The English Rogue: Described in the Life of Meriton Latroon, a Witty ExtravagantHead, Richard
General
The English Rogue: Described in the Life of Meriton Latroon, a Witty Extravagant
Head, Richard
Rogues and vagabonds -- England -- Fiction
The
CHARACTER
OF
An _HECTOR_ or _TRAPAN_.
A Bawdy-house is his Cloyster, where he constantly says his Mattins. He
is an Whores Protector, pretending himself more valiant then any of the
antient _Heroes_, thereby thinking to take off the suspition of a Coward
from himself: For the opinion of Valour, is a good protection to those
that dare not use it. His frequent drawing his Sword upon any slight
occasion, makes the ignorant suppose him Valiant; whereas he durst not
do it, but when he is confident no danger will ensue thereon. He never
strikes any, but such he is sure will not return his blows. In Company
he is wonderful exceptious and cholerick, thinking in the fray some
booty may be obtained: but his wrath never swells higher then when men
are loth to give him any occasion: but the onely way to pacifie him, is
to beat him soundly. The hotter you grow, the milder he is, protesting
he always honoured you. The more you abuse him, the more he seems to
love you: if he chance to be quarrelsome, you may threaten him into a
quiet temper. Every man is his Master that dares beat him; and every one
dares that knows him; and he that dares do this, is the onely man can do
much with him. Yet if he knows a Coward, he will purposely fall out with
him, to get Courtesies from him, and so be bribed into a reconcilement.
Yet I cannot say but that he may fight, (if with great advantage) being
so accustomed to the sight of drawn Swords, which probably may infuse
something of a conceit into him; which he so magnifies by his own good
opinion, that he would have people believe that the Mole-hill of his
Prowess is no less then a Mountain. This little he hath, he is no
Niggard in displaying; resembling some Apothecaries Shops, full of Pots,
though little contained in them. His Estate lies in Contrivancies; and
though other Landlords have but four Quarter-days, he hath three hundred
sixty and odd to receive the fruits of his Stratagems. He is well
skilled in Cards and Dice, which help him to cheat young Gulls newly
come to Town; and the reason he usually gives for it, is, _A Woodcock
must be pluckt ere he be drest_. If that will not do, he carries him to
one of his Mistresses, and so both joyn to plume this Fowl: if there be
not ready money to answer expectation, a Bond of considerable value
shall serve turn, attested by two shall swear any thing for half a
Crown. No man puts his brain to more use then he; for his life is a
daily invention, and each meal a meer stratagem. He hath an excellent
memory for his acquaintance; if there ever past but an _How do you?_
between him and another, it shall serve seven years hence for an
embrace, and that for money. Out of his abundance of joy to see you, he
offers a pottle of Wine; and in requital of his kindness, can do no less
then make you pay for it: whilst you are drawing money, he fumbles in
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