Quote:
I departed from Oppenheim the twelfth day of September being munday about sixe of the clocke in the morning, and came to the city of Mentz about tenne of the clocke in the morning, which was tenne miles beyond it. It was my hap in this journey betwixt Oppenheim and Mentz to have such a notable companion as I never had before in all my life. For he was both learned and unlearned. Learned because being but a wood-cleaver (for he told me that he was the Jesuits wood-cleaver of Mentz) he was able to speake Latine. A matter as rare in one of that sordid facultie as to see a white Crowe or a blacke Swanne. Againe he was unlearned, because the Latin which he did speake was such incongruall and disjoynted stuffe, such antipriscianisticall eloquence, that I thinke were grave Cato alive (who for his constant severity was called αγελαστος [agelastos], because he never or very seldome laughed) he should have more cause to laugh if he should heare this fellow deliver his minde in Latin, then when he saw an Asse eate thistles. (link)


Ceci n'est pas un seing.