Touchstone A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. 1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 www.SimonandSchuster.com This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Copyright © 2011 by Priya Parmar All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Touchstone Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. First Touchstone trade paperback edition February 2011 TOUCHSTONE and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc. The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com. Designed by Renata Di Biase Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Parmar, Priya. Exit the actress / by Priya Parmar. p. cm. 1. Gwyn, Nell, 1650–1687—Fiction. 2. Charles II, King of England, 1630– 1685—Fiction. 3. Mistresses—Great Britain—Fiction 4. Actresses—Great Britain—Fiction. 5. Great Britain—Kings and rulers—Paramours—Fiction. I. Title. PS3616. A757 E95 2011 813’.6—dc22 2009048703 ISBN 978-1-4391-7117-2 ISBN 978-1-4391-7118-9 (ebook) for my mother and father from nora who left for plumbean’s house to see the moon with you Exit the Actress By Most Particular Desire THEATRE ROYAL, COVENT GARDEN Audiences Brilliant and Overflowing Are Invited to Attend the Premiere of EXIT THE ACTRESS This Present Wednesday, May 1, 1662 will be repeated tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday next PRESENTED BY MR. THOMAS KILLIGREW, LEASEE AND ROYAL PATENT HOLDER With: the cast as listed below Gwyn Family Mrs.* Eleanor Gwyn (Ellen/Nell/Nelly)—an orange girl turned actress at the King’s Theatre Mrs. Rose Cassels (née Gwyn)—Ellen’s older sister Mrs. Eleanor Gwyn (Nora)—Ellen and Rose’s mother; a serving woman at the Rose Tavern Captain Thomas Gwyn**—Nora’s husband; an officer in the Royal Army Dr. Edward Gwyn (Grandfather)—Captain Gwyn’s father; a canon of Christ Church, Oxford Mrs. Margaret Gwyn*** (Great-Aunt Margaret)—Dr. Gwyn’s sister; living in Oxford Theatre Mr. Theophilus Bird (Theo)—Actor at the King’s Theatre Mr. Nicholas Burt (Nick)—Actor at the King’s Theatre Mr. William Davenant—Manager of the Duke’s Theatre Mrs. Moll Davis—Actress at the Duke’s Theatre; mistress to King Charles II Mr. John Dryden—Playwright; Poet Laureate Sir George Etheredge—Wit; playwright Mr. Charles Hart—Actor; major shareholder of the King’s Theatre Mrs. Margaret Hughes (Peg)—Actress at the King’s Theatre and possibly the first woman to act upon the London stage Mr. Harry Killigrew—Groom of the Bedchamber; Wit; son of Thomas Killigrew Mr. Thomas Killigrew—Patent holder; manager and major shareholder of the King’s Theatre; former Groom of the Bedchamber Mrs. Elizabeth Knep (Lizzie)—Actress; mistress of diarist Samuel Peyps Mr. Edward Kynaston (Teddy)—Former cross-dressing star; Wit; well- loved actor Mr. John Lacy—Actor, choreographer at the King’s Theatre Mrs. Rebecca Marshall (Becka)—Actress at the King’s Theatre Mrs. Mary Megs (Orange Moll)—Orange seller at the King’s Theatre; employs the orange girls Royal Families of England and France King Charles I**—King of England; executed in 1649 Queen Henrietta Maria—His queen; daughter of King Henri IV of France; aunt to King Louis XIV of France King Charles II—Son of King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria and cousin to King Louis XIV of France; restored to the throne in 1660 Queen Catherine of Braganza—Wife to King Charles II; former Portuguese Infanta King Louis XIV—King of France; first cousin to King Charles II James, Duke of Monmouth (Jemmy)—Illegitimate first-born son of King Charles II and Lucy Walker Henry, Duke of Gloucester**—Brother of King Charles II; died of the sweat in 1660 James, Duke of York—Younger brother of King Charles II Anne, Duchess of York—His wife, daughter to the Earl of Clarendon Henriette-Anne (Minette)—Youngest child of King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria; the Madame of France; Duchesse d’Orléans; married to Philippe, Duc d’Orléans Philippe Charles d’Orléans—Brother of King Louis XIV; the Monsieur of France; Duc d’Orléans, husband of Minette Royal Court of England Sir Henry Bennet—Lord Arlington; Secretary of State Earl of Clarendon—Chancellor, Privy Councillor, father of Anne, Duchess of York Lady Barbara Palmer (née Villiers)—Countess of Castlemaine; Duchess of Cleveland; mistress to King Charles II, mother of their five children