The most elegant and witty epigrams of Sir Iohn Harrington ... digested into fovre bookes: three whereof neuer before published |
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 | The most elegant and witty epigrams of Sir Iohn Harrington |  |
12 Of learning nothing at a Lecture, vpon occasion of Dr Reynolds at Oxford, afore my Lord of Essex, and diuers Ladies and Courtiers, at the Queenes last beeing there, on these words: Idolunc nihil est, An Idol is nothing.
While I at Oxford stay'd, some few months since,To see, and serue our deare & Soueraigne Prince,
Where graciously her Grace did see and show
The choisest fruits that learning could bestow,
I went one day to heare a learned Lecture
Read (as some said) by Bellarmines correcter,
And sundry Courtiers more then present were,
That vnderstood it well saue here and there:
Among the rest, one whom it least concerned,
Askt me what I had at the Lecture learned?
I that his ignorance might soone be guile,
Did say, I learned nothing all the while.
Yet did the Reader teach with much facilitie,
And I was wont to learne with some docilitie.
What learn'd you, Sir, (quoth he) in swearing moode?
I nothing learn'd, for nought I vnderstood,
I thanke my Parents, they, when I was yong,
Barr'd me to learne this Popish Romane tong,
I without learning learn'd the same that you,
Most true, said I, yet few dare call vs Fooles,
That this day learned nothing at the Schooles.
| The most elegant and witty epigrams of Sir Iohn Harrington | |