THE
Swaggering Man.
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I AM a blade that hath no trade,
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Most people do adore me,
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And I can hector, swagger, and lie,
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And drive a town before me.
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I have a wife of wanton strife,
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She drives me to trapan, Sir,
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I nothing say, but hike my way,
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There goes the Swaggering Man, Sir.
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With my silk hose, and square toed shoes,
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I hector, swear, and swagger;
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And every coxcomb that I meet,
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I push him with my dagger.
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At cards and dice I am the man,
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I am the noted gamester;
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I love my health, and cock my felt,
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There goes the Swaggering Man, Sir.
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O then I go to the Royal Exchange,
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Where merchants they are walking;
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All this seems something odd to me,
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They idly are talking;
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But if a purse, or a gold watch,
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Come by the slight of hand, Sir,
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I nothing say, but hike my way,
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There goes the swaggering Man, Sir.
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From thence I to the tavern go,
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Where a waiter does attend me,
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I call for liquor of the best,
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The ladies do commend me.
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Behind the door there stands my score,
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The shot they do demand, Sir,
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I nothing say, but hike my way,
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There goes the Swaggering Man, Sir.
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From thence I go to Pater-noster-row,
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Where they deal in silk and sattin;
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I pay for one and hike off three,
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All this is no false latin;
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But if I am catchd, O then Im snatchd,
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And obliged to give an answer,
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Im guilty found, and must come down,
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From being a Swaggering Man, Sir.
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But now I have spent, all my means,
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Among those rakish fellows;
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And am at last condemnd and cast,
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To hang upon yon gallows:
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I sail to Tyburn in a cart,
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My body to advance, Sir,
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The ladies cry as I pass by,
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Dont hang the Swaggering Man, Sir.
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