When Mary is arguing to stay with Louisa because Anne is "nothing" to her, she states why should Anne stay while I am sent packing?
DId they use this term in this era?!! It seems like a screenwriter slip up to me.
From what I just read, Shakespeare used this expression in Henry IV.
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Thanks, Julie-30! Your postings have been very informative, I just subscribed to your blog.
I think I'm used to Downton Abbey putting so much modern language in that I'm immediately suspect when I hear something that sounds off now.
When P&P95 came out, people thought the use of "fudge" to mean "mess up" was anachronistic. Apparently, it wasn't.
And thank you for your kind words. My blog hasn't been updated in a while (Real Life has gotten in the way), but I do still check for comments, etc.
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I tried to google the origin of this term, and found this:
https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/75676/phrase-origin-sent-packing
According to the OED, this is related to the transitive sense of to pack oneself meant to leave with your belongings, particularly when dismissed. It dates from around 1450.
An intransitive to pack is similarly to depart hurriedly or ignominiously, also from around 1450 in An Alphabet of Tales:
Þis pure man went vnto his howse & stude at þe dure & askid almos; So þis Peirs bad hym pakk & said he sulde hafe none.
And with send, as usually used today, from around 1580 in J. Jeffere's Bugbears:
I sent the knaves packinge.