YALE UNIVE^Sm JUN 7 1916 LIBRARY

A
JHcmortal
OF
NELL GWYNNE
THE ACTRESS,.
AND
THOMAS OTWAY,
THE DRAMATIST,
BY
WILLIAM HENRY HART, F.S.A,
LONDON.:
JOHN RUSSELL SMITH, 36, SOHO SQUARE.
1868.
PRICE SIXPENCE.
JEletnortal
OF
NELL GWYNNE,
THE ACTRESS,
AND
THOMAS OTWAY,
THE DRAMATIST.
BY
WILLIAM HENRY HART, F.S.A.
LONDON:
JOHN RUSSELL SMITH, 36, SOHO SQUARE.
x 868.PRINTED BY: J. E. TAYLOR AND CO., IO, LITTLE QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS.To the Reader,
The document which is here printed, as a slight reminiscence and memorial of a once celebrated character, needs but little in the way of explanation or comment, for it almost tells its own story. It was formerly in the possession of the late Robert Cole, Esq., F.S.A., the well-known collector of autographs, by whose kindness I was allowed to have facsimiles made of the signatures and seal now engraved, but was sold by auction in July, 1861, with many other valuable manuscripts belonging to that gentleman. It is a power of attorney from Nell Gwynne, at the time when she lived in Pall Mall, to Mr. James Fraizer, respecting her pension,—a formal paper enough, it is true, but yet one of considerable interest.
The pension to which this document refers as having been enjoyed by Nell Gwynne and her royal son Charles Beauclerk, Earl of Burford, afterwards first Duke of St. Alban's, was granted by the King on June 11, 1679, in the following terms :—
" Charles the Second by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith &c. To the Commissioners of Our Treasury now being, and to the Treasurer Undertreasurer and Commissioners of Our Treasury for the time being, Greeting. Our will and pleasure is, And Wee doe hereby Authorise and require you, Out of Our Treasure now or hereafter being or remaineing in the Receipt of Our Exchequer, to pay or cause to be paid unto Eleanor Gwyn or her Assignes the Annuity or yearly Summe of Five Thousand pounds, Dureing Our pleasure, for and towards the Support and maintenance of herselfe and Charles Earle of Burford, To be received by her the said Eleanor Gwyn quarterly, Att the foure most usuall feasts in the yeare by equall porcions, The first payment to begin from the Feast of the Birth of Our Lord God last One Thousand Six hundred SeaventyEight, And these Our Letters shall be your sufficient Warrant and Discharge in that behalfe. Given under Our Privy Seale at Our Pallace of Westminster the Eleaventh day of June in the Or^e and Thirtith yeare of Our Reigne.
"J. Mathews.
" Ifrotulatur in Officio Auditoris Receptee Scaccarii	" Irrotulatur in Officio Clerici Pellium
domini Regis xvjt0 Junij 1679."	xviijT0 die Julij 1679."
A copy of the power of attorney printed on the opposite page is entered in the Exchequer Books of the period, now preserved in the Public Record Office, but, of course, without the autograph signatures. To the literary student, this little document—containing the signature of the author of'Venice Preserved/combined with that of the sparkling and beautiful actress, Nell Gwynne, who charmed the eye of Master Samuel Pepys, the diarist, and won the heart of the merry monarch himself—cannot, it is hoped, fail to be of interest.
W. H. HART, F.S. A.
Roupell Park, Streathavi, S.W., August, 1868.Power of Attorney from Nell Gwynne to Mr. James Fraizer to receive her Pension.
Be it knowne unto all men by these presents, That I Ellinor Gwyn of the parish of S' Martin in the Feilds in the County of Middlesex Spinster (for good causes and con-sideracions mee hereunto moving) have made, named, constituted, ordayned and appointed and by these presents, doe make, name, constitute, ordaine and appoint and in my place and stead put James Fraizer of Westminster in the said County, Gent., my true and lawfull Attorney for me and in my name and to my use to aske, demand, receive and take, of and from any person or persons whome the payment thereof shall concerne, as well all such Arreares, and summe and summes of money as is due, owing and in arreare unto mee upon my Annuities, pentions, or yearly profitts granted unto mee by his Ma-jestie, and payable out of his Majestie's Exchequer or elsewhere, As alsoe all such summe and summes of money as shall from time to time hereafter become due and payable unto mee for or in respect of the same. And I doe hereby give and grant unto my said Attorney all my full power, whole right, and lawfull Authority upon the Receipt of any summe or summes of money to give Acquittances or other discharges needfull and requisite, either in my name or in his owne, to any person or persons whome the payment thereof shall concerne as aforesaid, And generally to Act and agitate all things in and about the receipt of the premises as fully, and effectually to all intents and purposes as I myselfe might or could doe the same were I in person present, Rattifying, confirming and allowing all and whatsoever my said Attorney shall lawfully doe or cause to be done in the premisses firmly by these presents. In wittnesse whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale this first day of June, In the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six-hundred and eighty, Annoque Regni Regis Caroli Secundi nunc Angliae &c. Tricesimo Secundo.
Intratur in officio Auditoris Receptae Scaccarii Domini Regis xvt0 Septembris t68i.

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