THE Night-walkers DECLARATION: Or, the Distressed Whores Advice To all their SISTERS IN CITY and COUNTRY.  
Set forth( by way of Confession) out of a deep sense of the Tribulations they have lately suffered.  

With Allowance. Roger L'Estrange.   
London, Printed for D. M. 1676.   

THE Night-walkers Declaration.  
LOsers have leave to speak by virtue of the Proverb, and words are all the arms Nature affords our Sex, besides those designed for Embraces. 'tis customary for people under Persecution publicly to complain, and we are not the first that have ventured to call Justice by that name. A little rhetoric might serve to varnish over an Apology in our behalf, and we could allege Presidents of famous States, the customs of Venice, and Indulgences of Rome; together with the Doctrines of ancient Philosophers, and private Practices of modern Virtuoso's, which might be mustered up in our favour; but we shall spare our Impudence in those particulars, having use enough for that virtue on other occasions, and choose rather to confess than justify our Faults, as conceiving 'twill be far more acceptable to make an ingenuous acknowledgement of our Imprudencies, and mark out the Rocks on which we have cast away ourselves, that others, taking warning, may avoid the like dismal shipwrecks.  
First then, we do declare( and that you know has been of late a very modish and frequent word amongst us) That the original cause of our ruin, or motives which prompted us in general to these lewd Courses, were Pride and Idleness. Nature had been so kind to most of us, to afford us good Faces; or where she had played the Niggard or the Bungler, we endeavoured to supply her defects with Art, and the Auxiliary help of the Dressing-box. The wanton humour of the age soon exposed us to flattering Temptations, and 'twas so taking a vanity to our Sex and years to be Brave and Gay, to appear in splendid Clothes and a fashionable Dress, that we were easily betrayed to part with the natural Jewels of Modesty and virtue, for a slight Bracelet, a pretty Ring, or a tawdry Necklace, and sully our minds to finifie our bodies; as if we had no other use for our Souls, but to be Bawds to our carcases.  
The fond Indulgence of our too-late-repenting Parents, contributed not a little to our destruction, bestowing upon us a Breeding and maintenance far above ●ur birth or their abilities. The time we should have spent in learning Good-houswifry, was trifled away at the Dancing school, in French, music, New wanton Songs, Plays, Balls, infecting Romances, &c. the sight either of a Prayer-book or a pair of Sizzars was enough to put us into a Sound; or if at best our hands, a little exercised in Trawlylawly, Net, or Point-work, could but furnish our Tails with an Inviting Garnish, we thought it both a sufficient Accomplishment and employment.  
When we could get no further supplies from home for these Extravagancies, the Gallant abroad was ready to furnish us; and who could resist at once a double Inclination within, and the passionate Importunities of a civil Gentleman without? Brisk and Airy( which our dull Grandmothers would have called Wanton and Impudent) is long since become the Character of a Well bred-woman; and to be a Miss, was both a pleasant and thriving Undertaking. But the unhappy By-blow, or the Great Disease, the maintaining Friend disinherited, or undone, or weary of the same Face, or bewitched with Age, or reformed by dear bought Experience, leaves the helpless Gentlewoman to her shifts; and what then is to be done, but Have at all? Fine she must be, work she will not; Friends disown her, Reputation is gone, and the sinking Vessel has nothing left to buoy her up, but the extremest Impudence.  
Then to the Entertaining or Procuring Matrons we repair, under whose protection, in a worse Servitude than the most wretched galley-slaves, we lye at the common Receipt of custom; which in these hard times( not for want of Inclination but Money) finding very dead, necessity prompts us to seek out; and taking the opportunity of the Night( the fittest season for Deeds of Darkness) abroad we walk a Cully catching.  
Fleetstreet, Holborn, and Cheapfide itself, can witness with how many industrious and weary steps we have traced along even till Ten at night: How sometimes we spread all our Sails, and presently lay by; now stopped our Course, and then harkened for every inviting Hem; jostled, or stared each Passenger in the face, called to them by strange Names, and the friendly salutation How d'ye cousin; and sometimes fell down flat before 'em to attract their Civility; practising all the mysteries of Enticing, Deluding, soliciting, Fascinating, and Intoxicating, with so much Dexterity, Address, and Diligence, as if the Devil, grown weary of Temptation, had made us his onely Deputies; and all this often without so much as meeting one single prise.  
True it is, if we chanced to happen sometimes on a young Fop, or an old lecher, a wild Gallant or a Grave one, we got perhaps a pretty Treat, and now and then a George or two; or if soundly drunkifi'd, made bold to search their Fobs, and dive into their Pockets for an unnecessary Watch, or a few straggling Guinies: but alas, as great Rents, Parish-Duties, and Family-Expences are enough without quick Returns to undo the greatest Dealers; so the Bawds snips, the Surgeons Salary, the Apothecaries Bill, the Tallymans weekly Contribution, and constant bribes to Friends in office for Connivance, so deeply Excis'd our Gains, that( like Virginia-Traders) the Returns of the Cargo would scarce p●y freight and Customs; besides, the hazards we underwent of being disrobed by Prentices upon every Uproar in the streets, pawn 'd at Taverns, Sconces built at home by Bullies and Hectors, and that unconscionable Cheat of brass Half-crowns imposed upon us by more serious Camlet-cloak Customers after the most punctual bargain in the world, rendered our Occupation so inconsiderable, that one on's in forty was able to purchase Paint and clean linen. But ●bove all to take the Trade of Trepanning out of our hands and turn it upon ourselves, to wheadle us gravely into a Tavern, and instead of the Reckoning produce the short Staff, and hurry us away to the Hemp office: Verily, and by our truly, Gentlemen, it was a most unexpected( not to say rigorous and unreasonable) usage. Unfortunate Sex of ours! whose Lot it is, if young and handsome, to be punished as Whores; if old and ugly, to be Carted for Bawds, or burned for Witches; if honest, to starve; if free& complaisant, to be railed on, P●x'd, Trepau'd, and Bridewell'd; and all this by an ungrateful Generation, whom we endeavoured, through so many dangers, to oblige.  
But Complaints are vain, and we intend not to dispute the Justice of these Proceedings; onely thought fit to warn ignorant well wishers to our faculty, of the Hazards abroad; and advice them, if they must needs be kind, to dispense their Favours in private, rather than make Bawdy houses of the Streets and Alleys. The truth is, after this late Animadversion, we find ourselves somewhat inclinable to turn honest: Cautiously at least, if not chastened, is a good Motto; for proffered Ware you know always goes to a bad Market, and Experience shows( let people talk what they will of Marriage Bands and Matrimonial Shackles) that our Sex enjoys Pleasure and Liberty seldom so much, never so securely, as when under Covert-baron.  
At least( dear Sisters) let us advertise you to stand upon your Guard, traffic not with Strangers without good security: The City is a dangerous Port to lad forbidden wears in; rather ply on the Skirts of the Town, where 'tis more easy to Smuckle a Cully: since an Embargo is laid on public Trade, enhance your favours to particular Gallants, to make good the Damage. Though Night-walking be forbidden, the day's our own; but have a care of the Painted Staff, and Marshals men. Leave off the White Colours, 'tis too notorious and dangerous; rather put on black Handkerchiefs and green Aprons, and then you pass amongst Friends without suspicion. Expose not yourselves to every Sixpenny-Customer; tamper not with Prentices, unless they have the Cash under their Tuition. Know the Prerogatives of your Profession; and leave off that scandalous trick of begging Pots of Ale of Porters and Foot-boys. In a word, render not yourselves Cheap and Contemptible by an open Prostitution, but force the Fops to keep a Lent till Christmas, and 'tis an hundred to one, if you do not find some of your Persecutors soliciting in secret your Favours.  
FINIS.