put together. Unfortunately, concerning Mrs. Hughes, even
Pepys is silent. It is known that in addition to the character of
Desdemona, which she certainly sustained in February, 1669, at any
rate, she also appeared as Panura, in Fletcher's "Island Princess,"
and as Theodosia, in Dryden's comedy of "An Evening's Love, or, The
Mock Astrologer," to the Jacyntha of Nell Gwynne; there is scarcely a
record of her assumption of any other part, unless she be the same
Mrs. Hughes who impersonated Mrs. Monylove, in a comedy called "Tom
Essence," produced at the Dorset Garden Theatre in 1676. But it is
believed that she quitted or was taken from her profession--was "erept
the stage," to employ old Downes's phrase--at an earlier date. The
famous Prince Rupert of the Rhine was her lover. He bought for her, at
a cost of L20,000, the once magnificent seat of Sir Nicholas Crispe,
near Hammersmith, which afterwards became the residence of the
Margrave of Brandenburg; and at a later date the retreat of Queen
Caroline, the wife of George IV. Ruperta, the daughter of Mrs. Hughes,
was married to Lieutenant-General Howe, and, surviving her husband
many years, died at Somerset House about 1740. In the "Memoirs" of
Count Grammont mention is found of Prince Rupert's passion for the
actress. She is stated to have "brought down and greatly subdued his
natural fierceness." She is described as an impertinent gipsy, and
accused of pride, in that she conducted herself, all things
considered, unselfishly, and even with some dignity. The King is said
to have been "greatly pleased with this event"--he was probably amused
at it; Charles II. was very willing at all times to be amused--"for
which great rejoicings" (why rejoicings?) "were made at Tunbridge; but
nobody was bold enough to make it the subject of satire, though the
same constraint was not observed with other ridiculous personages."
Upon the Prince the effect of his love seems to have been marked
enough. "From this time adieu alembics, crucibles, furnaces, and all
the black furniture of the forges; a complete farewell to all
mathematical instruments and chemical speculations; sweet powder and
essences were now the only ingredients that occupied any share of his
attention." Further of Mrs. Hughes there is nothing to relate, with
the exception of the use made of her name by the unseemly and
unsavoury Tom Brown in his "Letters from the Dead to the Living." Mrs.
Hughes and Nell Gwynne are supposed t