Moll Davis: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 11:45, 13 January 2023

1648-1708. Also known as Mary Davis or Mary Davies. Famous actress, singer, dancer and comedian during the Restoration. One of the many royal mistresses of Charles II.

Career

Moll Davis can be considered "one of a bevy of obscure young women who took advantage of the new opportunities open to women as actresses on the Restoration stage (before the Civil War, all female parts had been played by boys)" (Hartley 131). She started her career as a young girl. The exact age is unknown and does not emerge from the literature. Davis was employed as a principal actress for the Duke´s Company (131). In February 1662, at the age of 14, she did her first performance in William Davenant´s The Law against Lovers as the character Viola. In 1667 she played the role of Celania in Davenant´s The Rivals and performed the song "My Lodging It Is on the Cold Ground" (131). Because of her talent and beauty she was painted on numerous portraits, including by the famous portrait artist Peter Lely.

Davis had a tense relationship with Nell Gwyn, another well-known actress and lover of the king at the time. Because of jealousy, Gwyn initiated some intrigues, like giving Davis sweetmeats contaminated with jalap before she had a date with the king, that eventually led to the king leaving Moll Davis (Melville 82).

Family and Private Life

Moll Davis was born in Westminster in 1648 (supposedly as the illegitimate daughter of Thomas Howard, the Earl of Berkshire) (Hartley 131). In May 1668 Davis gave up her profession and gave birth to her daughter Lady Mary Tudor, the biological child of Charles II (Melville 81). She received 1000 pounds annually from the king as a support measure (82). Charles II also gifted her an expensive ring (Hartley 131) as well as a house to live in Suffolk Street, close to Pall Mall (Jordan and Walsh ch. 13). In 1686 Moll Davis married James Paisible, a famous French musician and composer (Hartley 131). She died in London in 1708 and was buried in St Anne´s Church in Soho.

Bibliography

Hartley, Cathy. A Historical Dictionary of British Women. Taylor & Francis, 2013.

Melville, Lewis. Nell Gwyn: The Story of Her Life. Hutchinson, 1923.

Walsh, Michael, and Jordan, Don. The King's Bed: Sex, Power and the Court of Charles II. Little, Brown Book Group, 2015.

Wilson, John Harold. All the King´s Ladies: Actresses of the Restoration. University of Chicago Press, 1958.

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-Moll Davis, whose real name is Mary Davis, was a famous actress, singer, dancer and comedian during the Restoration Era. Furthermore, she was also known as a popular courtesan and she was one of the many royal mistresses of King Charles II of England. As she was very popular at the time, there are many portraits of her by the famous painter Sir Peter Lely.
+-1708. Also known as Mary Davis or Mary Davies. Famous actress, singer, dancer and comedian during the Restoration. One of the many royal mistresses of [[Charles II]].
-  * 1648 Westminster, London, England
-  † 1708 London, England
-In May 1668 Davis gave up her profession and gave birth to her daughter "Mary", who is the biological child of King Charles II (Melville 81).
+'''Career'''
-She received 1000 pounds annually from the king as a support measure (82).
+Moll Davis can be considered "one of a bevy of obscure young women who took advantage of the new opportunities open to women as actresses on the Restoration stage (before the Civil War, all female parts had been played by boys)" (Hartley 131). She started her career as a young girl. The exact age is unknown and does not emerge from the literature. Davis was employed as a principal actress for the Duke´s Company (131). In February 1662, at the age of 14, she did her first performance in William Davenant´s ''The Law against Lovers'' as the character Viola. In 1667 she played the role of Celania in Davenant´s ''The Rivals'' and performed the song "My Lodging It Is on the Cold Ground" (131). Because of her talent and beauty she was painted on numerous portraits, including by the famous portrait artist [[Peter Lely]].
-Bibliography
+Davis had a tense relationship with [[Nell Gwyn]], another well-known actress and lover of the king at the time. Because of jealousy, Gwyn initiated some intrigues, like giving Davis sweetmeats contaminated with jalap before she had a date with the king, that eventually led to the king leaving Moll Davis (Melville 82).
+'''Family and Private Life'''
+Moll Davis was born in Westminster in 1648 (supposedly as the illegitimate daughter of Thomas Howard, the Earl of Berkshire) (Hartley 131).
+In May 1668 Davis gave up her profession and gave birth to her daughter Lady Mary Tudor, the biological child of [[Charles II]] (Melville 81). She received 1000 pounds annually from the king as a support measure (82). Charles II also gifted her an expensive ring (Hartley 131) as well as a house to live in Suffolk Street, close to Pall Mall (Jordan and Walsh ch. 13). In 1686 Moll Davis married James Paisible, a famous French musician and composer (Hartley 131).
+She died in London in 1708 and was buried in St Anne´s Church in Soho.
+'''Bibliography'''
+Hartley, Cathy. ''A Historical Dictionary of British Women.'' Taylor & Francis, 2013.
+Melville, Lewis. ''Nell Gwyn: The Story of Her Life.'' Hutchinson, 1923.
+Walsh, Michael, and Jordan, Don. ''The King's Bed: Sex, Power and the Court of Charles II.'' Little, Brown Book Group, 2015.
-Melville, Lewis. ''Nell Gwyn The Story of Her Life.'' Hutchinson, 1923.
 Wilson, John Harold. ''All the King´s Ladies: Actresses of the Restoration.'' University of Chicago Press, 1958.