It may here, perhaps, be worth while to place in one view the scanty and scattered information regarding Mary Frith (_alias_ Moll Cut-purse), the Roaring Girl. She was a woman who commonly dressed like a man, and challenged several male opponents, bearing, during her life, the character of a bully, a thief, a bawd, a receiver of stolen goods, &c.[70] She appears to have been the daughter of a shoemaker, born in 1584, dead in 1659, and buried in what is now called St Bride's Church. In February 1611-12, she did penance at Paul's Cross, but the letter mentioning this fact, which is in the British Museum, does not state for what offence. Among other daring exploits, she robbed, or assisted in robbing, General Fairfax on Hounslow Heath, for which she was sent to Newgate, but afterwards liberated without trial. The immediate cause of her death was a dropsy, and she seems then to have been possessed of property. She lived in her own house in Fleet Street, next the Globe Tavern, and left £20 that the conduit might run wine on the expected return of Charles II. Besides the comedy by Middleton and Dekker [printed in the works of Middleton], John Day wrote "a book of the mad pranks of Merry Moll of the Bankside." It was entered at Stationers' Hall in 1610, and perhaps the play of which she is the heroine was founded upon it. Another account of her life was printed in 1662, shortly after her decease. She is supposed to be alluded to by Shakespeare in "Twelfth Night," act i. sc. 3, and obtained such "bad eminence," in point of notoriety, that it is not surprising (according to the evidence of the authors of "The Witch of Edmonton," act v. sc. 1), that some of the dogs at Paris Garden, used in baiting bulls and bears, were named after her. FOOTNOTES: [69] [Although the printed copies bear the date here given, the plays in question were written many years before, Middleton having probably died in 1626.] [70] She is the "honest Moll" alluded to by City-wit in R. Brome's "Court Beggar," act ii. sc. 1, to whom he is to go for the recovery of his purse, after he had had his pocket picked while looking at the news in the window of "the _Coranto_ shop." He afterwards states that she "deals in private for the recovery of such goods." DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.[71] COUNT, _father of Lord Feesimple_. LORD FEESIMPLE. LORD PROUDLY. SIR JOHN LOVE-ALL, _called Husband_. SUBTLE, _his friend_. INGEN, _in love with Lady Honour_. FRANK, _his younger brother_. BOLD, _in love with Lady Bright_. WELLTRIED, _his friend_. SELDOM, _a citizen_. WHOREBANG, } BOTS, } } _Roarers_. TEARCHAPS, } SPILLBLOOD,} PITTS, } }_Serjeants_. DONNER,} _Page, Drawer, &c._ LADY HONOUR ,} {_Maid_, LADY PERFECT,} _called_ {_Wife_. LADY BRIGHT, } {_Widow_. GRACE SELDOM. MOLL CUT-PURSE.