Of a Certaine Man

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.