THE Swaggering Man.

TRANSCRIPT:

THE
Swaggering Man.

I AM a blade that hath no trade,
Most people do adore me,
And I can hector, swagger, and lie,
And drive a town before me.
I have a wife of wanton strife,
She drives me to trapan, Sir,
I nothing say, but hike my way,
There goes the Swaggering Man, Sir.

With my silk hose, and square toed shoes,
I hector, swear, and swagger;
And every coxcomb that I meet,
I push him with my dagger.
At cards and dice I am the man,
I am the noted gamester;
I love my health, and cock my felt,
There goes the Swaggering Man, Sir.

O then I go to the Royal Exchange,
Where merchants they are walking;
All this seems something odd to me,
They idly are talking;
But if a purse, or a gold watch,
Come by the slight of hand, Sir,
I nothing say, but hike my way,
There goes the swaggering Man, Sir.
From thence I to the tavern go,
Where a waiter does attend me,
I call for liquor of the best,
The ladies do commend me.
Behind the door there stands my score,
The shot they do demand, Sir,
I nothing say, but hike my way,
There goes the Swaggering Man, Sir.

From thence I go to Pater-noster-row,
Where they deal in silk and sattin;
I pay for one and hike off three,
All this is no false latin;
But if I am catchd, O then Im snatchd,
And obliged to give an answer,
Im guilty found, and must come down,
From being a Swaggering Man, Sir.

But now I have spent, all my means,
Among those rakish fellows;
And am at last condemnd and cast,
To hang upon yon gallows:
I sail to Tyburn in a cart,
My body to advance, Sir,
The ladies cry as I pass by,
Dont hang the Swaggering Man, Sir.