17th Cent. Nell Gwynne

Nell Gwynne

Eleanor Gwynne was born at 6 a.m. on 2 February 1650, in Hereford, England. She was the daughter of Helena Gwynne ( - 20 July 1679) and Thomas Gwynne. She had a sister, Rose Gwynne. Called Nell, she lived with her mother, "Old Madam Gwyn". Nell grew up to be very attractive and loving, with a lively wit. She could not read or write, signing her name she used her initials "E.G." , but her voice was clear and strong.

Nell Gwynne

In ca 1663, she started selling oranges in the precincts of the Drury Lane Theatre. Her first lover was the actor, Charles Hart (ca 1625 - 18 August 1683). Less than a year after becoming an orange-girl, through the influence of Charles Hart, Nell joined the rank of actresses at Bridges Street. She was taught acting by Charles Hart, and learned dancing from John Lacy.

Nell Gwynne

In March 1665, Nell made her first recorded appearance on stage in John Dryden's drama The Indian Emperour, playing Cydaria, daughter of Montezuma and love interest to Cortez, played by Charles Hart. It was a serious part. According to The Diary of Samuel Pepys by Samuel Pepys (23 February 1633 - 26 May 1703), "...to the King's playhouse, and there saw 'The Indian Emperour;' where I find Nell come again, which I am glad of; but was most infinitely displeased with her being put to act the Emperour's daughter; which is a great and serious part, which she do most basely." The Diarist, Samuel Pepys called her "pretty witty Nell", after seeing her in The Numerous Lieutenant he wrote in January 1667, "...to the King's house, and there saw "The Numerous Lieutenant," a silly play, I think; only the Spirit in it that grows very tall, and then sinks again to nothing, having two heads breeding upon one, and then Knipp's singing, did please us. Here, in a box above, we spied Mrs. Pierce; and, going out, they called us, and so we staid for them; and Knipp took us all in, and brought to us Nelly; a most pretty woman, who acted the great part of Coelia to-day very fine, and did it pretty well: I kissed her, and so did my wife; and a mighty pretty soul she is." In 1666, she played Lady Wealthy in James Howard's comedy The English Monsieur. Upon seeing her as Florimel in Dryden's Secret Love, or the Maiden Queen, Pepys wrote on 25 March 1667, "so great a performance of a comical part was never, I believe, in the world before... so done by Nell her merry part as cannot be better done in nature."

Nell Gwynne as Diana

In the Summer of 1667, Nell lived as the mistress of Charles Sackville (24 January 1638 - 29 January 1706) in Epsom. Nell's success brought her other leading roles. John Dryden wrote characters especially for her, having made a study of her airy personality. Nell appeared as Bellario, in Beaumont and Fletcher's Philaster, Flora, in Rhodes's Flora's Vagaries and Samira, in Sir Robert Howard's Surprisal.

Nell Gwynne

by William Bate Nell Gwynne and King Charles II

by Edward Matthew Ward

In April 1668, Nell was attending a performance of George Etherege, She Wou'd if She Cou'd at the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields. In the next box was Charles II, King of England, Scotland and Ireland (29 May 1630 - 6 February 1685). He was the son of Princess Henrietta Maria of France, Queen Consort of England, Scotland and Ireland (25 November 1609 – 10 September 1669) and Charles I, King of England, Scotland and Ireland (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649). According to accounts he was more interested in flirting with Nell than watching the play. Charles invited Nell and her date, Mr. Villiers, along with his brother James, the Duke of York (14 October 1633 - 16 September 1701) to dinner. After the meal, the King discovered that he had no money on him, nor did his brother. Nell had to pay the bill, she exclaimed; "Od's fish! But this is the poorest company I ever was in!" Previously having been the mistress of Charles Hart and Charles Sackville, she jokingly titled the King, "her Charles the Third". By the summer of 1668, Nell's affair with the King was well-known, though there was little reason to believe it would last for long. She continued to act at the King's House, her new notoriety drawing larger crowds and encouraging the playwrights to craft more roles specifically for her. In June 1668, Nell appeared in Dryden's An Evening's Love, or The Mock Astrologer. In July 1668, she played in Lacy's The Old Troop. This was a farce about a company of Cavalier soldiers during the English Civil War, based on Lacy's own experiences. She remained a member of the Drury Lane company until 1669, as her commitment to the King increased. In June 1669, she was Valeria in Dryden's tragedy Tyrannick Love.

Nell Gwynne

by Sir Peter Lely

1670

Nell Gwynne

by Sir Peter Lely

1670

Nell Gwynne

by Sir Peter Lely

In 1670, the lady-in-waiting Louise Renée de Penancoët de Kérouaille (September 1649 - 14 November 1734) to Henrietta Anne, Duchess of Orléans (16 June 1644 - 30 June 1670) accompanied her on a visit to Charles II at Dover. The sudden death of Henrietta Anne on 30 June 1670, left her unprovided for, but the King appointed her a lady-in-waiting to his wife, Catherine of Braganza, Queen Consort of England, Scotland and Ireland (25 November 1638 - 31 December 1705). Nell's popularity was only partly due to the antipathy inspired by her French Catholic rival, the two mistresses was very different; one high bread noblewoman, to "pretty, witty Nell." Nell never pretended to be more than she was, and who she was appealed irresistibly to both King and populace. One day when Nell was driven to the Palace a crowd mistook her carriage for that of de Kérouille, and they began shouting; "Catholic whore!" Nell leaned out her window; "Pray good people be civil - I am the Protestant whore!" The crowd burst into laughter and escorted her the rest of the way. Madame de Sevigne noted the rivalry and said of Nell, "She is young, indiscreet, confident, wild and of an agreeable humour: she sings, she dances, she acts her part with a good grace." Nell lived either in Pall Mall in Westminster or Church Street in Windsor, in order to be near the King while at his Palaces. Nell gave birth to her first child by the King, a son named Charles, on 8 May 1670.

The Children of Nell Gwynne and King Charles II:

Charles Beauclerk, Earl of Burford, later Duke of St. Albans (8 May 1670 - 11 May 1726)
James Beauclerk (25 December 1671-1681)

Her last appearance on the stage was in late 1670, as Almahide in The Conquest of Granada by Dryden. Its production had to be postponed for some months while the theatre awaited Nell's return after the birth of her first child. King Charles II then built Burford House for her, on the edge of the Home Park, 250 yards from the walls of Windsor Castle. Nell gave birth to her second child by the King, James, Lord Beauclerk on 25 December 1671.

Nell Gwynne as Cupid

by Peter Cross

1672

Nell Gwynne with her Sons, King Charles II in the background.

by Henri Gascar

Nell Gwynne and one of her sons, as Venus and Cupid
by Sir Peter Lely

This beautiful painting by Sir Peter Lely is also said to be another mistress of the King, Lady Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland (November 1640 - 9 October 1709), but nah - I don't think so. Just look at the child, does it look like the son of Barbara with straight dark hair, or does it look like one of the little sons of Nell with curly, fair? Or could this be the pose of another lady? I am not sure, but for now I believe this is Nell with her youngest son, James Beauclerk. Of her two sons by the King, the elder, Charles Beauclerk was created Baron Heddington and Earl of Burford and, subsequently, Duke of St. Albans. King Charles II was indeed busy with the ladies, Mary Davis (ca 1648 - 1708) was another one of Nell's rivals. Called Moll, she was an actress in the Duke's Theatre Company. Moll gave birth to a daughter by the King, Mary Tudor, Countess of Derwentwater (16 October 1673 - 5 November 1726) on 16 October 1673.

Nell Gwynne
by Peter Lely
1675

Nell Gwynne

by Sir Peter Lely

1675

Nell Gwynne

by Sir Peter Lely

Her sister, Rose married John Cassells. He became a Captain in the Duke of Monmouth's guards. John Cassells died in 1675. Rose then marrried Guy Forster.

Nell Gwynne with her Sons

by Henri Gascar

In 1677, Nell's youngest son, little Lord Beauclerk was sent to school in Paris, France. Her mother, Helena Gwynne drowned in a pond on 20 July 1679, in Chelsea, Middlesex. She was buried in St Martin-in-the Fields.

Nell Gwynne

by Sir Peter Lely

ca 1680

Nell Gwynne

by Simon Verelst

1680

Her son, James died in 1681, at the boarding School. Although the King had a number of illegitimate children with various mistresses, he had none with his wife, Catherine of Braganza. His Catholic brother James was thus his heir. Knowledge of his negotiations with France, together with his efforts to become an absolute ruler, brought Charles into conflict with Parliament, which he dissolved in 1681. The King failed to carry out his intentions to make Nell the Countess of Greenwich. On his death-bed he appealed to his brother; "Let not poor Nelly starve". Charles died on 6 February 1685, at Whitehall Palace, London. He was buried on 14 February 1685, in Westminster Abbey. He was succeeded by his brother, as James II. Charles mistresses was not allowed to mourn him. The new King faithfully carried out his brother's appeal, paying her debts from Secret Service funds, providing her with other moneys, and settling upon her an estate with reversion to the Duke of St. Albans. Still, Nell was left spiritless afther his death. Nell Gwynne died aged 37, on 14 November 1687, at her London home. She was buried on 17 November 1687, according to her own request, in the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Her funeral sermon was preached by the vicar, Thomas Tenison. Her son, Charles married Lady Diana de Vere on 17 April 1694. She was the daughter of Diana Kirke and Aubrey de Vere, 20th Earl of Oxford. Charles Beauclerk died on 10 May 1726, at Bath. He was buried in Westminster Abbey. Nell Gwynne was the first Royal mistress that caught my interest, it is something seductive with a girl going from selling oranges to becoming a King's mistress, but as she said herself; "Oranges are not the only fruit."

Excerpts and Source: The Diary of Samuel Pepys by Samuel Pepys.