On Lieutenant Shift

On Lieutenant Shift by Ben Jonson

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. ] 

Form: Heroic Couplet

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