The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders

Moll and Jemmy are married. Each discovers that the other is a fortune hunter. After spending the night with Moll, Jemmy abandons her. Moll takes the stage to London, which is robbed by Jemmy, who has become a highwayman. After sharing a passionate kiss he leaves and she continues her journey. Moll falls under the protection of a banker, John Bland, a fellow passenger. After convincing him to divorce his adulterous wife, Moll marries him and bears him two children. The shock of his bank going under kills John. When the bailiffs show up at the door Moll takes the children and as many valuables that she can carry and escapes. She leaves the children with her husband's relatives and finds lodging with Mrs. Riordan. Moll, starving, becomes a thief.

Moll continues in her life of crime, taking on a partner, Lucy Diver. Lucy is caught and hanged for her crimes. Moll is eventually caught robbing a drapery store. She is taken to Newgate and sentenced to hang for her crimes. She claims to be pregnant so is given a stay of execution of one month. Jemmy has been caught and is brought to the prison. They are allowed an hour together during which time Moll tells Jemmy to ask for transportation before he is brought up in court. She gives him a snuff box belonging to Sir Richard Gregory and asks Jemmy to take it to Sir Richard. Jemmy is to tell him that Moll Flanders needs his help or Sir Richard's wife will hear about Moll's sexual relationship with her husband. Jemmy appears in court and is sentenced to transportation to Virginia. Moll's sentence is to hang. As the noose is around her neck, Jemmy rides up and shouts that her sentence has been commuted to transportation. She and Jemmy sail together to Virginia.