THE ORANGE GIRL

Evening Star, Issue 19197, 13 March 1926, Page 10

THE ORANGE GIRL

STORY OF HELL GWYHNE A KING'S INFATUATION Tliere is no royal love intrigue that makes such a universal appeal as that of the dashing Charles 11.. King of England, and Nell Gwynne, the orange girl from Drury lane (says an ‘Age’ writer). And it is not through the glamor of the romance of king and beggar maid,, for in those days it was no" unusual thing for a king to take a. mistress of humble origin, but solely is it due to the vivid personality of “ witty pretty Nell ” that her name stands first, on the long list of paramo rs of the susceptible Charles, a, monarch whose dissolute ways were .somewhat redeemed by the high-handed generosity with which he treated the ladies with whom he trilled, and the handsome way ho endowed their numerous offspring by him with titles and estates; consequently during his reign the English peerage was considerably enriched', for, with the exception _of Henry 1., Charles is credited with being the father of more illegitimate children than any' other sovereign of England. The date of Nell’s birth was 1650, but where the actual event took place is nob known, though it is generally believed to have been in London. But this

much is certain ; ■ that at a. very early ago her playground .was tho squalid alleyways around Drury lane and tho theatre, where later she was to win such fame for her beauty and her talent as an actress. Her childhood, though, boasts of nothing hut sordidness. She was brought up in intense poverty. I Her father was a good-for-nothing, and her mother was a drunkard, while

her elder sister narrowly escaped serving a term of imprisonment in Newgate. In such an environment of hopeless mural laxity Nell's beauty grew day by day more apparent, her wit keener, and Iter knowledge of the world more varied. Her first attempt to earn a livelihood was made by hawking fish and oysters around the streets. _ Dus brought her under the notice of Madame Ross, who exploited her beauty in her direpntablo house, in Lowkenor lane (the lane that was so familiar to Captain Macbeath of Beggar's Opera tame). When tho King’s Theatre opened in Kidd Noll was ono of tho girls who look her stand in the pit with a basketful of oranges on her arm. All the young bloods who Irequeuted the theatre found a very lively way of lilling in tho time between the acts was to exehaago jokes of none 100 delicate order with these orange girls. Nell's ready tongue paid these gallants hack in their own coin, and irom out a. tangle of auburn curls her lovely blue eyes mocked the insincerity of fhoir amorous protestations. All ibis cleverness and beauty was not lost upon Thomas Kelligrew, manager of the King’s 'Theatre, and very soon he decided to admit Nell into his school of acting. Her quickness soon reassured him that she was a “ find.” Charles Hart, a great-nephew of Shakespeare, initiated her into the art of acting—as well as a great deal else not pertaining to the stage. Her dancing, at which she excelled, was taught her by Lacy, During the mirthless regime of Cromwell and his Puritan Government no form of public amusement was allowed, the play especially being rigorously forbidden, on the principle that it was flic medium through which the people merely indulged their “ lascivious mirth

and levity.” With the restoration of the Monarchy under Charles H. canto a swing of the pendulum in the other direction, for the cavalier aristocracy turned the Court into a maelstrom of unlicensed gaiety. Within three months of his .succession Charles had established two theatres, under the directorship of Kelligrew and Davenport respectively. Ho also gave it is Jloyal sanction that for the future all women’s parts were to ho played by women; hitherto all feminine characters had been played by men. Discord and jealousy very soon put a stop to any harmonious collaboration of these two managers,'and the partnership was dissolved, each taking an independent stand after first having divided between them the plays of Shakespeare, lien Jenson, and Beaumont and Fletcher. This breach naturally tended to stimulate hv competition tho production at both these theatres. Nell Gwynne made her first appearance in Drydon’s ‘The Indian Emperor.’ She was then only fifteen. It is to Mr Samuel Pepys that we are indebted for so much delightful gossip concerning Nell in her theatre days, for Master Samuel was an inveterate playgoer and an enthusiastic visitor behind the scenes, and of Nell’s capabilities and charms he assures us many times.

The plague put a temporary stop to her career as an actress, as the theatres 'xo.ro closed by law for a whole year, at the end of which time Kelligrcw reopened with 1 The English Monsieur ’ — a play which owed .much of its success to Nell’s spirited performance of Madame Wealthy. “ A mighty pretty play,” noted Mr Popys in his diary. “ Very witty and pleasant'; the women do very well, but above all Little Nolly.” Her greatest role, however, seems to have been Florimel in Dryden’s ‘Secret Loved “The truth is there is a, comic part done by Nell, which is Florimel,” says Popys, “that 1 never can hope to see the like done

again by man or woman. So great a performance of a comical part was never, 1 believe, in the world before as Nell did this, both as mad girl and then (most and best of all) when she comes in like a young gallant, and hath the motion and carriage of a spark, the most that ever I saw any man have.”

Early in the summer of J 0(57 the performance at Drury Lane was suspended for some weeks owing io one of the actors having given offence by abusing the Court in his “ gaggii’ig.” The fascinating, but notorious, rake Lord Btiokhurst seized the opportunity «f Nell’s temporary idleness and prevailed upon her to go down and “keep merry house ” with him at Epsom. Buckhurst was looked upon as i lie first gentleman in (he Court of Charles, holding his own in wit against the throe acknowledged wils of the day—the King, Buckingham, and Rochester. 1:1c was a keen patron of iho arts, a capital host, and a very graceful writer of verso, lie being the author, amongst other things, of the famous “ To all yon ladies now at hand." Nell's stay at Epsom must indeed have been a most delightful one. For no reason that wc know her liaison with Buekliursl, however, did not lasi. long. Nell was seventeen and very lovely when her first meeting with the King took place. Unfortunately Popys gives us no detailed account of her beauty, although lie seems to have been in a position to have done so; and we must, be content with Ids comment on the smallness of her feet and the slimness of her ankles, and the most delightfully artless admission to the effect that, after witnessing the performance of ‘Flora’s Vagaries,’ he. went behind the scenes to oiler his congratulations and found himself “ in the women’s shift, where Nell was dressing herself, and was all unready, and is very pretty —prettier than I. thought.” From other sources we learn that she was perfectly formed and of medium height, her bronze-red curls fell thickly over a pair of white and very lovely shoulders, her complexion was .dazzling, her eyes of a remarkably dark bine, and her mouth a perfect Cupid’s bow, which vrhou she smiled revealed her exquisitely even little teeth. What chance was there for Charles? Nell at this time was the mistress of young Villiors. One afternoon he escorted her to the play, where they occupied a. box next to the King, who was there incognito.

.Charles at once entered into conversation with his fair neighbor, and whei, tho play was over insisted on accompanying them to supper, bringing tin* Duke of York with him to engage tho attention of young Villicrs while ho laid himself out to captivate Nell, la ■was a sad day for Nell's young) cavalier, for not only did it cost him his mistress, hut ho had to pay for the supper as well, for when the bill was presented to Charles by the tavernkeeper—who was ignorant as to whom his guests were—it was found that neither he nor the Duke of York had sufficient money between them to discharge it. Neil was greatly delighted at this turn of events, and went into peals of laughter, mimicking the King to perfection as well as using his favorite expression, “ Odds fish. But this is the poorest company that 1 was in before at a tavern.” Before farewells were exchanged the King had made it quite clear to Nell that it would be to her advantage and his pleasure' if she would leave the stage and place herself under his protection. Nell only conceded to this plan in part, and it was some time before she finally leltt the Drury Lane Company for over, her stage career in all only amounting to six years. Kell truly loved tho King, and although she was courted and flattered, and made love to by all the gallants of tho day, she remained consistently faithful to him till tho day of his death. Charles, on tho other baud, continued to add to his conquests, but no woman ever held his heart with such lasting affection as did “ little Nelly.” His last living thoughts were for her welfare. Barbara Villicrs and Louise do Queronaillo were Nell’s two most serious rivals, but neither of these two women, though highly born, had anything of Nell’s frank charm or native wit, or even her kindness of heart, and certainly nothing like her unswerving devotion and genuine affection that Mistress Nell bad for her handsome, feckless Charles. It says much for her that tho Queen— poor, long-sullenng creature—after his mother’s death, allowed Nell’s son £2,000 a year from out of her own privy purse. To this hoy Charles gave the high-sounding name of Charles Beauclerk, Baron .1 Seadington ami Earl of Burford, and later Duke of St. Albans. Another boy christened James, alter the Duke of York, died at the age of nine, to tho great grief of both his parents. After she left the stage Nell’s time was passed in the usual mode of a lady of fashion. She had her country house and her (own house. She attended the Court, tho theatre, and the races. From bills found amongst old documents we can get a lair idea, too, of how sho spent her money and in what direction her taste ran for personal adornment, a.. well as an art collector. Jn her clothes she was fond of bright colors, even indulging her fancy to the extent of wearing red satin nightgowns. Her house was crowded with silverplate and ornaments.- The most unique as well as tho most extravagant of her fancies was a bedstead made entirely of silver, upon which was wrought all manner of figures, including the King’s head. And who shall doubt Iter wit after knowing that she had made to her order a silver warming pan on which was inscribed, “Fear God, Servo the King.” These treasures were lost sight of. Many of them, no doubt, were melted down to meet her creditors’ accounts that confronted poor Nell on all sides after the King’s death. Hardest of all to part with must have been her jewels, which included the famous pearl necklace that had cost Charles £4,000. This was bought by John Manners, first Duke of Rutland, as a present for his third wife, and it has remained to this clay in tfic Duke of Rutland’s family.

Nell only survived tho King two years, dying in her thirty-sixth year. She was buried at St. Martin’s on the evening of November 17, 1687, quietly and without ostentation, although crowds gathered in and about tho old Church of St. Martin’s, for Nell had over been a favorite with inch and poor alike. A dramatic and romantic figure must have been the seventeen-year-old Duke of St. Albans, who sorrowfully followed his mother’s coffin, bearing in his dark, handsome features and kingly bearing an amazing resemblance of Nelly’s royal lover,