The Four Knaves; A Series of Satirical Tracts (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1843 edition. Excerpt: ...And never names his maker but by othes: And weares a tongue of such a damned fashion, That swearing is his onely recreation: In morning, even as soon as he doth rise, He sweares the sleepe is scarcely out his eyes: Then makes him ready, swearing all the while The drowsie weather did him much beguile, Got ready, he to dice or tables goes, Swearing by God at every cast he throwes. To dinner next, and then (in stead of grace) He sweares his stomacke is in hungry case. No sooner din'd but cals, Come, take away, And sweares tis late, hee must goe see a play: There sits and sweares to all he heares and sees, That speech is good, --that action disagrees. S0 takes his ores, and sweares he must make hast, His houre of supper-time is almost past. You never have his tongue from swearing free, Unlesse in 's mouth tobacco-pipe there be. A THEEVING KNAVE THIS gentleman hath neither house nor land, Nor any trade of life but bidding stand. Stay quarter-day he never can abide, But takes up rent upon the highway-side. Deliver him your purse, or else you dye: His fearefull enemie is Hue and Cry; Which at the heeles so hants his frighted ghost, That he at last, in foot-man's Inne must host, Some castle dolorous compos'd of stone, Like (let me see) Newgate is such a one. There he denies, forsweares, with execration, Renouncing heaven, and wishing for damnation, If ever he entended such a deede, Or in his heart, so base a thought could breede; But when his actions once are truly try'd, And justice comes the matter to decide, He is committed to the hang-man's hand, Who charmes his tongue for ever bidding stand. In Tiburne-text his epitaph then be; I, others 'rob'd, -the hang-man rifled mee. A SLOTHFULL KNAVE. I, WRETCH, in want...