p. 296 Polish Embassador then incognito? A Modest Vindication of the
Earl of S——y (1682), banters that nobleman by describing how “Polish
Deputies were immediately sent Post incognito with the Imperial Crown and
Sceptre in a Cloak-Bag”.
p. 297 Salamanca. The abominable Oates, prince of perjurers, feigned to have taken his degree D.D, at Salamanca, cf. Crowne’s City Politics (1683), Act v, where Crafty says to Dr. Panchy (Oates), “Where did you take your degree—in Beargarden?’ ‘In a learned university, Sir,’ thunders the Doctor, to which Crafty retorts, ‘I’ the University of Coffee-houses, the University of Lies.”
p. 299 Trincaloes. In Davenant and Dryden’s version of The Tempest, produced with extraordinary success at the Duke’s House, 7 November, 1667: or in Shadwell’s operatic alteration of Shakespeare produced at Dorset Garden, 30 April (or very early in May), 1674. The reference is applicable to either of these two. No sooner has Trincalo chosen Sycorax, Caliban’s sister, as his spouse, than the treacherous Stephano wins the she-monster for himself, and a battle royal ensues. Cave Underbill, a famous Gravedigger in Hamlet, excelled as Trincalo. p. 299. Fop-corner. One of the corners of the pit nearest the stage much affected by the gallants and beau critics. There are frequent allusions in prologues, epilogues and plays, cf. the ballad epilogue to Davenant’s The Man’s the Master (produced 26 March, 1668, 4to, 1669):—
Others are bolder, and never cry, shall I?
For they make our guards quail
And’twixt curtain and rail,
Oft combing their hair, they walk in Fop-Alley.
THE FEIGN’D CURTEZANS.
p. 305 To Mrs. Ellen Guin. This adulatory epistle may be paralleled with that prefixed by Duffet to his rhyming comedy, The Spanish Rogue (410, 1674). The only other known book beside these two plays dedicated to Nell Gwynne is a very rare little volume entitled Janua Di’vorum: or The Lives and Histories of the Heathen Gods, Goddesses, & Demi-Gods, by Robert Whitcombe, published in 1678, and inscribed to ‘The Illustrious Madam Ellen Guin’. Dr. Johnson’s pungent remark to the effect that Dryden has never been equalled in the hyperbole of flattery except by Aphara Behn in her address to Nell Gwynne is quoted to triteness. But then at that time it was the fashion to riot in the wildest extravagances of compliment. Neither the great laureate nor Astrea must be too harshly taken to task for their vivid verbal colouring.
p. 306 two noble Branches. Charles Beauclerk, Duke of St. Albans, born 8 May, 1670; James Beauclerk, born 25 December, 1671, ob, Septemher, 1680, the two sons of Nell Gwynne by Charles II. There is an exquisitely voluptuous painting by Gascar, engraved by Masson, of Nell Gwynne on a bed of roses whilst the two boys as winged amorini support flowing curtains and draperies. Her royal lover appears in the distance. There is also a well-known and beautiful painting of the mother and children by Lely, engraved by Richard Tompson.
p. 307 Mrs. Currer. Elizabeth Currer was born in Dublin. When quite a girl she joined the Duke’s Company in 1673, and in a few years, owing to her beauty and extraordinary spirit, became a prime favourite with the Town. Amongst her chief recorded parts are: 1677, Mrs. Hadland in The Counterfeit Bridegroom, January, 1678, Lady Fancy in Mrs. Behn’s Sir Patient Fancy; in March, Marcella in The Feign’d Curtezans; June of the same year, Madam Tricklove in D’Urfey’s Squire Oldsapp. In 1680, The Queen in Tate’s The Loyal General, and Jenny Wheedle (Matilda) in D’Urfey’s entertaining comedy The Virtuous Wife. In 1681 she created Ariadne in The Rover, Part II. and ‘Lady Elianor Butler, a young lady of great quality that was one of King Edward’s mistresses,’ in Crowne’s adaptation of, 2 Henry VI, which he dubbed The Miseries of Civil War. 1682, Eugenia in Ravenscroft’s rollicking The London Cuckolds; (probably) Lady Desbro’ in The Roundheads; Diana in The City Heiress; Isabella in The False Count; and, her greatest rôle, Aquilina the Greek light o’ love in Venice Preserv’d to the Antonio of Leigh. ‘When Leigh and Mrs. Currer’, says Davies, ‘performed the parts of doting cully and rampant courtezan the applause was as loud as the triumphant Tories could bestow.’ Subsequent decades eliminated the intrigue between Nicky Nacky and the fumbling old senator. The scenes were thought to reek too openly of the stews, and when indeed they were played for the last time in their entirety at the express command of George II, then Prince of Wales, with Pinketham as Antonio and pretty Mrs. Horton Aquilina, the house, in spite of the high patronage, thought fit to demonstrate their pudicity in a very audible manner.[1] The critics too, in a somewhat ductile herd, have modestly decried these same episodes. Otway’s comic and satiric powers have been thoroughly underrated. Taine, however, boldly confessed that Otway ‘like Shakespeare … found at least once the grand bitter buffoonery, the harsh sentiment of human baseness’, and he demonstrates that, however odious and painful the episodes of senator and whore may be, they are true to the uttermost. Even the great nineteenth-century realist Zola did not disdain to take a hint thence for his chapters in Nana of the masochist Count Muffat and the ‘rampant courtezan’.
[Footnote 1: There was a notable performance of Venice Preserv’d at Drury Lane, 19 November, 1721, which is perhaps the occasion referred to; but, as Genest says, after the original performances the role of Aquilina is not to be found in the play bills. 2 December, 1721, Spiller acted Antonio at Lincoln’s Inn Fields.]
In 1684 Mrs. Currer created Mrs. Featly In Ravenscroft’s ‘recantation play’, Dame Dobson; she was also Sylvia in Otway’s last comedy, The Atheist, and Lady Medlar in The Factious Citizen. In 1685 she played Isabella in Tate’s farcical A Duke and no Duke, and five years later she is billed as the roystering Widow Ranter in Mrs. Behn’s posthumous comedy of the same name. Her name does not appear after 1690, latterly her appearances were few, and she seems to have been one of those ‘crept the stage by love’. An unprinted MS. Satire on the Players (1682-3) has a sharp reference to Betty Currer and cries:—