Page:The Story of Nell Gwyn.djvu/32

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
16
THE STORY OF NELL GWYN.

noble family of Vere; Mary Saunderson, famous as Queen Katharine and Juliet, afterwards the wife of the great Betterton; Mary or Moll Davis, excellent in singing and dancing,—afterwards the mistress of Charles II.; Mrs. Long, the mistress of the Duke of Richmond,[1] celebrated for the elegance of her appearance in men's clothes; Mrs. Norris, the mother of Jubilee Dicky; Mrs. Holden, daughter of a bookseller to whom Betterton had been bound apprentice; and Mrs. Jennings and Mrs. Johnson, both taken from the stage by gallants of the town,—the former but little known as an actress, the latter celebrated as a dancer and for her Carolina in Shadwell's comedy of Epsom Wells.

Such were the performers at the Duke's house. Anthony Leigh and Mrs. Barry, both brought out at the same theatre, were accessions after Davenant's death, and, as I see reason to believe, after Nell Gwyn had ceased to be connected with the stage.

The dresses at both houses were magnificent and costly, but little or no attention was paid to costume. The King, the Queen, the Duke, and several of the richer nobility, gave their coronation suits to the actors, and on extraordinary occasions a play was

  1. MS. note by Isaac Reed, in his copy of Downes's Roscius Anglicanus.