I believe that I’ve made good judgments in the past, and I think I’ve made good judgments in the future.
Dan Quayle
- Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest? (Wikipedia)
“Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?” (also expressed as “troublesome priest” or “meddlesome priest”) is a quote attributed to Henry II of England preceding the death of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1170. While the quote was not expressed as an order, it prompted four knights to travel from Normandy to Canterbury, where they killed Becket. The phrase is commonly used in modern-day contexts to express that a ruler’s wish may be interpreted as a command by his or her subordinates. It is also commonly understood as shorthand for any rhetorical device allowing leaders to covertly order or exhort violence among their followers, while still being able to claim plausible deniability for political, legal, or other reasons.
- The Chronicle of the Kings of England (1821)
Sovereign Swine! For your instruction and amusement, to improve your grovelling propensities, by teaching a due respect for yourselves, and a just estimate of your superiors, this history of your chief drivers, from the first mighty hog of Normandy to the present great and glorious hog of Hanover, is now dedicated.