane. Others that for laysinesse will give the poor beasts no meate, I oftentimes so punish them with blowes, that they cannot feed themselves they are so sore.

He adds sanctimoniously in his final verse:

Thus many trickes, I, Pach, can doe,

But to the good I ne'ere was foe:

The bad I hate and will doe ever,

Till they from ill themselves doe sever.

To help the good Ile run and goe,

The bad no good from me shall know.

Jabez Allies (see Allies' List of Fairies) finds numerous place-names beginning with 'Patch' in his essay 'On Ignis Fatuus, or Will o' the Wisp, and the Fairies'.

[Motif: F360]