Context: Captain Absolute is courting Lydia Languish under the assumed name of Ensign Beverley (see "Caparisons don't become a young woman"). Bob Acres, another suitor of Lydia's, believes that he has been insulted by Beverley, whom he has never seen and does not know to be his old friend Captain Absolute. He is finally prodded by the fire-eating Sir Lucius O'Trigger into challenging Beverley to a duel. The quoted line is spoken by Sir Lucius on King's-Mead-Fields, where he is acting as second to the reluctant Acres, who is losing his courage fast. When Sir Lucius asks Bob if he would be satisfied to lie in the Abbey, the challenger shows great alarm. The quoted line occurs in the following dialogue: