On Lieutenant Shift

XII.
 ? ON LIEUTENANT SHIFT.
  
     SHIFT, here in town, not meanest among squires, 
That haunt Pickt-hatch, Marsh-Lambeth, and White-friars, 
Keeps himself, with half a man, and defrays 
The charge of that state, with this charm, god pays.
 
By that one spell he lives, eats, drinks, arrays 
Himself :  his whole revenue is, god pays.
 
The quarter-day is come ; the hostess says, 
She must have money : he returns, god pays.
 
The tailor brings a suit home : he it says, 
Look's o'er the bill, likes it : and says, god pays.
 
He steals to ordinaries ; there he plays 
At dice his borrow'd money : which, god pays.
 
Then takes up fresh commodities, for days ; 
Signs to new bonds ; forfeits ; and cries, god pays.
 
That lost, he keeps his chamber, reads essays, 
Takes physic, tears the papers : still god pays.
 
Or else by water goes, and so to plays ; 
Calls for his stool, adorns the stage : god pays.
 
To every cause he meets, this voice he brays : 
His only answer is to all, god pays.
 
Not his poor cockatrice but he betrays 
Thus ; and for his lechery, scores, god pays.
 
But see !  the old bawd hath serv'd him in his trim, 
Lent him a pocky whore.
?She hath paid him.


[ AJ Notes:
    l.
9    He it says, he it assays, i.
e.
, tries it on.
    l.
11  Steals to ordinaries, goes to taverns.
    l.
16  Physic, medicine.
    l.
23  In his trim, in his own fashion, i.
e.
, she has given him 
            a taste of his own medicine.
    l.
24  Pocky, diseased.
 ] 

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