Biography of Mary "Moll" Davis Actor 1648-1708

Around 1648 Mary "Moll" Davis Actor was born illegitimately to Thomas Howard 3rd Earl Berkshire 1619-1706 (age 28). She may possibly have been a daughter of his older brother Charles Howard 2nd Earl Berkshire (age 33).

PAINTINGS/LELY/Moll_Davis.jpgAround 1655 Peter Lely (age 36). Portrait of Mary "Moll" Davis Actor (age 7).

Pepy's Diary. 17 Apr 1666. Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon dined at home, my brother Balty (age 26) with me, who is fitting himself to go to sea. So after dinner to my accounts and did proceed a good way in settling them, and thence to the office, where all the afternoon late, writing my letters and doing business, but, Lord! what a conflict I had with myself, my heart tempting me 1000 times to go abroad about some pleasure or other, notwithstanding the weather foule. However I reproached myself with my weaknesse in yielding so much my judgment to my sense, and prevailed with difficulty and did not budge, but stayed within, and, to my great content, did a great deale of business, and so home to supper and to bed. This day I am told that Moll Davis (age 18), the pretty girle, that sang and danced so well at the Duke's house, is dead1.

Note 1. TT. This proved to be incorrect. Mary "Moll" Davis Actor (age 18) died in 1708.

Around 1667 Mary "Moll" Davis Actor (age 19) became a mistress of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 36).

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Pepy's Diary. 05 Aug 1667. Home, and dined with my wife at Sir W. Pen's (age 46), where a very good pasty of venison, better than we expected, the last stinking basely, and after dinner he and my wife and I to the Duke of York's house, and there saw "Love Trickes, or the School of Compliments"; a silly play, only Miss [Davis's] (age 19) dancing in a shepherd's clothes did please us mightily.

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Pepy's Diary. 11 Jan 1668. Lay some time, talking with my wife in bed about Pall's (age 27) business, and she do conclude to have her married here, and to be merry at it; and to have W. Hewer (age 26), and Batelier, and Mercer, and Willet bridemen and bridemaids, and to be very merry; and so I am glad of it, and do resolve to let it be done as soon as I can. So up, and to the office, where all the morning busy, and thence home to dinner, and from dinner with Mercer, who dined with us, and wife and Deb. to the King's house, there to see "The Wild-goose Chase", which I never saw, but have long longed to see it, being a famous play, but as it was yesterday I do find that where I expect most I find least satisfaction, for in this play I met with nothing extraordinary at all, but very dull inventions and designs. Knepp come and sat by us, and her talk pleased me a little, she telling me how Mis Davis (age 20) is for certain going away from the Duke's house, the King (age 37) being in love with her; and a house is taken for her, and furnishing; and she hath a ring given her already worth £600: that the King (age 37) did send several times for Nelly (age 17), and she was with him, but what he did she knows not; this was a good while ago, and she says that the King (age 37) first spoiled Mrs. Weaver, which is very mean, methinks, in a Prince, and I am sorry for it, and can hope for no good to the State from having a Prince so devoted to his pleasure. She told me also of a play shortly coming upon the stage, of Sir Charles Sidly's (age 28), which, she thinks, will be called "The Wandering Ladys", a comedy that, she thinks, will be most pleasant; and also another play, called "The Duke of Lerma"; besides "Catelin", which she thinks, for want of the clothes which the King (age 37) promised them, will not be acted for a good while.

Pepy's Diary. 14 Jan 1668. Thence by coach to Mrs. Pierce's, where my wife and Deb. is; and there they fell to discourse of the last night's work at Court, where the ladies and Duke of Monmouth (age 18) and others acted "The Indian Emperour"; wherein they told me these things most remark able: that not any woman but the Duchesse of Monmouth (age 16) and Mrs. Cornwallis (age 18) did any thing but like fools and stocks, but that these two did do most extraordinary well: that not any man did any thing well but Captain O'Bryan, who spoke and did well, but, above all things, did dance most incomparably. That she did sit near the players of the Duke's house; among the rest, Mis Davis (age 20), who is the most impertinent slut, she says, in the world; and the more, now the King (age 37) do show her countenance; and is reckoned his mistress, even to the scorne of the whole world; the King (age 37) gazing on her, and my Baroness Castlemayne (age 27) being melancholy and out of humour, all the play, not smiling once. The King (age 37), it seems, hath given her a ring of £700, which she shews to every body, and owns that the King (age 37) did give it her; and he hath furnished a house for her in Suffolke Street most richly, which is a most infinite shame. It seems she is a bastard of [her grandfather] Colonell Howard, my Lord Berkshire (age 80), and that he do pimp to her for the King (age 37), and hath got her for him; but Pierce says that she is a most homely jade as ever she saw, though she dances beyond any thing in the world. She tells me that the Duchesse of Richmond (age 20) do not yet come to the Court, nor hath seen the King (age 37), nor will not, nor do he own his desire of seeing her; but hath used means to get her to Court, but they do not take.

Pepy's Diary. 07 Apr 1668. Here I hear Sir W. Davenant is just now dead; and so who will succeed him in the mastership of the house is not yet known. The eldest Davenport is, it seems, gone from this house to be kept by somebody; which I am glad of, she being a very bad actor. I took her then up into a coach and away to the Park, which is now very fine after some rain, but the company was going away most, and so I took her to the Lodge, and there treated her and had a deal of good talk, and now and then did baiser la, and that was all, and that as much or more than I had much mind to because of her paint. She tells me mighty news, that my Baroness Castlemayne (age 27) is mightily in love with Hart (age 42) of their house: and he is much with her in private, and she goes to him, and do give him many presents; and that the thing is most certain, and Becke Marshall only privy to it, and the means of bringing them together, which is a very odd thing; and by this means she is even with the King's love to Mrs. Davis (age 20). This done, I carried her and set her down at Mrs. Manuel's, but stayed not there myself, nor went in; but straight home, and there to my letters, and so home to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 31 May 1668. At noon I sent for Mr. Mills and his wife and daughter to dine, and they dined with me, and W. Hewer (age 26), and very good company, I being in good humour. They gone to church, comes Mr. Tempest, and he and I sang a psalm or two, and so parted, and I by water to the New Exchange, and there to Mrs. Pierce's, where Knepp, and she, and W. Howe, and Mr. Pierce, and little Betty, over to Fox Hall, and there walked and supped with great pleasure. Here was Mrs. Manuel also, and mighty good company, and good mirth in making W. Howe spend his six or seven shillings, and so they called him altogether "Cully". So back, and at Somerset-stairs do understand that a boy is newly drowned, washing himself there, and they cannot find his body. So seeing them home, I home by water, W. Howe going with me, and after some talk he lay at my house, and all to bed. Here I hear that Mrs. Davis (age 20) is quite gone from the Duke of York's (age 34) house, and Gosnell comes in her room, which I am glad of. At the play at Court the other night, Mrs. Davis (age 20) was there; and when she was to come to dance her jigg, the Queene (age 58) would not stay to see it, which people do think it was out of displeasure at her being the King's whore, that she could not bear it. My Baroness Castlemayne (age 27) is, it seems, now mightily out of request, the King (age 38) coming little to her, and thus she mighty melancholy and discontented.

Pepy's Diary. 21 Dec 1668. Thence to the Duke's playhouse, and saw "Macbeth". the King (age 38) and Court there; and we sat just under them and my Baroness Castlemayne (age 28), and close to the woman that comes into the pit, a kind of a loose gossip, that pretends to be like her, and is so, something. And my wife, by my troth, appeared, I think, as pretty as any of them; I never thought so much before; and so did Talbot and W. Hewer (age 26), as they said, I heard, to one another. The King (age 38) and Duke of York (age 35) minded me, and smiled upon me, at the handsome woman near me but it vexed me to see Moll Davis (age 20), in the box over the King's and my Baroness Castlemayne's (age 28) head, look down upon the King (age 38), and he up to her; and so did my Baroness Castlemayne (age 28) once, to see who it was; but when she saw her, she looked like fire; which troubled me. The play done, took leave of Talbot, who goes into the country this Christmas, and so we home, and there I to work at the office late, and so home to supper and to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 21 Jan 1669. Thence in my own coach home, where I find Madam Turner (age 46), Dyke, and The. (age 17), and had a good dinner for them, and merry; and so carried them to the Duke of York's (age 35) house, all but Dyke, who went away on other business; and there saw "The Tempest"; but it is but ill done by Gosnell, in lieu of Moll Davis (age 21).

Pepy's Diary. 15 Feb 1669. Up, and with Tom to White Hall; and there at a Committee of Tangier, where a great instance of what a man may lose by the neglect of a friend: Povy (age 55) never had such an opportunity of passing his accounts, the Duke of York (age 35) being there, and everybody well disposed, and in expectation of them; but my Lord Ashly (age 47), on whom he relied, and for whose sake this day was pitched on, that he might be sure to be there, among the rest of his friends, staid too long, till the Duke of York (age 35) and the company thought unfit to stay longer and so the day lost, and God knows when he will ever have so good a one again, as long as he lives; and this was the man of the whole company that he hath made the most interest to gain, and now most depended upon him. So up and down the house a while, and then to the plaisterer's, and there saw the figure of my face taken from the mould: and it is most admirably like, and I will have another made, before I take it away, and therefore I away and to the Temple [Map], and thence to my cozen Turner's, where, having the last night been told by her that she had drawn me for her Valentine, I did this day call at the New Exchange, and bought her a pair of green silk stockings and garters and shoe-strings, and two pair of jessimy gloves, all coming to about 28s., and did give them her this noon. At the 'Change [Map], I did at my bookseller's shop accidentally fall into talk with Sir Samuel Tuke about trees, and Mr. Evelyn's (age 48) garden; and I do find him, I think, a little conceited, but a man of very fine discourse as any I ever heard almost, which I was mighty glad of. I dined at my cozen Turner's, and my wife also and her husband there, and after dinner, my wife and I endeavoured to make a visit to Ned Pickering (age 51); but he not at home, nor his lady; and therefore back again, and took up my cozen Turner, and to my cozen Roger's (age 51) lodgings, and there find him pretty well again, and his wife mighty kind and merry, and did make mighty much of us, and I believe he is married to a very good woman. Here was also Bab. and Betty, who have not their clothes yet, and therefore cannot go out, otherwise I would have had them abroad to-morrow; but the poor girls mighty kind to us, and we must skew them kindness also. Here in Suffolk Street lives Moll Davis (age 21); and we did see her coach come for her to her door, a mighty pretty fine coach. Here we staid an hour or two, and then carried Turner home, and there staid and talked a while, and then my wife and I to White Hall; and there, by means of Mr. Cooling, did get into the play, the only one we have seen this winter: it was "The Five Hours' Adventure:" but I sat so far I could not hear well, nor was there any pretty woman that I did see, but my wife, who sat in my Lady Fox's pew1 with her. The house very full; and late before done, so that it was past eleven before we got home. But we were well pleased with seeing it, and so to supper, where it happened that there was no bread in the house, which was an unusual case, and so to bed.

Note 1. We may suppose that pews were by no means common at this time within consecrated walls, from the word being applied indifferently by Pepys to a box in a place of amusement, and two days afterwards to a seat at church. It would appear, from other authorities, that between 1646 and 1660 scarcely any pews had been erected; and Sir C. Wren is known to have objected to their introduction into his London churches. B.

In Oct 1673 Mary "Moll" Davis Actor (age 25) bought a house in St James' Square paying £1800.

On 16 Oct 1673 [her daughter] Mary Tudor Countess Derwentwater was born to King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 43) and Mary "Moll" Davis Actor (age 25). He subsequently dismissed her with a pension of an annual pension of £1000.

In Apr 1679 [her uncle] Charles Howard 2nd Earl Berkshire (age 64) died. His brother [her father] Thomas Howard 3rd Earl Berkshire 1619-1706 (age 59) succeeded 3rd Earl Berkshire.

On 18 Aug 1687 [her son-in-law] Edward Radclyffe 2nd Earl Derwentwater 1655-1705 (age 32) and [her daughter] Mary Tudor Countess Derwentwater (age 13) were married. She the daughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland and Mary "Moll" Davis (age 39). He the son of Francis Radclyffe 1st Earl Derwentwater 1625-1697 (age 62).

In 1708 Mary "Moll" Davis Actor (age 60) died.

Family Trees of Mary "Moll" Davis Actor 1648-1708

Paternal Family Tree: Howard

Royal Ancestors of Mary "Moll" Davis Actor 1648-1708

Kings Wessex: Great x 19 Grand Daughter of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Kings Gwynedd: Great x 16 Grand Daughter of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd 1100-1170

Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 21 Grand Daughter of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth

Kings Powys: Great x 17 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys 1047-1132

Kings England: Great x 10 Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Kings Scotland: Great x 14 Grand Daughter of William "Lion" I King Scotland

Kings Franks: Great x 15 Grand Daughter of Louis VII King Franks

Kings France: Great x 12 Grand Daughter of Philip "The Fair" IV King France

Ancestors of Mary "Moll" Davis Actor 1648-1708

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Howard 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Stafford Duchess Norfolk 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Howard 4th Duke of Norfolk 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John de Vere 15th Earl of Oxford 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Frances Vere Countess of Surrey 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Trussell Countess of Oxford 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Geoffrey Audley

Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Audley 1st Baron Audley Walden

Great x 2 Grandmother: Margaret Audley Duchess Norfolk 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Grey 2nd Marquess Dorset 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Grey Baroness Audley 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Wotton Marchioness Dorset

GrandFather: Thomas Howard 1st Earl Berkshire 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Knyvet 9 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Knyvet of Charlton Wiltshire 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Muriel Howard Viscountess Lisle 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry Knyvet 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Christopher Pickering 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Pickering 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Jane Lewknor 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Stumpe

Father: Thomas Howard 3rd Earl Berkshire 1619-1706 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Cecil

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Cecil 1st Baron Burghley

Great x 4 Grandmother: Jane Heckington

Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Cecil 1st Earl Exeter

Great x 4 Grandfather: Peter Cheke

Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Cheke

Great x 1 Grandfather: William Cecil 2nd Earl Exeter 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Neville 3rd Baron Latimer 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Neville 4th Baron Latimer of Snape 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Dorothy de Vere 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Dorothy Neville Countess Exeter 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Somerset 2nd Earl of Worcester 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Lucy Somerset Baroness Latimer Snape 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Browne Countess of Worcester 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

GrandMother: Elizabeth Cecil Countess Berkshire 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Drury 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Drury 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Sothill

Great x 2 Grandfather: William Drury 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Rich 1st Baron Rich

Great x 3 Grandmother: Audrey Rich

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Jenks Baroness Rich

Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Drury Countess Exeter 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Humphrey Stafford 13 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Stafford 14 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Fogge

Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Stafford 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Stafford 1st Baron Stafford 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Dorothy Stafford 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Ursula Pole 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Mary "Moll" Davis 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England