University of Virginia Library

CXV. On The Townes Honest Man.

You wonder, who this is! and, why I name
Him not, aloud, that boasts so good a fame:
Naming so many, too! But, this is one,
Suffers no name, but a description:
Being no vitious person, but the vice
About the town; and known too, at that price.
A subtle thing, that doth affections win
By speaking well o'the company 'it's in.
Talkes loud, and baudy, has a gather'd deale
Of news, and noyse, to sow out a long meale.
Can come from Tripoly, leape stooles, and wink,
Do all, that 'longs to the anarchy of drink,
Except the Duell. Can sing songs, and catches;
Give every one his dose of mirth: and watches
Whose name's un-welcome to the present eare,
And him it layes on; if he be not there.
Tel's of him, all the tales, it selfe then makes;
But, if it shall be question'd, under-takes,
It will deny all; and forsweare it too:
Not that it feares, but will not have to do
With such a one. And therein keeps it's word.
'Twill see it's sister naked, ere a sword.
At every meale, where it doth dine, or sup,
The cloth's no sooner gone, but it gets up
And shifting of it's faces, doth play more
Parts than th' Italian could do, with his dore.
Acts old Iniquity, and in the fit
Of miming, gets th'opinion of a wit.
Executes men in picture. By defect,
From friendship, is its own fames architect.
An inginer, in slanders, of all fashions,
That seeming prayses, are yet accusations.
Describ'd it's thus: Defin'd would you it have?
Then, The towns honest man's her errant'st knave.