The vain and cowardly Ralph Roister Doister sets out to win the wealthy widow Christian Custance, who is already promised to the merchant Gawyn Goodluck. Egged on and mocked by the parasite Matthew Merygreeke, he sends letters, gifts and finally an assault on her house. Edward Arber’s edition reprints the text from the unique Eton copy with a life of Udall.
Modelled on Plautus and Terence, it is a landmark of English drama and still funny. Download the free EPUB.