Roister Doister

"Roister Doister" by Nicholas Udall is a comedy written around 1552. The play follows the pompous Ralph Roister Doister as he pursues Christian Custance, a wealthy widow already betrothed to a merchant. Encouraged by the cunning Matthew Merrygreeke, Ralph's clumsy courtship attempts fail spectacularly. When he resorts to force with his servants, they're hilariously defeated by Custance's maids. Blending classical Roman comedy with English medieval traditions, this groundbreaking work established a new form of English theatrical comedy.

Roister Doister, by Nicholas Udall. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #21350.