William Turner (London MP)

Sir William Turner (12 September 1615 – 9 February 1693) was an English Sheriff, Lord Mayor and M.P.

[1] At the age of 75 he was elected as Member of Parliament for the City of London in 1690, sitting until his death.

He bequeathed a substantial amount of money to his great nephew, Cholmley Turner, M.P.

[2] -- as a mock 'lamentation' on the death of Sir William Turner, in his role as president of Bridewell Hospital, which was a combination of petty court, house of correction, and apprenticeship institution for the City of London.

The satire focuses on Sir William's role in judging and punishing 'whores' and other people (mostly women) with whipping, if they were deemed to have violated morality laws.

This message of "indignation" was expressed in the last paragraph: Here let one Tear of Indignation fall, Remembrance, how thou swell'st the Woman's Gall; Remembrance, that a wale'st our hideous Chorus, By representing our sad Scenes before us: Sad Scenes, which such full vent for Griefs allow, Till, Justice, we could turn as blind as Thou.