Tudor & Elizabethan

Sir John Harington

1560–1612

Sir John Harington (1560–1612) was an English courtier, translator and epigrammatist, born at Kelston in Somerset. A godson of Queen Elizabeth I, he made his name at court with wit that sometimes cost him her favour; he translated Ariosto's Orlando Furioso into English verse (1591) and wrote a satirical pamphlet on a water closet, The Metamorphosis of Ajax.

His Latin-flavoured English epigrams, pointed and often bawdy or political, circulated in manuscript during his lifetime and were collected after his death. This selection follows the 1618 printing, The Most Elegant and Witty Epigrams, in four books, taken from the Text Creation Partnership transcription. Epigrams whose transcription is too badly damaged to be read with their point intact have been left out.

Poems (259)

The Epistle to All Readers
Against MOMVS. That his Poetrie shall be no fictions, but meere truths
Against Sextus, a scorner of Writers
Against Lesbia, both for her patience and impatience
Of a poynted Diamond giuen by the Author to his wife, at the birth of his eldest sonne
Against Writers that carpe at other mens bookes
Of a young Gallant
Of Lesbia, a great Lady
Another of asking nothing
Of liberality in giuing nothing
A Paradox of Doomes day
Against a foolish Satyrist called Lynus
Of a faire woman; translated out of Casaneus his Catalogus gloriae mundi
Of Blessing without a crosse
Of writing with a Double meaning
Against Cosmus a great Briber
Of one Paulus a great man that expected to be followed
A Tale of a Rosted Horse
Of Madam Dondrages with her faire brest
The Author to his wife, of a womans eloquence
Of Peleus ill-fortune in burying his friends
Of the cause of dearth
To Sir Hugh Portman, in supping alone in too much company
Of writing with double pointing. It is said, that King Edward of Carnaruan lying at Berkly Castle prisoner, a Cardinall wrote to his Keeper, Edwardum occidere noli, timere bonum est, which being read with the point at timere, it cost the King his life. Here ensues as doubtfull a point, but I trust, not so dangerous
To my Lady Rogers [GOod Madame, in this verse obserue one point]
To her Daughter, vpon the same point, reading the same verse with another point
MY Mall, the former verses this may teach you
Comparison of the Sonnet, and the Epigram
Of an accident of saying grace at the Lady Rogers, who vsed to dine exceeding late. Written to his wife
Of Don Pedro and his Poetry
A comfort for poore Poets
Against a foolish Satyrist
Against Lynus, a Wryter, that found fault with the Metamorphosis
Misacmos against his Booke
Of Cloacina and Sterquitius
A Poets Priuiledge
To Faustus
Against Faustus [WHat is the cause, Faustus, that in dislike]
Of mis-conceiuing
Of going to Bathe
Of Plaine dealing
Against Paulus
To Master Maior of Bathe, that Bathe is like Paradice
Of Don Pedro's debts
Of one that vow'd to dis-inherit his sonne, and giue his goods to the poore
Of a Precise Cobler, and an ignorant Curat
Of Lynus Poetrie
Of one that seekes to be stellified being no Pithagorian
Of Galla, and her Tawny fanne
To his Wife for striking her Dogge
Against a Wittall Broker that set his wife to sale
Of his translation of Ariosta
Of Cinna's Election
The Author to a Daughter of nine yeere olde
To the Earle of Essex, of one enuious of Ariosto translated
Of a dumbe Horse
Of Leda that plaid at Tables with her Husband
Of Soothsaying, to the Queene of England
Of a Precise Lawyer
A Prophesie when Asses shall grow Elephants
To my Lady Rogers of her seruant Paine
Of one that is vnwilling to lend money
Against Promoters
Of Leda that saies she is sure to be saued
To the Lady Rogers, of her vnprofitable sparing
Against Church-robbers, vpon a picture that hangs where it is worthy
A Tale of a Bayliffe distraining for rent. To my Ladie Rogers
Against Itis a Poet
Of the Bishopricke of Landaffe
Of Don Pedro's Dyet drinke
Of Leda and Balbus
Of Cinna his Gossip cup
Of Leda's Religion
That fauorites helpe the Church
Of Cinna his courage
Of a Lawyer that deseru'd his fee
Of Don Pedro [A Slaue thou wert by birth, of this I gather]
Against Lynus a writer
Of Don Pedros bonds
Against Cayus that scorn'd his Metamorphosis
Against an Atheist
Of Cosmus heyre
Misacmos of himselfe
Of the corne that rained
To his wife, at the birth of his sixt Child
Against Feasting [KInde Marcus, me to supper lately bad]
Against Vintners in Bathe
To Bassifie, his wiues mother, when shee was angry
Against Paulus an Atheist
To one that had meate ill drest
Of giuing much credit
Of honest Theft. To my good friend Master Samuel Daniel
Against Faustus [IN skorne of writers, Faustus still doth hold]
Of Free will
Of a drunken Paracelsian
Of Misacmos his successe in a suite
A Groome of the Chambers religion in King Henry the eights time
To Doctor Haruey of Cambridge
An infallible rule to rule a wife. To his wiues mother
Of a formall Minister
Against Feasting [LAst day, I was vnto your house inuited]
To Itis, alias Ioyner, an vncleanly token, conuayd in cleanly tearmes
To his wife
Sir Iohn Raynsfords confession
A pretty question of Lazarus soule well answered
Against long suits in Law
Of an importunate prater, out of Martiall
Against Ielousie. To my friend
To my Lady Rogers [GOod Madam, with kind speech & promise faire]
Of an Aborne Rabbet
Of hearing Masse
Of a Preacher that sings Placebo
Of the naked Image that was to stand in my Lo: Chamberlaines Gallery
Of the same to the Ladies
Of Don Pedroe's threats
Against brauery
Against Cinna a Brownist, that saith he is sure to be saued
To Master Bastard, a Minister that made a pleasant Booke of English Epigrams
Of Galla's goodly Petiwigge
Of Master Iohn Dauies Booke of Dancing. To himselfe
To Paulus
Of the commodities that men haue by their Marriage
To Marcus that would borrow
To his wife after they had beene married foure yeere
Of a Bequest without a Legacy
Of one that lent money on sure band
Of light Merchandize
Of father Peleus stable
Of Titus boasting
To Doctor Sherhood, how Sack makes one leane
Of swearing first betweene the wife and the Husband
To his Wife
Of Don Pedro [THe wise Vlisses loathing forraine Iarres]
To Master Bastard, taxing him of Flattery
Ouids confession translated into English for Generall Norreys. 1593
A witty speech of Heywood to the Queene
To my wife, from Chester
In defence of Lent
To King Dauid
Of Monsters. To my Lady Rogers
Of a pleasant Broker
To the L. Ro
To his wife, in excuse he had call'd her foole in his writing
Of the growth of Trees to Sir H. Port
Lesbias rule of praise
Of old Haywoods sonnes
Yong Haywoods answere to my Lord of Warwicke
Of a Lady that giues the checke
Of Balbus a Poet
To Leda
To Sextus, an ill Reader
Of Bathes cure vpon Marcus
Of a Lady that sought remedy at the Bathe
To Sir Morris Barkly
Of Faustus the Fault-finder
Of an ill Physician for the body, that became a worse Surgeon for the soule
Of impudent Lynus
Against an vnthrifty Lynus
Of Faustus
Of a deuout Vsurer
Against Momus, in praise of his dogge Bungey
Of the excuse of Symony
In commendation of Master Lewkeners sixt description of Venice. Dedicated to Lady Warwick. 1595
Of one that gaue a Benefice
Of Faustus fishing
To his friend. Of his Booke of Aiax
Of the Earle of Essex
To Doctor Sherwood, of Bathe
Of Marcus courtesie
To his wiues Mother, reprouing her vnconstancie
Of a Cuckold that had a chaste Wife
Of the Lady that lookt well to her borders
The Hermaphrodite
Of one that tooke thought for his wife
Sir Iohn Bauynsfords choyce of a man
Of Linus and his Mistris
Inpraise of a Lady and her Musike
In commendation of two valiant Scottish Knights, that defended their King from the Earle Gowry: Sir Thomas Erskin, Sir Iohn Ramsey
In prayse of the Countesse of Darby, married to the Lord Chauncellor
Of neate Galla
Of reuersing an error
Of good Sauce
Of a slaunder
Of a Lady early vp
To an ill Reader
In lectorem inuidum
Of Treason
Of the warres in Ireland
Of Women learned in the tongues
The Author to his wife, of the twelue Signes, how they gouerne
Against Swearing
Of little pitie
Of the games that haue beene in request at the Court
Two witty answers of Bishop Bonner
Of Lynus borrowing
A good answere of the Poet Dant to an Atheist
Of Quintus almes
A good iest of a Crow
Of kissing the foote
Of a sawcy Cator
Of a certaine Man
Of Lesbia
Of cursing Cuckolds
Of the pillars of the Church
Of Exchange
Of Lesbias kissing craft
Of sixe sorts of Fasters
Of Cinna [PVre Cinna gets his wife a maiden Cooke]
Of Claudia
A rule to Play
Of a drunken Tobacconist
Tristis es & foelix, sciat hoc fortuna Caueto. To a Lady
A Salisbury tale
Of a faire Shrew
Of Gods part
An addition to the same Epigram
The same in Latine by the Author
Of Cinna [FIue yeeres hath Cinna studied Genesis]
Of Don Pedro [DOn Pedro neuer dines without red Deere]
Of a drunken Smith
Of Soothsaying
A good request of a Lawyer
Of Friendship
To Doctor Sharpe
Of the Papists Feasts, and the Brownists Fasts
Of Mile the glutton
Of Fortune
Of deuotion and promotion
Of Galla's gallantry
In Cornutum [A Thais? no, Diana thou didst wed]
Of Paulus, a Flatterer
Against Pius Quintus, that excommunicated Queene Elizabeth
Of finding a Hare
Of Merit, and Demerit
Of Faustus, Esquire
Of Peleus friendship
Of inclosing a Common
The Author to his wife, of too much stomack
To a great Magistrate, in Re and in Spe
A comparison of a Booke, with Cheese
A Scottish verse
To beggers of Bookes
Of double Fraud
Of taking a Hare
The Author to his Wife
Of too high commendation in a meane person
Of trusting a Captaine
In Cornutum [WHat curld-pate youth is he that sitteth there]
A Tragicall Epigram
Of reading Scriptures
The Author to his wife: a rule for praying
Poenitentia poenitenda: Of a penitent Fryer
Of a picture with a Ferriman rowing in a tempest, with two Ladies in his boate, whereof he loued one, but she disdained him, and the other loued him, but he not her: now a voice came to his eare, that to saue his boate from beeing cast away, hee must drowne one of the Ladies: in which perplexitie hee speaketh these passions
The old mans choice
In Philautum
To an old Batchelor
Of two that were married and vndone
In commendation of a straw, written at the request of a great Lady, that ware a straw Hat at the Court
In Romam

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