THE WHORES PETITION To the London Prentices.  

CLear was the day though it proved blustering weather  
When the rude Rout in Tumults got together,  
When little Boys would prove the first Beginners  
To vend their fury upon poor frail Sinners.  
moorfield's the Stage on which they Act their Fury,  
Making themselves both Plaintiffs, Judge and Jury.  
Arriving soon unto that desperate height,  
By crooked ways to seek to make things straight.  
Sure little good can on their Actions border,  
Who by Confusion will put things in Order.  
Much harm by such Acts evermore Commences,  
Sinners always will have Saints pretences.  
When first by hallowing their Misrule was budding,  
They'd play the Fools too as well as Jack Pudding:  
Though their designs did not together hit,  
The one fooled for Money, th'others for want of Wit,  
Sad was the Omen of their furious hope  
First thing they meddle with to be a Rope,  
It is bad jesting with edgetools we say,  
A Rope began, a Rope may end the Fray.  
When they had spoiled the Vaulters of their Tools,  
They then must go to pull down Vaulting-Schools,  
The Whores Dark Actions than must come to Light,  
And by wrong doings, they will set things Right.  
Houses by moorfield's, and Whetstone's Park them,  
They were not Noble to them, so to Mark them  
Angels of darkness did inhabit in them,  
And they were routed as the Devil had been them.  
Those Featherbeds which had been instrumental  
For acting Lust, to ruin then were bend all.  
The Sheets themselves did Penance, Curtains and Valence,  
Were open shown for hiding Lecherous Dalliance.  
Chairs and Windows broken; work was made  
Both for the Joiner's; and the Glaziers' Trade:  
Such alterations did this mischief bring,  
Summer Houses were made in time of Spring.  
Thus when the Rout takes on them to bear sway,  
The weaker must perforce the strong obey.  
The Whores did to their Ruiners yield submission,  
And humbly offer to them this Petition.   

The PETITION.  

WE do desire you to use fairer-Play,  
Then turn us out of Doors 'fore Quarter-day;  
And that which unto us is much more harming,  
Thus to Eject us and to give no warning.  
Had you told us before of your intention  
We should not now our grievance to you mention;  
We would have eased you of all your trouble,  
And all this storm should but have proved a Bubble.  
Our charges ('tis well known) are very great  
For gallant Clothes to make us seem Complete;  
Besides our Paint doth us some Money cost,  
Shall all our charges thus by you be lost?  
How shall the Broker, and the Brewer be paid?  
Think you the Strong-water man will be delayed?  
They for to hunt us out will never lin,  
Can we pay Out and have no come IN?  
No, we're resolved although they ne'er so mind us,  
Togo where neither they nor you shall find us.  
What think you then does all your stir arrive at,  
If public we can't trade, we'll do it private.  
Yet let us wish you to forbear such storming,  
Lest it to you as well as us prove mourning.  
The pulling down our houses were pretences,  
Only to colour your more soul offences,  
When you had ruined us, we soon should see,  
Others should in like manner ruin'd be;  
And so this City (glory of our Nation)  
By this might have been brought to desolation.  
Ye rail on us because we foully deal,  
Yet take upon you for to rob and steal.  
Was not our Plate and Linen too the price  
Purchased from us by your soul Avarice.  
Yet would not that have served your turn, when grown  
To a more head, and no resistance shown.  
Is't not a fine age that we do live in,  
When Vice shall undertake to punish Sin,  
We do not justify ourselves, yet must  
Account that Theft's a sin as well as Lust.  
We know our crimes are bad, and 'tis a curse,  
To punished be, by them which commit worse.  
Does not this Mazanello's Acts revive?  
To think that he in London were a live.  
To see a Rout without all sense or Order  
Run madding up and down in every border?  
Can evil May-day be so quite forgot  
To think this was not such another Plot!  
What sullen Planet you so foully led,  
That such dire mischiefs should by you be bred?  
Then leave such tricks which unto mischiefs tends,  
And for our Council henceforth count us friends.     

London, Printed 1668.