To　this　end　he　therefore　employed　his　talents；　and　with　such　tact　and　assiduity　that　he　ultimately　fulfilled　his　menaces。　　The　first　step　he　took　towards　accomplishing　his　desires；　was　to　introduce　two　players　to　his　majesty；　named　respectively　Moll　Davis　and　Nell　Gwynn。
  The　former；　a　member　of　the　Duke　of　York's　troupe　of　performers；　could　boast　of　goodly　lineage；　though　not　of　legitimate　birth；　her　father　being　Thomas　Howard；　first　Earl　of　Berkshire。　　She　had；　early　in　the　year　1667；　made　her　first　appearance　at　the　playhouse；　and　had　by　her　comely　face　and　shapely　figure　challenged　the　admiration　of　the　town。　　Her　winsome　ways；　pleasant　voice；　and　graceful　dancing　soon　made　her　a　favourite　with　the　courtiers；　who　voted　her　an　excellent　wench；　though　some　of　her　own　sex；　judging　harshly　of　her；　as　is　their　wont　towards　each　other；　declared　her　〃the　most　impertinent　slut　in　the　world。〃
  Now　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　knowing　her　well；　it　seemed　to　him　no　woman　was　more　suited　to　fulfil　his　purpose　of　thwarting　the　countess；　for　if　he　succeeded　in　awaking　the　king's　passion　for　the　comedian；　such　a　proceeding　would　not　only　arouse　my　lady's　jealousy；　but　likewise　humble　her　pride。　　Therefore；　when　this　court　Mephistopheles　accompanied　his　majesty　to　the　playhouse；　he　was　careful　to　dwell　on　Moll　Davis's　various　charms；　the　excellency　of　her　figure；　the　beauty　of　her　face；　the　piquancy　of　her　manner。　　So　impressed　was　the　monarch　by　Buckingham's　descriptions；　that　he　soon　became　susceptible　to　her　fascinations。　　The　amour　once　begun　was　speedily　pursued；　and　she　was　soon　enabled　to　boast；　in　presence　of　the　players；　that　the　kingwhose　generosity　was　great　to　fallen　womenhad　given　her　a　ring　valued　at　seven　hundred　pounds；　and　was　about　to　take；　and　furnish　most　richly；　a　house　in　Suffolk　Street　for　her　benefit　and　abode。　　Pepys　heard　this　news　in　the　first　month　of　the　year　1668；　and　soon　afterwards　a　further　rumour　reached　him　that　she　was　veritably　the　king's　mistress；　〃even　to　the　scorn　of　the　world。〃
  This　intrigue　affected　Lady　Castlemaine　in　a　manner　which　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　had　not　expected。　　Whilst　sitting　beside　Charles　in　the　playhouse；　she　noticed　his　attention　was　riveted　upon　her　rival；　when　she　became　melancholy　and　out　of　humour；　in　which　condition　she　remained　some　days。　　But　presently　rallying　her　spirits；　she　soon　found　means　to　divert　her　mind　and　avenge　her　wrongs；　of　which　more　shall　be　recorded　hereafter。　Meanwhile；　the　poor　queen；　whose　feelings　neither　the　king　nor　his　courtiers　took　into　consideration；　bore　this　fresh　insult　with　such　patience　as　she　could　summon　to　her　aid；　on　one　occasion　only　protesting　against　her　husband's　connection　with　the　player。　　This　happened　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　were　especially　excellent；　and　declared　entertaining　to　a　rare　degree。　　Pepys；　who　witnessed　her　acting　〃a　comical　part；〃　in　the　〃Maiden　Queen；〃　a　play　by　Dryden；　says　he　could　〃never　hope　to　see　the　like　done　again　by　man　or　woman。　　So　great　performance　of　a　comical　part；〃　he　continues；　〃was　never；　I　believe；　in　the　world　before　as　Nell　do　this；　both　as　a　mad　girle；　then　most　and　best　of　all　when　she　comes　in　like　a　young　gallant；　and　hath　the　motions　and　carriage　of　a　spark　the　most　that　ever　I　saw　any　man　have。　　It　makes　me；　I　confess；　admire　her。〃　　In　the　part　of　Valeria；　in　〃Tyrannic　Love；〃　she　was　also　pronounced　inimitable；　especially　in　her　delivery　of　the　epilogue。　　The　vein　of　comedy　with　which　she　delivered　the　opening　lines；　addressed　to　those　about　to　bear　her　dead　body　from　the　stage；　was　merry　beyond　belief。　　〃Hold！〃　　she　cried　out　to　one　of　them；　as　she　suddenly　started　to　life
  〃Hold！　　are　you　mad？　　you　damned　confounded　dog！　　　　I　am　to　rise　and　speak　the　epilogue。〃
  Before　the　year　1667　ended；　she　had　several　times　visited　his　majesty　at　Whitehall。　　The　king　was　now　no　less　assured　of　her　charms　as　a　woman；　than　he　had　previously　been　convinced　of　her　excellence　as　an　actress。　　In　due　time；　her　intimacy　with　the　monarch　resulted　in　the　birth　of　two　sons；　the　elder　of　which　was　created　Duke　of　St。　Albans；　from　whom　is　descended　the　family　now　bearing　that　title：　　the　second　died　young　and　unmarried。
  Through　influence　of　these　women；　my　Lady　Castlemaine's　power　over　the　king　rapidly　diminished；　and　at　last　ceased　to　exist；　seeing　which；　as　Burnet　says；　〃She　abandoned　herself　to　great　disorders；　one　of　which　by　the　artifice　of　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　was　discovered　by　the　king　in　person；　the　party　concerned　leaping　out　of　the　window。〃　　The　gallant　to　whom　the　worthy　bishop　refers　was　John　Churchill；　afterwards　the　great　Duke　of　Marlborough；　at　this　time　a　handsome　stripling　of　eighteen　summers。　　In　his　office　as　page　to　the　Duke　of　York；　he　frequently　came　under　notice　of　her　ladyship；　who；　pleased　with　the　charms　of　his　boyish　face　and　graceful　figure；　intimated　his　love　would　not　prove　unacceptable　to　her。　　Accordingly　he　promptly　made　love　to　the　countess；　who；　in　the　first　fervour　of　her　affection；　presented　him　with　five　thousand　pounds。　　With　this　sum　he　purchased　a　life　annuity　of　five　hundred　pounds；　which；　as　Lord　Chesterfield　writes；　〃became　the　foundation　of　his　subsequent　fortune。〃　　Nor　did　her　generosity　end　here：　　at　a　cost　of　six　thousand　crowns　she　obtained　for　him　the　post　of　groom　of　the　bedchamber　to　the　Duke　of　York；　and　was　instrumental　in　subsequently　forwarding　his　advancements　in　the　army。
  My　Lady　Castlemaine　was　by　no　means　inclined　to　spend　her　days　in　misery　because　the　royal　favour　was　no　longer　vouchsafed　her；　and　therefore；　by　way　of　satisfying　her　desires　for　revenge；　conducted　intrigues　not　only　with　John　Churchill　and　Harry　Jermyn；　but　likewise　with　one　Jacob　Hall；　a　noted　acrobat。　　This　man　was　not　only　gifted　with　strength　and　agility；　but　likewise　with　grace　and　beauty：　　so　that；　as　Granger　tells　us；　〃The　ladies　regarded　him　as　a　due　composition　of　Hercules　and　Adonis。〃　　His　dancing　on　the　tight　rope　at　Bartholomew　Fair　was　〃a　thing　worth　seeing　and　mightily　followed；〃　whilst　his　deeds　of　daring　at　Southwark　Fair　were　no　less　subjects　of　admiration　and　wonder。　The　countess　was　so　charmed　by　the　performance　of　this　athlete　in　public；　that　she　became　desirous　of　conversation　with　him　in　private；　and　he　was　accordingly　introduced　to　her　by　Beck　Marshall；　the　player。　　The　countess　found　his　society　so　entertaining　that　she　frequently　visited　him；　a　compliment　he　courteously　returned。　　Moreover；　she　allowed　him　a　yearly　salary；　and　openly　showed　her　admiration　for　him　by　having　their　portraits　painted　in　one　picture：　　in　which　she　is　represented　playing　a　fiddle；　whilst　he　leans　over　her；　touching　the　strings　of　a　guitar。
  Her　amours　in　general；　and　her　intimacy　with　the　rope…dancer　in　particular；　becoming　common　talk　of　the　town；　his　majesty　became　incensed；