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deliver the watch； that it might be sworn to in open court； and when the
constable put his hand to his pocket the only piece of damning evidence
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A BOOK OF SCOUNDRELS
had vanished； stolen by the nimble fingers of one of Moll's officers。
Thus with admirable trickery and a perfect sense of dramatic effect she
contrived her escape； and never again ran the risk of a sudden discovery。
For experience brought caution in its train； and though this wiliest of
fences lived almost within the shadow of Newgate； though she was as
familiar in the prison yard as at the Globe Tavern； her nightly resort； she
obeyed the rules of life and law with so precise an exactitude that
suspicion could never fasten upon her。 Her kingdom was midway
between robbery and justice。 And as she controlled the mystery of
thieving so； in reality； she meted out punishment to the evildoer。 Honest
citizens were robbed with small risk to life or property。 For Moll always
frowned upon violence； and was ever ready to restore the booty for a fair
ransom。 And the thieves； driven by discipline to a certain humanity；
plied their trade with an obedience and orderliness hitherto unknown。
Moll's then was no mean achievement。 Her career was not circumscribed
by her trade； and the Roaring Girl； the daredevil companion of the wits
and bloods； enjoyed a fame no less glorious than the Queen of Thieves。
‘Enter Moll in a frieze jerkin and a black safeguard。' Thus in the old
comedy she comes upon the stage； and truly it was by her clothes that she
was first notorious。 By accident a woman； by habit a man； she must
needs invent a costume proper to her pursuits。 But she was no shrieking
reformer； no fanatic spying regeneration in a pair of breeches。 Only in
her attire she showed her wit； and she went to a bull…baiting in such a
dress as well became her favourite sport。 She was not of those who
‘walk in spurs but never ride。' The jerkin； the doublet； the galligaskins
were put on to serve the practical purposes of life； not to attract the
policeman or the spinster。 And when a petticoat spread its ample folds
beneath the doublet； not only was her array handsome； but it symbolised
the career of one who was neither man nor woman； and yet both。 After a
while； however； the petticoat seemed too tame for her stalwart temper； and
she exchanged it for the great Dutch slop； habited in which unseemly
garment she is pictured in the ancient prints。
Up and down the town she romped and scolded； earning the name
which Middleton gave her in her green girlhood。 ‘She has the spirit of
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four great parishes；' says the wit in the comedy； ‘and a voice that will
drown all the city。' If a gallant stood in the way； she drew upon him in an
instant； and he must be a clever swordsman to hold his ground against the
tomboy who had laid low the German fencer himself。 A good fellow
always； she had ever a merry word for the passer…by； and so sharp was her
tongue that none ever put a trick upon her。 Not to know Moll was to be
inglorious； and she ‘slipped from one company to another like a fat eel
between a Dutchman's fingers。' Now at Parker's Ordinary； now at the
Bear Garden； she frequented only the haunts of men； and not until old age
came upon her did she endure patiently the presence of women。
Her voice and speech were suited to the galligaskin。 She was a true
disciple of Maltre Franois； hating nothing so much as mincing
obscenity； and if she flavoured her discourse with many a blasphemous
quip； the blasphemy was ‘not so malicious as customary。' Like the blood
she was； she loved good ale and wine； and she regarded it among her
proudest titles to renown that she was the first of women to smoke tobacco。
Many was the pound of best Virginian that she bought of Mistress Gallipot；
and the pipe； with monkey； dog； and eagle； is her constant emblem。 Her
antic attire； the fearless courage of her pranks； now and again involved her
in disgrace or even jeopardised her freedom； but her unchanging gaiety
made light of disaster； and still she laughed and rollicked in defiance of
prude and pedant。
Her companion in many a fantastical adventure was Banks； the vintner
of Cheapside； that same Banks who taught his horse to dance and shod
him with silver。 Now once upon a time a right witty sport was devised
between them。 The vintner bet Moll 20 that she would not ride
from Charing Cross to Shoreditch astraddle on horseback； in breeches and
doublet； boots and spurs。
The hoyden took him up in a moment； and added of her own devilry a
trumpet and banner。 She set out from Charing Cross bravely enough； and
a trumpeter being an unwonted spectacle； the eyes of all the town were
clapped upon her。 Yet none knew her until she reached Bishopsgate；
where an orange…wench set up the cry； ‘Moll Cutpurse on horseback！'
Instantly the cavalier was surrounded by a noisy mob。 Some would have
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torn her from the saddle for an imagined insult upon womanhood； others；
more wisely minded； laughed at the prank with good…humoured merriment。
Every minute the throng grew denser； and it had fared hardly with
roystering Moll； had not a wedding and the arrest of a debtor presently
distracted the gaping idlers。 As the mob turned to gaze at the fresh
wonder； she spurred her horse until she gained Newington by an
unfrequented lane。 There she waited until night should cover her
progress to Shoreditch； and thus peacefully she returned home to lighten
the vintner's pocket of twenty pounds。
The fame of the adventure spread abroad； and that the scandal should
not be repeated Moll was summoned before the Court of Arches to answer
a charge of appearing publicly in mannish apparel。 The august tribunal
had no terror for her； and she received her sentence to do penance in a
white sheet at Paul's Cross during morning…service on a Sunday with an
audacious contempt。 ‘They might as well have shamed a black dog as
me；' she proudly exclaimed； and why should she dread the white sheet；
when all the spectators looked with a lenient eye upon her professed
discomfiture？' For a halfpenny；' she said； ‘she would have travelled to
every market…town of England in the guise of a penitent；' and having
tippled off three quarts of sack she swaggered to Paul's Cross in the
maddest of humours。 But not all the courts on earth could lengthen her
petticoat； or contract the Dutch slop by a single fold。 For a while；
perhaps； she chastened her costume； yet she soon reverted to the ancient
mode； and to her dying day went habited as a man。
As bear baiting was the passion of her life； so she was scrupulous in
the care and training of her dogs。 She gave them each a trundle…bed；
wrapping them from the cold in sheets and blankets； while their food
would not have dishonoured a gentleman's table。 Parrots； too； gave a
sense of colour and companionship to her house； and it was in this love of
pets； and her devotion to cleanliness； that she showed a trace of dormant
womanhood。 Abroad a ribald and a scold； at home she was the neatest of
housewives； and her parlour； with its mirrors and its manifold ornaments；
was the envy of the neighbours。 So her trade flourished； and she lived a
life of comfort； of plenty even； until the Civil War threw her out of work。
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When an unnatural conflict set the whole country at loggerheads； what
occasion was there for the honest prig？ And it is not surprising that； like
all the gentlemen adventurers of the age； Moll remained most stubbornly
loyal to the King's cause。 She made the conduit in Fleet Street run with
wine when Charles came to London in 1638； and it was her amiable
pleasantry to give the name of Strafford to a clever； cunning bull； and to
dub the dogs that assailed him Pym； Hampden； and the rest； that right
heartily she might applaud the courage of Strafford as he threw off his
unwary assailants。
So long as the quarrel lasted； she was compelled to follow a profession
more ancient than the fence's； for there is one passion which war itself
cannot extinguish。 When once the King had laid his head ‘down as upon
a bed；' when once the Protector had proclaimed his supremacy； the
industry of the road revived； and there was not a single diver or rumpad
that did not declare eternal war upon the black…hearted Regicides。 With a
laudable devotion to her chosen cause； Moll despatched the most
experienced of her gang to rob Lady Fairfax on her way to church； and
there is a tradition that the Roaring Girl； hearing that Fairfax himself
would pass by Hounslow； r