The story of Nell Gwyn (27 page)

the King's Theatre, 28 ; his tragi-coinedy Secret Love, or the Maiden Queen, Nell Gvvyn's brilliant pf-rformance in the part of Florimel, 28-31 ; his tragedy of Tyrannick Love, or the Royal Martyr, Nell Gwyn as Valeria, 57 ; his comedy An Evenings T-^ove, or the Mock Astrologer, Nell Gwyn as Donna JacintHa, 57 ; his tragedy The Conquest of Granada, Nell Gwyn in the character of Almahide, 58-61 ; the King suggests to him and rewards him for the poem of The Medal, 71 ; his estimate of Charles II., 76 ; urged by the King to write an epic, but finds him a poor pavmaster, 78

Duffet (Thomas), dedicates a play to Nell Gwyn, 132, 203

Dugdale (Sir Williain), is puzzled to find surnames for Charles II.'s children, 119 n.

Duke's Theatre opened, 10, 170 ; company, 12

Dungan, Dongan, or Duncan, said to have introduced Nell Gwyn to the stage, 22-24, 174

D'Urfey (Tom), 123 ; Charles II.'s easy manner with, 72 ; his loyal songs, 113

Egg (Augustus Leopold), R.A., his picture of Nell Gwyn and Pepys, 27 n.

Epsom, in the days of Charles il., 40

Etherege (Sir George), 13, 31, 37«., 152 ; \\\s Madam Nelly's Complaint, 23 ; quoted, 112 n. ; another satire on Nell Gwyn lied The Lady of Pleasure,

149; quotations from, 167, i8b, 19s Evelyn (John), witnesses a familiar discouise between the King and Nell Gwyn, 105; graphic description of a Sunday at Whitehall, 139 ; other citations from his Diary, 43, 63, 68, 100, 140, 147, 148 n.

Fairborne (Lady), Nell Gvvyn's bequest to her, 152; account of her, 217

Feriton (Lavinia), the original Polly Peachum, afterwards Duchess of Bolton, 37

Filberts, or Philbcrds, near Windsor, 122, 198

Forster (Mrs. Rose), Nell Gwyn's sister, 151; has an Irish pension, 209; Nell Gwyn's bequests to her, 151, 216 ; account of her, 215

Fox (Sir Stephen), 153 ; the real originator of Chelsea Hospital, 202

Fulham, Nell Gwyn's doubtful association with, 197

G.\R RICK (David), his birthplace, 4 ; Dr. Johnson's objection to his becoming a member of " the Club," 35 n.

Gascoigne (Sir Bernard), 116

George of Denmark (Prince), Charles II.'s advice to, 75

Germain (Sir John), tries to seduce Nell Gwyn fn m Charles II., 137; his amour with the Duchess of Norfolk, 137

Godolphin (Sidney, Earl of), Charles II.'s happy character of him, 94

Goodman (Cardell), actor at the King's Theatre, 10

227

Grafton (Henty Fitzroy, Duke of), beloved by his father Charles II., 65 ; his marriage, 117

Graham (Colonel James), keeper of the privy purse to James II., (?)2io, (?)2ii ; his marriage to Dorothy Howard, 180

Graham (Richard), acts as James II.'s almoner to Nell Gwyn,

146, (?)2IO, (?)2II

Granville (George, afterwards Lord Lansdowne), his opinion on Charles II.'s death, 212

Greene (Lady), formerly Katharine Pegg, mistress of Charles II., mentioned in Nell Gwyn's letter to Laurence Hyde, 207; her son by the King, 118, 208

Griffin, Griffith (Edward), treasurer of the chamber, Nell Gwyn's neighbour in Pall Mall, 102 ; mentioned in her letter to Madam Jennings, 135, 206

Guilford (Lord Keeper), opinion of Charles II., 74 ; assured by the King that he will not forsake him, 86

Gwyn, Quin, or Quyn (Mrs. Anne), an actress constantly confounded with Nell Gwyn, 28 n., 177, 220

Gwyn (Eleanor), Nell Gwyn's mother, lived formerly at Oxford, 165 ; resided at one time with her daughter in Pall Mall, 126 ; drowned near the Neat Houses, London, 5, 125, 166, 200 ; verses on her deatli, 125 ; buried in the church of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, 125 ; amusing references to her by Rochester and Etherege, 166-167

Gwyn (Nell), her birthplace, 2,

4, 165 ; her horoscope, 3 ; her parents, 4, 141; Wood's pedigree of her family, 166; her early days, 5, 168 ; an orange girl at the theatre, 6 ; becomes known to Samuel Pepys, 19, 21 ; said to have been introduced to the stage by one Duncan, Dungan, or Dongan, 23-24, 174 ; appears as Cyda-ria, 175 ; Lady Wealthy, 25 ; Enanthe or Celia, 26 ; Flori-mel, 29 ; mistress of Charles Hart, the actor, 30 ; her lodging in Drury Lane, 31-34, 176 ; mistress of Lord Buck-hurst, 34, 177; spends a month with him at Epsom, 39-44; returns to the King's Theatre, 44; hated serious parts in which she failed, 46 ; her success as Mirida in AII Mist akeit , or the Mad Couple, 46; mmiics Moll Davis, 50 ; said to have acted Alizia or Alice Piers in The Black Prince, 55, 177; in great demand for speaking prologues and epilogues, 56, 57, 59; becomes mistress of tiie King, 58 ; at Tunbridge Wells, 178 ; her performance as Almahide in The Conquest of Granada, 58 ; Charles II. fascinated by it, 60 ; her cartwheel hat becomes the mode, 178; Almahide her last performance on the stage, 61, 178; delivered of a son, Charles Beauclerk, 99; removes from apartments in Lincoln's Inn Fields to a house on the north side of Pall Mall, 102; migrates to the south side, 102, 189; her "familiar discourse" with the K'ng

228

shocks John Evelyn, 105 ; also Mr. Alderman Wright of Oxford, 188 ; a favourite with the populace, 107 ; fondness for silver plate, 108, 191 ; rivalry between her and the Duchess of Portsmouth, 108, 192-195, insulted by Henry Killigrew, 191; goes into mock mourning for the Cham of Tartary, iii; again in mourning when the Duchess Mazarin appears at Court, 195 ; calls Charles II. her Charles the third, 112; addicted to swearing, 112 ; gives a private concert, 113 ; her merry repartees, 102, 113, 187, 195; her dainty underwear, 195 ; birth of her second son, James, Lord Beauclerk, 115, 197 ; appointed a lady of the Privy Chamber, 197; houses in which she is supposed to have lived, 121, 197, 198 ; her "dairy" in the Strand, 122, 198; has her basset-table, 123 ; constant court paid to her for political purposes, 124, 199 ; intercedes with the King on behalf of the Duke of Monmouth, 124, 199 ; her staunch Protestantism, 124, 147 ; bills for her household and other expenses, 126-130, 201 ; her visits to the theatre, 126, 201 ; said to have inspired Charles II. with the idea of founding Chelsea Hospital, 131, 202 ; two plays and a book dedicated to her, 132, 203; letters written for her, 135, 206-211 ; her pensions and allowances, 136 n., 201, 209, 210 ; appears as a witness in the Duke of

Norfolk's divorce suit, 137; her visit to Winchester, and Dr. Ken's refusal to surrender his prebendal house to her, 137; to have been created Countess of Greenwich, 141 ; in mourning for Charles II.,

144 ; in pecuniary difficulties, 144; had bought Peg Hughes's pearl necklace, 145; James II. relieves her from her outlawry,

145 ; Bestwood Park settled upon her, 146, 213 ; false rumour of her having become a Roman Catholic, 147; her will, 149, 214; codicils, 151, 216 ; her last illness, 217 ; her death, 152 ; her burial in the church of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, 153; another burial-place assigned to her, 221 ; her funeral sermon preached by Dr. Tenison, 153, 165 ; her portraits, 156, 219-221 ; relics of Nell Gwyn, 159, 222 ; her signature, 160; mstances of her kindness and generosity, 161, 217 ; presents a Bible to Oliver Cromwell's porter, 161, 222 ; naturally graceful, 162, 222 ; plays with Nell Gwyn for heroine, 163 n., 178; her descendants, 219

Gwyn (Rose), sister of Nell Gwyn, successively Mrs. Cas-sells and Mrs. Forster, 127; account of her, 215 ; has an Irish pension, 209, 210 ; Nell Gwyn's bequests to her, 151, 216

Gwyn (Captain Thomas), thought to be Nell Gwyn's father, 4, 141 n. ; said to have died in a prison at Oxford, 153

229

Gwyiine (Francis), not related to Nell Gwyn, 153 n. ; account of him, 218

Haines (Joe), actor at the King's Theatre, 10

Hale (Sir Matthew), an upright judge, 89

Hall (Jacob), the rope-dancer, 44, 128

Harrell (Christianas), M.D., attends Nell Gwyn in her last illness, 214; her bequest to him, 216

Harris (Henry, not Joseph), actor at the Duke's Theatre, 13' 173 ; intimate with Pepys, 20, 172

Harrow Church, Charles H.'s remark on, 90

Hart (Charles), actor at the King's Theatre, 10, 60; as Celadon in Dryden's Secret Love, ur the Maiden Queen, 28-30; Nell Gwyn his inis-tress, 30, 112; hates her for preferring Lord Buckhurst to himself, 45, 46 ; as Philidor in All Mistaken, or the Mad Couple, 46; loved by the Countess of Castlemaine, 53 ; as Almanzor in Dryden's Conquest of Granada, 58 ; his death, 134

Harvey (Lady), her oddities imitated by Mrs. Corey, the actress, 104; account of her, 188

Henrietta Maria (Queen), only once present at the theatre in Blackfriars, 8

Hereford, one of the reputed birthplaces of Nell Gwyn, 2

Hobbes (Thomas), 72; nick-

named " the Bear " by Charles H., 85

Hogaith (William), his picture of the Bci^gar's Opera, 37 n.

Holden (Mrs.), actress at the Duke's Theatre, 14

Holford, or rather Howard (Mrs.), and Charles II., 84; account of her, 180

Hope (Anthony) and Rose (Edward), their play English. Nell, 164

Houses in which Nell Gwyn is said to have lived, 121, 197, 198, 200, 202

Howard (Hon. Edward), struck by John Lacy the actor, 35

Howard (Hon. James), his comedy The Efiglish Monsieur, 24 ; extract from it, 25

Hughes (Margaret or Peg), actress at the King's Theatre, the first woman who acted on the English stage after the Restoration, 10, 170; mistress of Prince Rupert, 12, 170; her brother killed, 213 ; her pearl necklace sold to Nell Gwyn, 145 ; wasted over cards and dice the money she received from Prince Rupert, 213

Hyde (Laurence), afterwards Earl of Rochester, 92, 142 ».; Nell Gvvyn's letter to him, 207; one of her executors, 150 ; account of him, 181

I pass all my hours in a shady old grove, song by Charles II., 73

James, Duke of York, afterwards James II., his love of business, 74; his ugly mis-

230

tresses, 93; meeting with Charles II. near Constitution Hill, 93; death of his first wife, Anne Hyde, 115 ; marries his second wife. Princess Mary of Modena, 117; treats Nell Gwyn with regard, 124 ; her letters to him when he became King, 210, 211; pays her debts, 146, 147

Jennings (Frances, called I>a Belle), her adventure as an orange-girl, 116.

Jennings (Madam), Nell Gwyn's letter to her, 135; possibly identical with Mrs. Frances Jennings, 206

Jennings (Mrs.), actress at the Duke's Theatre, 14

Jerningham (Edward), his comedy The Peckhatn Frolic, or Nell Gwyn, 178

Jerrold (Douglas), his drama of Nell Gwyniie, 163 n.

Jersey (Edward Villiers, Earl of), attempts to disparage 'I'enison for having preached Nell Gwyn's funeral sermon, 154

Jigs, Nell Gwyn and Moll Davis famous for dancing, 47 n., 49,

SI. 52 Johnson (Mrs.), actress at the

Duke's Theatre, 14 Johnson (Dr. Samuel), 35 n., 89

Ken (Thomas), refuses to give up his prebendal house to Nell Gwyn, 137, 211

Kester (Paul), his play Sweet Nell of Old Drury, 164

Kildare (John, Earl of), 135, 206

Killigrew (Thomas), manager of the King's Theatre, 9 ; his suggestion to Chaili-s II., 69

King's Theatre, opening of the, 9, 169 ; company, 10

Knep, or Knipp (Mrs.), actress at the King's Theatre, 10, 12, 17, 27, 28, 36; account of her, 171

Knight (Mary or Moll), the singer, habit of swearing, 112 n. ; account of her, 186

Kynaston (Edward), actor at the King's Theatre, 10, 11; is thrashed by Sir Charles Sedley for mimicking him on the stage, 104

Lacy (John), actorat the King's Theatre, 10, 11; strikes the Hon. Edward Howard, 35 ; imprisoned for abusing the Court on the stage, 104 ; his death, 134

Lansdowne (George Granville, Lord), his opinion on Charles II.'s death, 212

Lauderdale House, Highgate, 118 n.

Le Febuie (Joshua), M.D., Nell Gwyn's bequest to him, 216; oneof Charles 11.'s physicians, 217

Leigh (Anthony), actor at the Duke's Theatre, 14; mentioned, 78

Lely (Sir Peter), 144; his portraits of Nell Gv/yn, 156-159, 219

Letters written for Nell Gwyn, 135. 207-211

Lewknor's Lane, afterwards Charles Street, 5, 32, 168

Long (Mrs.), actress at the Duke's Theatre, 13

Lower (Richard), "^M.D., his visits to Nell Gw\ii, 148; account of him, 213

231

Marshall (Anne an d R ebecca), actressesat the King's Theatre, lo, 12; not daughters of Stephen Marshall the Presbyterian minister, 5, 22, 167,

171. 173

Marshall (Rebecca), her handsome hand, 22

Marvell (Andrew), cited, 161, 189, 195

Mary (Queen), her admirable reply to Viscount Villiers, 154

Masks worn by ladies at the theatre, 15, 172

Maypole in the Strand, 33

Mazarin (Duchess), Nell Gwyn loses heavily to her at basset, 123 ; appears at Court, 195

Medbourne (Matthew), actor at the Duke's Theatre, 13

Mellon (Harriet) and Nell Gwyn, a parallel, 156

Millington (Sir Thomas), M.D., and Charles II.'s death, 140

Milton (John), contemporary opinion of, 43

Miss, an unmarried actress first styled, 12 n.

Mistress, actresses so called even when single, 11

Mohun (Michael), actor at the King's Theatre, 10, 11; his death, 134

Monmouth (James, Duke of), 60, 65 ; Nell Gwyn endeavours to reconcile Charles II. to him, 124, 199 ; brought to the King for reconciliation by one of Lord Ranelagh's daughters, 206; attended by Tenison at his execution, 149

More (Sir Thomas), his History of Kiitg Richard III., i, 162

Morocco (Emperor of), his present to Charles II., 90

Miilgrave (John Sheffield, third Earl of), afterwards first Duke of Buckingham and Norman-by, on Charles II.'s love of telling stories, 77 ; his bitter personalities endured by the King, 78 ; his opinion on Charles II.'s death, 140

Murphy (Arthur), objected to at Lincoln's Inn for having been an actor, 35

My Lodging it is on the cold ground, quoted, 49

Neat-Houses near London, 5, 125, 166, 200

Newmarket, Nell Gwyn at, 188

Nokes (J;mies), actor at the Duke's Theatre, 13, 78 ; quizzes the French as Sir Arthur Addle, 59, loi

Norfolk (Mary, Duchess of), intimate with Nell Gwyn, 136,