Elsewhere, Angel gave us an example from William Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" Act one, Scene One. And from the site dr. bill linked us to elsewhere today:

periphrasis - wordily going round and round the subject:
Lyd. But quick! quick, sir!
Fag. True ma'am, as you say, one should be quick in divulging matters of this nature; for should we be tedious, perhaps while we are flourishing on the subject, two or three lives may be lost!
Lyd. . . . Then prithee, sir, be brief.
Fag. Why then, ma'am, as to murder, I cannot take upon me to say -- and as to slaughter, or man-slaughter, that will be as the jury finds it.
Lyd. But who, sir--who are engage in this?

[source not given, but googling indicates Act V of The Rivals by Richard Sheridan, the same play that brought us Mrs. Malaprop.]