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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

OF A CERTAINE MAN by JOHN HARRINGTON

Poet Analysis

First Line: THERE WAS (NOT CERTAINE WHEN) A CERTAINE PREACHER
Last Line: MAN.
Subject(s): WOMEN;
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 wo-
man.


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