The author of the lines is Tom Brown, the witty and facetious writer of
_Dialogues of the Dead, in imitation of Lucian_, &c., who being about
to be expelled the University of Oxford for some fault, was pardoned by
the Dean of Christchurch on the condition that he should translate
extempore the epigram from Martial, xxxiii.:
"Non amo te, Zabidi, nec possum dicere quare;
Hoc tantum possum dicere, non amo te;"
which he instantly rendered:
"I do not love thee, Dr. Fell," &c.