Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 41.djvu/100

 the Cockpit in Drury Lane or elsewhere. When the company came, as the Duke's, under the control of Sir William D'Avenant [q. v.], Nokes was the original Puny in Cowley's ‘Cutter of Coleman Street,’ at Lincoln's Inn Fields (16 Dec. 1661). The part of Menanthe in Sir Robert Stapleton's ‘Slighted Maid,’ acted, not for the first time, 28 May 1663, is assigned to Nokes the younger. In the following year James was Sir Nicholas Cully in Etherege's ‘Comical Revenge, or Love in a Tub,’ licensed for printing 6 July 1664, and, 13 Aug., Constable of France in Lord Orrery's ‘Henry V.’ On 16 Aug. 1667 he was Sir Martin Mar-all in Dryden's play of that name, based on a translation by the Duke of Newcastle of ‘L'Étourdi’ of Molière. Dryden purposely adapted the part to the manner of Nokes's acting, and it was his best rôle. With one or two exceptions the parts played by Nokes are all original. On 6 Feb. he was Sir Oliver Cockwood in Etherege's ‘She would if she could.’ Ninny in Shadwell's ‘Sullen Lovers, or the Impertinents,’ followed, 5 May. In 1669 he played Sir Arthur Addel in ‘Sir Solomon, or the Cautious Coxcomb,’ adapted by Caryll from ‘L'École des Femmes.’ In the piece played before the court at Dover, in May 1670, Nokes wore an exceedingly short laced coat, deriding the French fashion of dress. The Duke of Monmouth gave him from his side his own sword (which Nokes kept ‘to his dying day’), and himself buckled it on, that Nokes ‘might ape the French.’ At ‘his first entrance he put the king and court into an excessive laughter, and the French were much chagrined to see themselves aped by such a buffoon as Sir Arthur’. In Betterton's ‘Amorous Widow, or Wanton Wife,’ adapted from Georges Dandin, Nokes was Sir Barnaby Brittle. In 1671 the company migrated to Dorset Garden. Here, in 1671, Nokes was Old Jorden in the ‘Citizen turn'd Gentleman, or Mamamouchi,’ adapted by Ravenscroft from ‘M. de Porceaugnac’ and ‘Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme’ of Molière. Nokes in this ‘pleased the king and court better than in any character except Sir Martin Marrall’. He was also Mr. Anthony in the Earl of Orrery's play of that name. Genest assumes that in 1672 he was Monsieur de Paris in Wycherley's ‘Gentleman Dancing Master.’ His name appears to Bisket in Shadwell's ‘Epsom Wells,’ and to the Nurse in Nevil Payne's ‘Fatal Jealousy,’ licensed 22 Nov. 1672. So much laughter did he cause in the last-named part that he was thenceforth known as Nurse Nokes. It was doubtless due to the success of this impersonation that he played, eight years later, the Nurse in the ‘History and Fall of Caius Marius,’ Otway's adaptation of ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ In the epilogue to this piece Mrs. Barry said:— And now for you who here come wrapt in cloaks, Only for love of Underhill [Sulpitius] and Nurse Nokes. Meanwhile Nokes had played, in 1673, Polonius, and originated, in 1676, Bubble, in Durfey's ‘Fond Husband, or the Plotting Sisters;’ Toby, in Durfey's ‘Madam Fickle, or The Witty False One;’ in 1677 Gripe in Otway's ‘Cheats of Scapin;’ in 1678 Sir Credulous Easy in Mrs. Behn's ‘Sir Patient Fancy;’ Squire Oldsapp in Durfey's piece of the same name; and, Genest holds, Limberham in Dryden's ‘Limberham, or the Kind Keeper;’ also, in 1679, Sir Signal Buffoon in Mrs. Behn's ‘Feigned Courtezans, or a Night's Intrigue.’ Another female character of little importance was played in 1680—viz. Lady Beardly in Durfey's ‘Virtuous Wife or Good Luck at Last.’ In 1681 Nokes's name appears to six characters, all original, consisting of Fetherfool in Mrs. Behn's ‘Rover, Pt. ii.;’ Vindicius in Lee's ‘Lucius Junius Brutus, the Father of his Country;’ Sir David Dunce in Otway's ‘Soldier's Fortune;’ Gomez in Dryden's ‘Spanish Friar;’ Sir Timothy Treatall in Mrs. Behn's ‘City Heiress;’ and Poltrot in Lee's ‘Princess of Cleves.’ In 1682 he was Doodle in Ravenscroft's ‘London Cuckolds’ and Francisco in Mrs. Behn's ‘False Count.’ After the union of the two companies (November 1682) Nokes acted at the Theatre Royal (Drury Lane) Cokes in a revival of Jonson's ‘Bartholomew Fair.’ In 1684 he was Cringe in the ‘Factious Citizen’ (anon.); in 1686 Megæra, ‘an old hag,’ in Durfey's ‘Banditti, or a Lady's Distress;’ in 1687 Sir Cautious Fulbank in Mrs. Behn's ‘Lucky Chance, or an Alderman's Bargain;’ in 1688 Cocklebrain in ‘Fool's Preferment, or the three Dukes of Dunstable,’ Durfey's alteration of Fletcher's ‘Noble Gentleman,’ and the Elder Telford, a part subsequently resigned, in Shadwell's ‘Squire of Alsatia;’ in 1689 Sir Humphrey Noddy in Shadwell's ‘Bury Fair’ and Spruce in Carlile's ‘Fortune Hunters, or two Fools well met;’ in 1690 Don Lopez in Mountfort's ‘Successful Strangers,’ and Sosia in Dryden's ‘Amphitryon;’ and in 1691 Serjeant Eitherside in ‘King Edward the Third, with the Fall of Mortimer,’ ascribed to Mountfort; Raison in Mountfort's ‘Greenwich Park,’ and Sir John in a revival of the ‘Merry Devil of Edmonton.’ These are all the characters that can be traced. Though he is stated to