Chapter Moccasins to Mohicans of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

This is so very different to the accounts given in Arthurian romance of Mordred, that it is better to give the two names as if they were different individuals.

Modred (Sir), nephew of king Arthur. He hated sir Lancelot, and sowed discord among the knights of the Round Table. Tennyson says that Modred “tampered with the lords of the White Horse,” the brood that Hengist left. Geoffrey of Monmouth says he made a league with Cheldric the Saxon leader in Germany, and promised to give him all that part of England which lies between the Humber and Scotland, together with all that Hengist and Horsa held in Kent, if he would aid him against king Arthur. Accordingly, Cheldric came over with 800 ships, filled “with pagan soldiers” (British History, xi. 1).

§ When the king was in Brittany, whither he had gone to chastise sir Lancelot for adultery with the queen, he left sir Modred regent, and sir Modred raised a revolt. The king returned, drew up his army against the traitor, and in this “great battle of the West” Modred was slain, and Arthur received his death-wound.—Tennyson: Idylls of the King (“Guinevere,” 1858).

This version is in accordance neither with Geoffrey of Monmouth (see previous article) nor with Arthurian romance (see Mordred), and is, therefore, given separately.

Modu, the prince of all devils that take possession of a human being.

Maho was the chief devil that had possession of Sarah Williams; but…Richard Mainy was molested by a still more considerable fiend called Modu, … the prince of all other devils.—Harsnett: Declaration of Popish Impostures, 268.

Modus, cousin of Helen; a “musty library, who loved Greek and Latin;” but cousin Helen loved the bookworm, and taught him how to love far better than Ovid could with his Art of Love. Having so good a teacher, Modus became an apt scholar, and eloped with cousin Helen.—Knowles: The Hunchback (1831).

Mœchus, Adultery personified; one of the four sons of Caro (fleshly lust). His brothers were Porneius (fornication), Acatharus, and Aselgês (lasciviousness). In the battle of Mansoul, Mœchus is slain by Agneia (wifely chastity), the spouse of Encratês (temperance) and sister of Parthenia (maidenly chastity). (Greek, moichos, “an adulterer.”)—Phineas Fletcher: The Purple Island, xi. (1633).

Mœliades Under this name William Drummond signalized Henry prince of Wales, eldest son of James I., in the monody entitled Tears on the Death of Mœliades. The word is an anagram of Milês a Deo. The prince, in his masquerades and martial sports, used to call himself “Mœliadês of the Isles.”

Mœliadês, bright day-star of the West.
   —Drummond: Tears on the Death of Mœliadés (1612)

The burden of the monody is—

Mœliadês sweet courtly nymphs deplore,
From Thulê to Hydaspês pearly shore.

Moffat (Mabel), domestic of Edward Redgauntlet.—Sir W. Scott: Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Mogg (Peter), a barrister who contests with Frank Vane in the election of an English borough. As Frank Vane runs away with Anne the heroine, the election is left free for Mogg.—J. Sterling: The Election (a poem in about 2000 verses).

And who was Mogg? O Muse, the man declare
How excellent his worth, his parts how rare;
A younger son, he learnt in Oxford’s halls
The spheral harmonies of billiard balls;
Drank, hunted, drove, and hid from Virtue’s frown
His venial follies in a doctor’s gown.

Mohadi (Mahommed), the twelfth imaum, whom the Orientals believe is not dead, but is destined to return and combat Antichrist before the consummation of all things.