Social Commentaries

Of kissing the foote

by Sir John Harington 1560–1612

From The Most Elegant and Witty Epigrams (1618), Book 4

Social Commentaries

A Courtier, kinde in speech, curst in condition,
Finding his fault could be no longer hidden,
Went to his friend to cleere his hard suspition,
And fearing lest he might be more then chidden,
Fell to a flattering and most base submission,
Vowing to kisse his foote, if he were bidden.
My foote? (said he) that were too submisse,
But three foote higher you deserue to kisse.

✦ ✦ ✦

Book 4, Epigram 21

MLA

Harington, John. “Of kissing the foote.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/harington/198/.

Chicago

Harington, John. “Of kissing the foote.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/harington/198/.

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