Moll Davis

Mary "Moll" Davis (c. 1648 – 1708), also spelt Davies or Davys, was a courtesan and mistress of King Charles II of England. She was an actress and entertainer before and during her role as royal mistress. Early life Mary Davis was born in Westminster, as a presumed illegitimate child of Thomas Howard, 3rd Earl of Berkshire. The eminent diarist Samuel Pepys wrote of Mary as "… a bastard of Collonell Howard, my Lord Barkeshire." Her parentage is also attributed to Thomas' elder brother Charles Howard. Mary's birth date is often contradicted, though it is believed to be around 1648. In 1663 Mary had installed herself as an actress in the Duke's Theatre Company, and boarded with the company's manager, Sir William Davenant. There she quickly became a popular singer, dancer and comedian, and began using the name "Moll". Although Samuel Pepys wrote good tidings about Moll, his wife Elisabeth claimed her to be "the most impertinent slut in the world".