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- Below from http://www.cyburkespace.info/content/nodes/Gwynn_N.txt
LIFE AND TIMES:
After the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, the restraints of the
Puritans were thrown off and hundreds of brothels opened in London. Nelland her sister were employed at a popular brothel run by a Madame Rossand visited by diarist Samuel Pepys*. The new king, Charles II*, set uphis court nearby at Whitehall and the area became busy.
At the end of 1660, Gwynn's sister Rose had been set up by HarryKilligrew, the son of Tom Killigrew, a favorite companion of the King.Tom Killigrew was given a license for one of the new theaters the Kingauthorized. It was in Covent Garden and became known as the King'sPlayhouse. The sisters were taken on as orange girls through her friend,Mary Meggs (known as Orange Moll), who had been granted a license to sellrefreshments at Killigrew's theater.
Killigrew had obtained from the King the exclusive right to use women in
women's parts. By 1664, Gwyn was acting at the playhouse, although shecould neither read nor write. She was noticed by poet and playwright John
Dryden*, in a play called "Thomaso", by Tom Killigrew, when she played a
courtesan. Although the play closed after one performance (it was so
terrible), Dryden asked that Nell be taught to act and given propercostumes. By the time she was 15, Gwyn had found a protector, playwrightCharles Hart, through whom she met fashionable young men and members ofthenewly formed Royal Society.
Gwyn learned how to behave in polite society and, given her natural wit,
she attracted the attention of a number of celebrated men. Christopher
Wren*, the architect, was taken by her, as were other members of theRoyal
Society, such as scientist Robert Hooke*.
Just as Gwyn's career was about to take off, however, the Great Plague of
1665 broke out and the theater was closed. After the plague passed, Nellgot
the leading female role in a play, but with the 1666 Great Fire ofLondon the
theaters were closed again. When the fire danger was past, Gwyn got the
lead in in Dryden" s "Secret love, or The Maiden Queen". The play was ahit. The King saw it several times, and ordered acommand performance atCourt.
Gwyn became friends with another actress, Moll Davis. Both had the same
life's aim: to find rich, aristocratic protectors on as permanent a basis
as possible. The Duke of Buckingham had ousted the King's current
mistress, and a replacement was being sought by the King's friends.Theyapproached both Nell and Moll, suggesting they follow the Court toTonbridge Wells at Christmas, 1667. It was Moll who got invited into theKing's bed, but Gwyn ingratiated herself with the courtiers, and in thespring of 1668, sat at the theater with a relative of Buckingham's in thenext box to the King and his brother, the Duke of York.The Kingimmediately engaged her in conversation and after the performance theyall had supper together. By the end of the summer, Gwyn was the King'sfavourite.
Gwyn continued as an actress, but was often away for days with the King.
She and the King spent weeks at Newmarket. In 1669, when Gwyn became
pregnant, it was clear that the King did not regard her as just another
whore. He ate at least one meal a day with her, played cards and received
diplomats and petitioners at her house.
In 1670, she bore a son, Charles Beauclerk. In 1671, she had a secondson,
James.
The King never made Nell his official mistress. That position was
conferred in 1671 to Louise de Keroualle, whom Charles later made Duchess
of Portland. Charles divided his time between the two. When the King's
Playhouse reopened in 1674 after a fire, Gwyn was given her own box. In
1676, her first son, Charles Beauclerk, was made Baron Heddington and Earl
of Burford (and seven years later, the Duke of St. Albans.)
Gwyn was as popular with ordinary people as with the King's friends,mainly
because she remained down-to-earth. Gwyn was considered to keep the besttable and the King was particularly fond of her pigeon pies.
In 1679, the King took ill at Windsor and it was feared he would die.Gwyn, with the Queen's permission., nursed him. At Christmas 1679, theKing gave Gwyn a house near Windsor Castle. When members of the RoyalSociety visited the King, they often stayed there. In 1680, her secondson died and the King spent Christmas of that year with her. In 1681,Dryden read his poem "Absalom and Achitophel" to Charles and Gwyn.
Gwyn apparently never asked for much, and that was one of the qualities
that appealed to the King. However, she was insulted that she was givenno
title, and the King decided to please her and make her the Countess of
Greenwich. But, in 1685, Charles died before the title could be bestowed.
His death was relatively sudden, occurring after a few days' illness,
during which Gwyn was forbidden to see him. Diarist John Evelyn* writes
that before Charles died, he beseeched his brother, James, to make sure
that "Nelly might not starve". James paid her debts and Gwyn was
treated more kindly than the King's other mistresses, but she had to sell
her jewels to support herself. In 1687, two years after the King died,
Gwyn herself fell ill and became partially paralyzed. She died onNovember
14th.
ASSESSMENT: Gwyn was a folk heroine to the people of her time because she
always remained, and behaved as, one of the people.
EXTRA CONNECTIONS: None
BIBLIOGRAPHY: MacGregor-Hastie, Roy, Nell Gwynn, Robert Hale, London,1987
From http://www.cyburkespace.info/content/nodes/Gwynn_N.txt
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