Prostitution in early modern England was defined by a series of attempts by kings, queens, and other government officials to prohibit people from working in the sex industry.
Areas like Southwark that had cultivated a reputation as a hub for prostitution and entertainment, originally outside of the jurisdiction of London , were incorporated into the city during the early modern period. Some illicit businesses in these areas continued to offer their services to interested patrons more discretely, but many brothels and related businesses reemerged in less conspicuous areas of London, disguised as other kinds of businesses. Prostitutes represented a diverse range of economic and social classes in early modern England.
Women entered the sex industry for various reasons, but the primary factor was poverty. It could also include someone born into a family with a higher social class, who for a variety of reasons no longer enjoyed great wealth or status. The artwork used here depicts well-known works created by Dutch Golden Age artists.
As a result, the artists were familiar with life in England, and their work was well-known among the English educated class. The Dutch Golden Age artists favored scenes depicting more ordinary, every-day life, and the merry company paintings were a common genre of their work. Information about prostitution in England prior to the Roman conquest is scarce, but under Roman law, prostitution in England was licensed and regulated as a legal business.
Beginning in 43 AD, there were further attempts by Rome to conquer Britain and establish a more formalized ruling system. In medieval Europe , the regulation of prostitution was done with the primary goal of maintaining social order. The well-being provided by operating in a regulated market, compared to a black market , for people working in the sex industry was not a serious concern.
