Eleanor Gwynn Biography

Dromo's Den

GWYNN, GWIN, or GWYN, ELEANOR (1650-87) . An English actress, mistress of Charles II. The place of her birth is not definitely known. She was brought up in poverty and as a child sold oranges at the Theatre Royal in London. In 1665 she made her first public appearance as Cydaria in Dryden's Indian Emperor and from that time until 1670 (when she left the stage) was a great favorite in parts which were supplied by Dryden. If not a great actress, her sprightliness, beauty, and skill in dancing made her a popular favorite. She had many lovers, among them Charles Hart the actor and Charles Sackville, who in 1677 became sixth Earl of Dorset, About 1669 she became the mistress of the King, by whom she had two sons, Charles (1670), called Beauclerk, who was subsequently made Duke of St. Albans, and James (1671), who died young. She retained her popularity throughout life. As the King's mistress, she was received into the best of London society, and she was in favor with the people for her many acts of charity. She was illiterate, even for those times; but her animation, humor, and good nature seem to have more than overbalanced her defects. According to Burnet and Evelyn, the dying request of Charles II was, "Let not poor Nelly starve." After the King's death she led a quiet life. She died in London and was buried in the church of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields. According to her request Dr. Tenison, afterward Archbishop of Canterbury, preached her funeral sermon. Consult: Seymour, Memoirs of the Life of Eleanor Gwinn (London, 1752); Airy, Charles II (ib., 1904); Cunningham, The Story of Nell Gwyn, ed. by Goodwin (new ed., ib., 1908); Cecil Chesterton, Nell Gwyn (Edinburgh, 1912).

The New International Encyclopaedia, Vol. X (New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920) 514-515.