Dear Editors and List,
 
I think SKB is referring to Aemilia Lanyer, who is highly thought of today by feminists. Rowse's conclusion that she was the Dark Lady is still unproven, I believe. It might be intriguing to google her and decide if her religious writings  were poetry or verse. Aemilia features in the diary of the charlatanical (if that's the word) Simon Forman. He claims her as a sexual conquest (by using his naughty codeword halekekeros) but I think he's dreaming. I get the impression that Aemilia was simply too classy to stoop to Simon's level.
 
On the second point, I remember a young cinema audience in England being reduced to helpless laughter by a portentous promo for a movie entitled "Free Willy". And then there's the old limerick:
 
There was a young fellow called Billy
Who was known for his very long willie
It reached to his feet
Then along Regent Street
And half way round Piccadilly
 
Apologies for lowering the tone...
 
Tom (Rymour)
 
[EDNOTE.  No concerns about the tone, but perhaps we should move on unless there's more to say about how this relates to "Will" in PF.  -- SES]
 

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