<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2008-04-04</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Elspeth Healey</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B080312.pdcc.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B06578">
<STC T="W">W2069</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99890016</BIBNO>
<VID>182907</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="1" MS="y"><!-- PDF PAGE 17 -->
<HEAD>THE WHORES PETITION To the London Prentices.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>CLear was the day though it prov'd blu&s;tring weather</L>
<L>When the rude Rout in Tumults got together,</L>
<L>When little Boys would prove the fir&s;t Beginners</L>
<L>To vend their fury upon poor frail <HI>Sinners.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Moor-fields</HI> the Stage on which they Act their Fury,</L>
<L>Making them&s;elves both <HI>Plaintiffes, Judge</HI> and <HI>Jury.</HI></L>
<L>Arriving &s;oon unto that de&s;perate height,</L>
<L>By crooked ways to &s;eek to make things <HI>&s;treight.</HI></L>
<L>Sure little good can on their Actions border,</L>
<L>Who by <HI>Confu&s;ion</HI> will put things in <HI>Order.</HI></L>
<L>Much harm by &s;uch Acts evermore Commences,</L>
<L><HI>Sinners</HI> always will have <HI>Saints</HI> pretences.</L>
<L>When fir&s;t by hallowing their Mi&s;-rule was budding,</L>
<L>They'd play the Fools too as well as <HI>Jack Pudding</HI>:</L>
<L>Though their de&s;igns did not together hit,</L>
<L>The one fool'd for Money, th'others for want of Wit,</L>
<L>Sad was the <HI>Omen</HI> of their furious hope</L>
<L>Fir&s;t thing they meddle with to be a <HI>Rope,</HI></L>
<L>It is bad je&s;ting with <HI>edge-tools</HI> we &s;ay,</L>
<L>A Rope began, a Rope may end the Fray.</L>
<L>When they had &s;poil'd the <HI>Vaulters</HI> of their Tools,</L>
<L>They then mu&s;t go to pull down <HI>Vaulting-Schools,</HI></L>
<L>The Whores <HI>Dark</HI> Actions then mu&s;t come to <HI>Light,</HI></L>
<L>And by <HI>wrong</HI> doings, they will &s;et things <HI>Right.</HI></L>
<L>Hou&s;es by <HI>Moor-fields,</HI> and <HI>Whet&s;tones Park</HI> them,</L>
<L>They were not <HI>Noble</HI> to them, &s;o to <HI>Mark</HI> them</L>
<L><HI>Angels</HI> of darkne&s;s did inhabite in them,</L>
<L>And they were routed as the <HI>Devil</HI> had been them.</L>
<L>Tho&s;e <HI>Feather-beds</HI> which had been in&s;trumental</L>
<L>For acting Lu&s;t, to ruine then were bent all.</L>
<L>The <HI>Sheets</HI> them&s;elves did Pennance, <HI>Curtains</HI> and <HI>Valence,</HI></L>
<L>Were <HI>open</HI> &s;hown for <HI>hiding</HI> Leacherous Dalliance.</L>
<L><HI>Chairs</HI> and <HI>Windows</HI> broken; work was made</L>
<L>Both for the <HI>Joyners</HI>; and the <HI>Glaziers</HI> Trade:</L>
<L>Such alterations did this mi&s;chief bring,</L>
<L><HI>Summer</HI> Hou&s;es were made in time of <HI>Spring.</HI></L>
<L>Thus when the Rout takes on them to bear &s;way,</L>
<L>The weaker mu&s;t perforce the &s;trong obey.</L>
<L>The <HI>Whores</HI> did to their <HI>Ruiners</HI> yeeld &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion,</L>
<L>And humbly offer to them this <HI>Petition.</HI></L>
</LG>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The <HI>PETITION.</HI></HEAD>
<LG>
<L>WE do de&s;ire you to u&s;e fairer-Play,</L>
<L>Then turn us out of Doors 'fore <HI>Quarter-day</HI>;</L>
<L>And that which unto us is much more harming,</L>
<L>Thus to Eject us and to give no warning.</L>
<L>Had you told us before of your intention</L>
<L>We &s;hould not now our grievance to you mention;</L>
<L>We would have ea&s;ed you of all your trouble,</L>
<L>And all this &s;torm &s;hould but have prov'd a Bubble.</L>
<L>Our charges (tis well known) are very great</L>
<L>For gallant Clothes to make us &s;eem Compleat;</L>
<L>Be&s;ides our Paint doth us &s;ome Money co&s;t,</L>
<L>Shall all our charges thus by you be lo&s;t?</L>
<L>How &s;hall the <HI>Broker,</HI> and the <HI>Brewer</HI> be paid?</L>
<L>Think you the <HI>Strong-water</HI> man will be delay'd?</L>
<L>They for to hunt us out will never lin,</L>
<L>Can we pay <HI>Out</HI> and have no comings <HI>IN</HI>?</L>
<L>No, we'r re&s;olv'd although they nere &s;o mind us,</L>
<L>Togo where neither they nor you &s;hall finde us.</L>
<L>What think you then does all your &s;tir arrive at,</L>
<L>If publick we can't trade, we'l do it private.</L>
<L>Yet let us wi&s;h you to forbear &s;uch &s;torming,</L>
<L>Lea&s;t it to you as well as us prove mourning.</L>
<L>The pulling down our hou&s;es were pretences,</L>
<L>Onely to colour your more &s;oul offences,</L>
<L>When you had ruin'd us, we &s;oon &s;hould &s;ee,</L>
<L>Others &s;hould in like manner ruin'd be;</L>
<L>And &s;o this City (glory of our Nation)</L>
<L>By this might have been brought to de&s;olation.</L>
<L>Ye rail on us becau&s;e we fouly deal,</L>
<L>Yet take upon you for to rob and &s;teal.</L>
<L>Was not our Plate and Linnen too the price</L>
<L>Purchas'd from us by your &s;oul Avarice.</L>
<L>Yet would not that have &s;erv'd your turn, when grown</L>
<L>To a more head, and no re&s;i&s;tance &s;hown.</L>
<L>I&s;t not a fine age that we do live in,</L>
<L>When <HI>Vice</HI> &s;hall undertake to puni&s;h <HI>Sin,</HI></L>
<L>We do not ju&s;tifie our &s;elves, yet mu&s;t</L>
<L>Account that <HI>Theft's</HI> a &s;in as well as <HI>Lu&s;t.</HI></L>
<L>We know our crimes are bad, and tis a cur&s;e,</L>
<L>To puni&s;ht be, by them which commit wor&s;e.</L>
<L>Does not this <HI>Mazanello's</HI> Acts revive?</L>
<L>To think that he in <HI>London</HI> were a live.</L>
<L>To &s;ee a Rout without all &s;ence or Order</L>
<L>Run madding up and down in every border?</L>
<L>Can evil <HI>May-day</HI> be &s;o quite forgot</L>
<L>To think this was not &s;uch another Plot!</L>
<L>What &s;ullen Planet you &s;o fouly led,</L>
<L>That &s;uch dire mi&s;chiefs &s;hould by you be bred?</L>
<L>Then leave &s;uch tricks which unto mi&s;chiefs tends,</L>
<L>And for our Councell henceforth count us friends.</L>
</LG>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P><HI>London,</HI> Printed 1668.</P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
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