ht obtain from the
audience often occupied the managers. A prologue to the second part of
Davenant's "Siege of Rhodes," acted in April, 1662, demonstrates that
the matter had still to be dealt with cautiously. Indulgence is
besought for the bashful fears of the actresses, and their shrinking
from the judgment and observation of the wits and critics is much
dwelt upon.

It is worthy of note that the leading actors who took part in the
representation of "Othello" at the Vere Street Theatre had all in
early life been apprentices to older players, and accustomed to
personate the heroines of the stage. Thus Burt, the Othello of the
cast, had served as a boy under the actors Shanke and Beeston at the
Blackfriars and Cockpit Theatres respectively. Mohun, the Iago, had
been his playfellow at this time; so that when Burt appeared as
Clariana in Shirley's tragedy of "Love's Cruelty," Mohun represented
Bellamonte in the same work. During the Civil War Mohun had drawn his
sword for the king, acquiring the rank of major, and acquitting
himself as a soldier with much distinction. He was celebrated by Lord
Rochester as the AEsopus of the stage; Nat Lee delighted in his acting,
exclaiming: "O Mohun, Mohun, thou little man of mettle, if I should
write a hundred plays, I'd write one for thy mouth!" And King Charles
ventured to pun upon his name as badly as even a king might when he
said of some representation: "Mohun (pronounce _Moon_) shone like a
sun; Hart like the moon!" Charles Hart, the Cassio of the Vere Street
Theatre, could boast descent from Shakespeare's sister Joan, and
described himself as the poet's great-nephew. He, too, fought for the
king in the great Civil War, serving as a lieutenant of horse under
Sir Thomas Dallison in Prince Rupert's regiment. He had been
apprenticed to Robinson the actor, and had played women's parts at the
Blackfriars Theatre, winning special renown by his performance of the
Duchess in Shirley's tragedy of "The Cardinal." As an actor Hart won
extraordinary admiration; he soon took the lead of Burt, and from his
physical gifts and graces was enabled even to surpass Mohun in
popularity. He introduced Nell Gwynne to the stage, and became one of
the sharers in the management and profits of the theatrical company to
which he was attached.

There was soon an ample supply of actresses, and a decline altogether
in the demand for boy-performers of female characters. There was an
absolute end, indeed, of