Chapter Mohocks to Monastery of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Mohocks to Monastery

Mohocks, a class of ruffians who a t one time infested the streets of London. So called from the Indian Mohocks. At the Restoration, the street bullies were called Muns and Tityre Tus; they were next called Hectors and Scourers; later still, Nickers and Hawcubites; and lastly, Mohocks or Mohawks.

Now is the time that rakes their revels keep,
Kindlers of riot, enemies of sleep:
His scattered pence the flying Nicker flings,
And with the copper shower the casement rings;
Who has not heard the Scowerer’s midnight fame?
Who has not trembled at the Mohock’s name?
   —Gay: Trivia, iii. 321, etc. (1712).

Mohun (Lord), the person who joined captain Hill in a dastardly attack on the actor Mountford on his way to Mrs. Bracegirdle’s house, in Howard Street. Captain Hill was jealous of Mountford, and induced lord Mohun to join him in this “valiant exploit.” Mountford died next day, captain Hill fled from the country, and Mohun was tried but acquitted.

The general features of this cowardly attack are very like that of the count Koningsmark on Thomas Thynne of Lingleate Hill. Count Koningsmark was in love with Elizabeth Percy (widow of the earl of Ogle), who was contracted to Mr. Thynne; but before the wedding day arrived, the count, with some hired ruffians, assassinated his rival in his carriage as it was passing down Pall Mall.

N.B.—Elizabeth Percy, within three months of the murder, married the duke of Somerset.

Moidart (John of), captain of the clan Ronald, and a chief in the army of Montrose.—Sir W. Scott: Legend of Montrose (time, Charles I.).

Moina, daughter of Reuthamir the principal man of Balclutha, a town on the Clyde, belonging to the Britons. Moina married Clessammor (the maternal uncle of Fingal), and died in childbirth of her son Carthon, during the absence of her husband.—Ossian: Carthon.

Mokanna, the name given to Hakem ben. Haschem, from a silver gauze veil worn by him “to dim the lustre of his face,” or rather to hide its extreme ugliness. The history of this impostor is given by D’Herbelot in his Bibliothèque Orientale (1697).

Mokanna forms the first story of Lalla Rookh (“The Veiled Prophet of Khorassan”), by Thomas Moore (1817).

Mokattam (Mount), near Cairo ( Egypt), noted for the massacre of the caliph Hakem Bamr-ellah, who was given out to be incarnate deity and the last prophet who communicated between God and man (eleventh century). Here, also, fell in the same massacre his chief prophet, and many of his followers. In consequence of this persecution, Durzi, one of the “prophet’s” chief apostles, led the survivors into Syria, where they settled between the Libanus and Anti-Libanus, and took the name of Durzis, corrupted into Druses.

As the khalif vanished erst,
In what seemed death to uninstructed eyes,
On red Mokattam’s verge.
   —R. Browning: The Return of the Druses, i.

Molay (Jacques), grand-master of the Knights Templars. As he was led to the stake he summoned the pope (Clement V.) within forty days, and the king (Philippe IV.) within forty weeks, to appear before the throne of God to answer for his death. They both died within the stated periods. (See Summons to Death.)

Molière, the great French poet of comedy (1622–1671).

The Italian Molière, Charlo Goldoni (1707–1793).

The Spanish Molière, Leandro Fernandez Moratin (1760–1828).

Moll Cutpurse, Mary Frith, who once attacked general Fairfax on Hounslow Heath.