What a Herod of Jewry is this!--O wicked, wicked world!--One that is well-nigh worn to pieces with age to show himself a young gallant! What an unweigh’d behaviour hath this Flemish drunkard pick’d--with the devil’s name--out of my conversation, that he dares in this manner assay me? Why, he hath not been thrice in my company!--What should I say to him?--I was then frugal of my mirth:--Heaven forgive me!--Why I’ll exhibit a bill in the parliament for the putting-down of fat men. How shall I be revenged on him? For revenged I will be, as sure as his guts are made of pudding.
-Mistress Page
The Merry Wives Of Windsor Act II scene i, line 29
This is Mistress Page's tirade about Sir John. She's a married woman and she's just finished reading a love letter from Sir John. A bill for the putting-down of fat men. Wow!
Okay, this is a comedy and it was written as a vehicle for the character of John Falstaff. Sir John made his first appearance in King Henry The Fourth Part I, a history play. He provided quite a bit of comic relief in that play and its sequel so that Will brought him back in a play that was purely comedy. And here is one of his foils in this play, Mistress Page- one of the titular merry wives, going on about Falstaff’s shortcomings. I didn’t know where to break in or cut off so I gave you the whole bit that she goes into directly after reading Sir John's letter. Thoughts?
This one looks like she could exhibit a bill in the parliament of the putting-down of fat men, doesn't she? I'm not sure, but I think she's my great-grandmother.
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