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. ]