Mŏt'ley, a.
a. [W. mudliw, a changing color, from mud, a move, change, mudaw, to move, change, and lliw, color.]
Sense 1. Variegated in color; consisting of different colors; dappled. “A motley coat.” Shak. ☞ The domestic fool of the great formerly wore a party-colored coat. Hence, in Shakespeare, Lear says, “A worthy fool; motley's your only wear.”
Sense 2. Composed of different or various parts; heterogeneously made or mixed up; discordantly composite; as, a motley style. “Scanning the motley scene that varies round.” Byron.
Men of motley, fools. Beau. & Fl.