ned when the Duke of York's troupe performed in Whitehall the
tragedy of "Horace," "written by the virtuous Mrs. Phillips." The
courtiers assembled on this occasion presented a brilliant and goodly
sight. Evelyn tells us "the excessive gallantry of the ladies was
infinite, those jewels especially on Lady Castlemaine esteemed at forty
thousand pounds and more, far outshining ye queene." Between each act of
the tradgedy a masque and antique dance was performed. When Moll
Davis appeared, her majesty, turning pale from sickness of heart, and
trembling from indignation at the glaring insult thrust upon her, arose
and left the apartment boisterous with revelry, where she had sat a
solitary sad figure in its midst. As a result of her intimacy with
the king, Moll Davis bore him a daughter, who subsequently became
Lady Derwentwater. But the Duke of Buckingham's revenge upon my Lady
Castlemaine was yet but half complete; and therefore whilst the monarch
carried on his intrigue with Moll Davis, his grace, enlarging upon the
wit and excellency of Nell Gwynn, besought his majesty to send for
her. This request the king complied with readily enough, and she was
accordingly soon added to the list of his mistresses. Nell Gwynn, who
was at this period in her eighteenth year, had joined the company of
players at the king's house, about the same time as Moll Davis had
united her fortunes with the Duke of York's comedians. Her time upon
the stage was, however, but of brief duration; for my Lord Buckhurst,
afterwards Earl of Dorset, a witty and licentious man, falling in love
with her, induced her to become his mistress, quit the theatre, and
forsake the society of her lover, Charles Hart, a famous actor and
great-nephew of William Shakespeare. And she complying with his desires
in these matters, he made her an allowance of one hundred pounds a year,
on which she returned her parts to the manager, and declared she would
act no more.

Accordingly in the month of July, 1667, she was living at Epsom with
my Lord Buckhurst and his witty friend Sir Charles Sedley, and a right
merry house they kept for a time. But alas, ere the summer had died
there came a day when charming Nell and his fickle lordship were
friends no more, and parting from him, she was obliged to revert to the
playhouse again.

Now Nell Gwynn being not only a pretty woman, but moreover an excellent
actress, her return was welcomed by the town. Her achievements in light
comedy w