Mary, Lady Slingsby, born Aldridge (perhaps died 1693), was an English actress. After a marriage lasting 1670 to 1680 to John Lee, an actor, during which she was on the stage as Mrs. Lee, she was widowed. She then married Sir Charles Slingsby, 2nd Baronet, a nephew of Sir Robert Slingsby, and performed as Lady Slingsby. Theatre historians have pointed out the difficulty in identifying her roles in the period when

Elinor Leigh Elinor Leigh was a British stage actor of the seventeenth century. Born Elinor Dixon, she was billed as Mrs Leigh or Mrs Lee after she married the actor Anthony Leigh in 1671. This has led to some difficulty distinguishing on playbills between h ...

, wife of Anthony Leigh, was performing as Mrs. Leigh, because the homophones "Lee" and "Leigh" were not consistently spelled at the time.

Stage career

In 1671 Mrs Lee appeared at Lincoln's Inn Fields in the character of Daranthe in Edward Howard's tragi-comedy ''Woman's Conquest'', and as Leticia in ''Town-Shifts, or the Suburb-Justice'', attributed to Edward Revet, and licensed on 2 May 1672. Next, at Dorset Garden, where Mrs Lee remained for ten years, she played opposite Æmilia in Joseph Arrowsmith's ''Reformation'' (1672). In ''Henry VI, Part I, with the Murder of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester'', adapted by

John Crowne John Crowne (6 April 1641 – 1712) was a British dramatist. His father "Colonel" William Crowne, accompanied the earl of Arundel on a diplomatic mission to Vienna in 1637, and wrote an account of his journey. He emigrated to Nova Scotia where h ...

from Shakespeare, and acted in 1681, the part of Queen Margaret was assigned to Lady Slingsby. In '' Henry VI, Part II, or the Misery of Civil War'', from the same source, the same character went to Mrs Lee. As the second part was written first, and probably produced first, Mrs Lee's second marriage may have been in 1681. In

Nahum Tate Nahum Tate ( ; 1652 – 30 July 1715) was an Irish poet, hymnist and lyricist, who became Poet Laureate in 1692. Tate is best known for ''The History of King Lear'', his 1681 adaptation of Shakespeare's ''King Lear'', and for his libretto for ...

's adaptation of ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane an ...

'' Lady Slingsby was Regan, in

Nat Lee Nathaniel Lee (c. 1653 – 6 May 1692) was an English dramatist. He was the son of Dr Richard Lee, a Presbyterian clergyman who was rector of Hatfield and held many preferments under the Commonwealth; Dr Lee was chaplain to George Monck, afterwa ...

's ''Lucius Junius Brutus, the Father of his Country'', Sempronia, and Marguerite in Lee's ''

The Princess of Cleve ''The Princess of Cleve'' is a 1680 tragedy by the English writer Nathaniel Lee, inspired by the recent French novel ''La Princesse de Clèves'' by Madame de La Fayette set during the sixteenth century. It premiered at the Dorset Garden Theatre ...

''. After the merger of the two major acting companies in 1682, Slingsby played, at the Theatre Royal, the Queen Mother in

John Dryden '' John Dryden (; – ) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who in 1668 was appointed England's first Poet Laureate. He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the per ...

and Nat Lee's ''Duke of Guise''. In

Thomas D'Urfey Thomas d'Urfey (a.k.a. Tom Durfey; 165326 February 1723) was an English writer and wit. He wrote plays, songs, jokes, and poems. He was an important innovator and contributor in the evolution of the ballad opera. Life D'Urfey was born in Devonsh ...

's ''Commonwealth of Woman'', an adaptation of John Fletcher's ''The Sea Voyage'', produced in 1685, she was Clarinda. Her name then disappeared from the bills. Her name appears on the

Burdett-Coutts Memorial Sundial The Burdett Coutts Memorial Sundial is a structure built in the churchyard of Old St Pancras, London, in 1877–79, at the behest of Baroness Burdett-Coutts. The former churchyard included the burial ground for St Giles-in-the-Fields, where ma ...

Old St. Pancras St Pancras Old Church is a Church of England parish church in Somers Town, Central London. It is dedicated to the Roman martyr Saint Pancras, and is believed by many to be one of the oldest sites of Christian worship in England. The church ...

Churchyard, listing the names of important graves lost therein by the building of a railway line. Her date of death is given as 1693. She was probably buried on 1 March 1693, although there is some doubt as to whether the Mary Slingsby buried is this lady. It has been speculated that the name may have been withheld to prevent her husband's creditors from finding him via his wife.Deborah Payne Fisk, ‘Lee, Mary ther married name Mary Slingsby, Lady Slingsby(fl. 1670–1685)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 200
accessed 17 June 2015

In fiction

Mrs Lee appears as a character in the 2015 play '' xit Mrs Behnor, The Leo Play'' by Christopher van der Ark.

Selected roles

* Olinda in '' The Forc'd Marriage'' by

Aphra Behn Aphra Behn (; bapt. 14 December 1640 – 16 April 1689) was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing, she broke cultural barrie ...

(1670) * Doranthe in ''

The Women's Conquest ''The Women's Conquest'' is a 1670 tragedy by the English writer Edward Howard. It was first staged by the Duke's Company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre with a cast that included Henry Harris as Tysamnes, William Smith as Foscaris, John ...

'' by Edward Howard (1670) * Euginia in ''

The Six Days' Adventure ''The Six Days' Adventure; Or, The New Utopia'' is a 1671 comedy play by the English writer Edward Howard. First performed by the Duke's Company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in London, the original cast included Cave Underhill as Sir ...

'' by Edward Howard (1671) * Leticia in ''

The Town Shifts ''The Town Shifts; Or, The Suburb-Justice'' is a 1671 comedy play by Edward Revet. It was originally staged by the Duke's Company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in London. It is part of the tradition of Restoration Comedy. The original c ...

'' by Edward Revet (1671) * Salome in ''

Herod and Mariamne ''Herod and Mariamne'' is a 1671 tragedy by the English writer Samuel Pordage. It was first performed by the Duke's Company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in London shortly before they moved to the Dorset Gardens Theatre. It was the company' ...

'' by

Samuel Pordage Samuel Pordage (1633 – c. 1691) was a 17th-century English poet. He is best known by his '' Azaria and Hushai'' (1682), a reply to John Dryden's '' Absalom and Achitophel''. Life Samuel was the eldest son of John Pordage, a clergyman from Brad ...

(1671) * Aemilia in ''

The Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

'' by Joseph Arrowsmith (1673) * Mariamne in ''

The Empress of Morocco ''The Empress of Morocco'' is a 1673 tragedy by the English writer Elkanah Settle. It was originally staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London. The cast included Henry Harris as Muly Labas, William Smith as Muly Hame ...

'' by

Elkanah Settle Elkanah Settle (1 February 1648 – 12 February 1724) was an English poet and playwright. Biography He was born at Dunstable, and entered Trinity College, Oxford, in 1666, but left without taking a degree. His first tragedy, '' Cambyses, King ...

(1673) * Nigrello in '' Love and Revenge'' by

(1674) * Amavanga in '' The Conquest of China'' by

(1675) * Deidamia in ''

Alcibiades Alcibiades ( ; grc-gre, Ἀλκιβιάδης; 450 – 404 BC) was a prominent Athenian statesman, orator, and general. He was the last of the Alcmaeonidae, which fell from prominence after the Peloponnesian War. He played a major role in t ...

'' by

Thomas Otway Thomas Otway (3 March 165214 April 1685) was an English dramatist of the Restoration period, best known for '' Venice Preserv'd'', or ''A Plot Discover'd'' (1682). Life Otway was born at Trotton near Midhurst, the parish of which his fathe ...

(1675) * Christina in ''

The Country Wit ''The Country Wit'' is a 1676 comedy play by the English writer John Crowne, part of the tradition of Restoration Comedy. It was first staged at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London by the Duke's Company. The cast included Samuel Sandford as Sir ...

'' by

(1676) * Roxalana in ''

Ibrahim Ibrahim ( ar, إبراهيم, links=no ') is the Arabic name for Abraham, a Biblical patriarch and prophet in Islam. For the Islamic view of Ibrahim, see Abraham in Islam. Ibrahim may also refer to: * Ibrahim (name), a name (and list of people ...

'' by

(1676) * Mrs Loveit in ''

The Man of Mode ''The Man of Mode, or, Sir Fopling Flutter'' is a Restoration comedy by George Etherege, written in 1676. The play is set in Restoration London and follows the womanizer Dorimant as he tries to win over the young heiress Harriet and to diseng ...

'' by

George Etheredge Sir George Etherege (c. 1636, Maidenhead, Berkshire – c. 10 May 1692, Paris) was an English dramatist. He wrote the plays ''The Comical Revenge, The Comical Revenge or, Love in a Tub'' in 1664, ''She Would If She Could'' in 1668, and ''T ...

(1676) * Queen of Spain in '' Don Carlos, Prince of Spain'' by

(1676) * Isabella in ''

Abdelazer ''Abdelazer; or, The Moor's Revenge'' ( or ) is a 1676 play by Aphra Behn, an adaptation of the c. 1600 tragedy ''Lust's Dominion''. It is Behn's only tragic play. Plot Abdelazer is a captive Moor living at the court of King Philip of Spain, ...

'' by

(1676) * Madam Fickle in ''

Madam Fickle ''Madam Fickle; Or, The Witty False One'' is a 1676 comedy play by the English writer Thomas D'Urfey. It was first staged at the Dorset Garden Theatre by the Duke's Company. The original cast included Thomas Betterton as Lord Bellamore, Willia ...

'' by Thoms Durfey (1676) * Berenice in '' Titus and Berenice'' by

(1676) * Corsica in ''

Pastor Fido ''Pastor Fido; Or, The Faithful Shepherd'' is a 1676 tragicomedy by the English writer Elkanah Settle. It was first performed by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London. It is inspired by Giovanni Battista Guarini's pastoral wor ...

'' by

(1676) * Circe in ''

Circe Circe (; grc, , ) is an Magician (paranormal), enchantress and a minor goddess in ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion. She is either a daughter of the Titans, Titan Helios and the Oceanid nymph Perse (mythology), Perse ...

'' by Charles Davenant (1677) * Roxana in ''

The Siege of Babylon ''The Siege of Babylon'' is a 1677 tragedy by the English writer Samuel Pordage. It was originally staged at the Dorset Garden Theatre by the Duke's Company. The original cast included Thomas Betterton as Orontes, Matthew Medbourne as Lysimachus ...

'' by

(1677) * Elvira in ''

The Counterfeits ''The Counterfeits'' is a 1678 comedy play by the English writer John Leanerd. It was staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre with a cast that included Anthony Leigh as Don Gomez, Thomas Gillow as Don Luis, Thomas Betterton a ...

'' by

John Leanerd John Leanerd ( fl. 1679) was a British playwright, notorious as a plagiarist. Works Leanerd published: * '' The Country Innocence; or, the Chambermaid turn'd Quaker'', London, a comedy acted at the London Theatre Royal in Lent, 1677, by the youn ...

(1678) * Eurydice in ''

Oedipus Oedipus (, ; grc-gre, Οἰδίπους "swollen foot") was a mythical Greek king of Thebes. A tragic hero in Greek mythology, Oedipus accidentally fulfilled a prophecy that he would end up killing his father and marrying his mother, thereby ...

'' by

(1678) * Cassandra in '' The Destruction of Troy'' by

John Banks John Banks or Bankes may refer to: Politics and law *Sir John Banks, 1st Baronet (1627–1699), English merchant and Member of Parliament * John Banks (American politician) (1793–1864), U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania *John Gray Banks (188 ...

(1678) * Laura Lucretia in ''

The Feign'd Curtizans ''The Feign'd Curtizans, or, A Nights Intrigue'' is a 1679 comedic stage play by the English author Aphra Behn. Behn dedicated the play, originally performed at the Duke's Company in London, to the well-known actress and mistress of King Charle ...

'' by

(1679) * Bellamira in '' Caesar Borgia'' by

Nathaniel Lee Nathaniel Lee (c. 1653 – 6 May 1692) was an England, English dramatist. He was the son of Dr Richard Lee, a Presbyterian clergyman who was rector of Hatfield and held many preferments under the Commonwealth of England, Commonwealth; Dr Lee was ...

(1679) * Cressida in ''

Troilus and Cressida ''Troilus and Cressida'' ( or ) is a play by William Shakespeare, probably written in 1602. At Troy during the Trojan War, Troilus and Cressida begin a love affair. Cressida is forced to leave Troy to join her father in the Greek camp. Meanwh ...

'' by

(1679) * Arviola '' The Loyal General'' by

(1679) * Julia in ''

The Loving Enemies ''The Loving Enemies'' is a 1680 comedy play by the English writer Lewis Maidwell. It was first staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London. The original cast included Thomas Betterton as Lorenzo, William Smith as Marcel ...

'' by

Lewis Maidwell Lewis Maidwell (1650–1716) was an English writer and educator. Born in Northamptonshire he attended Westminster School and graduated from Cambridge University in 1672. He ran a school on King Street in London, and was also a tutor to the sons ...

(1680) * Queen Margaret in ''

The Misery of Civil War ''The Misery of Civil War'' is a 1680 tragedy by the English writer John Crowne. It was originally staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London. The play was staged at the height of the Popish Plot, something Crowne addres ...

'' by

(1680) * Marguerite in ''

'' by

(1680) * Sempronia ''

Lucius Junius Brutus Lucius Junius Brutus ( 6th century BC) was the semi-legendary founder of the Roman Republic, and traditionally one of its first consuls in 509 BC. He was reputedly responsible for the expulsion of his uncle the Roman king Tarquinius Superbus after ...

'' by

(1680) * Lucia in '' Mr. Turbulent'' by Anonymous (1682) * Queen Mother in '' The Duke of Guise'' by

(1682) * Lady Noble in ''

Dame Dobson ''Dame Dobson'' is a 1683 comedy play by the English writer Edward Ravenscroft. First staged by the United Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre, the original cast included Katherine Corey as Dame Dobson, Edward Kynaston as Collonel, Thomas Jevon ...

'' by

Edward Ravenscroft Edward Ravenscroft (c. 1654–1707) was an English dramatist who belonged to an ancient Flintshire family. He was entered at the Middle Temple, but devoted his attention mainly to literature. Ravenscroft was the first critic to posit that Sh ...

(1683) * Clarinda in ''

A Commonwealth of Women ''A Commonwealth of Women'' is a 1685 comedy play by the English writer Thomas D'Urfey. Originally performed by the United Company as the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, the cast included Joseph Williams as Captain Marine, Philip Griffin as Du Pier, ...

'' by Thoms Durfey (1685)

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Slingsby, Mary 17th-century births Year of death missing English stage actresses 17th-century English actresses