Moll Davis

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Mary Davis (known as Moll) was a 17th-century entertainer and courtesan who became one of the many mistresses of King Charles II of England.

[edit] Early life, theatre career, life as mistress to a king

Davis was born around 1648 in Westminster. She met Charles in a theatre or coffee-house in about 1667. She was a popular singer, dancer and comedian, but not everyone was a fan. The wife of Samuel Pepys, the famous diarist, called her "the most impertinent slut in the world".[1]

She flaunted the wealth she acquired from her association with Charles II, and gained a reputation for vulgarity and greed. She showed off her "mighty pretty fine coach" (Pepys:[2]) and a ring worth £600, in those days a vast sum. [3]

Davis gave Charles a daughter, Mary Tudor, who would become famous in her own right later on in life. Later, Charles dismissed Davis, possibly due to some chicanery by Nell Gwynne, a major rival for the King's affections. [4] Davis did not leave empty-handed however: Charles awarded her an annual pension for life of £1,000.