Farsa de Inês Pereira

The Farce of Inez Pereira (Portuguese: Farsa de Inês Pereira), originally written as the Allegory or Act of Inez Pereira (Early Portuguese: Auto de Ines Pereira), is a 1523 play by Portuguese playwright Gil Vicente. It shows the ambitions of the Portuguese bourgeoisie in the early 16th century.

The play was written after a challenge against Gil Vicente’s talent. The author agreed to write a play after a Portuguese popular saying: “Mais quero um asno que me carregue do que cavalo que me derrube” (English: “It’s better to have a donkey to carry me than a horse to trample me”). It was first presented to king John III of Portugal at the Convento de Cristo, in Tomar, in 1523.