Of a Certaine Man

Sir John Harrington (1561–1612)

THERE was (not certaine when) a certaine preacher,

That never learned, and yet became a teacher,

Who having read in Latine thus a text

Of erat quidam homo, much perplext,

He seemed the same with studie great to scan,

In English thus, There was a certaine man.

But now (quoth he), good people, note you this,

He saith there was, he doth not say there is;

For in these daies of ours it is most plaine

Of promise, oath, word, deed, no man ’s certaine;

Yet by my text you see it comes to passe

That surely once a certaine man there was:

But yet, I think, in all your Bible no man

Can finde this text, There was a certaine woman.