Bartholomew Fayre

Bartholomew Fayre is in Jacobean and Restoration Plays.

Pepy's Diary. 10 Sep 1660. Office Day. News of the Duke's intention to go tomorrow to the fleet for a day or two to meet his sister. Col. Slingsby (age 49) and I to Whitehall, thinking to proffer our service to the Duke to wait upon him, but meeting with Sir G. Carteret (age 50) he sent us in all haste back again to hire two Catches for the present use of the Duke. So we returned and landed at the Bear [Map] at the Bridge foot, where we saw Southwark Fair (I having not at all seen Bartholomew Fair), and so to the Tower wharf, where we did hire two catches. So to the office and found Sir W. Batten (age 59) at dinner with some friends upon a good chine of beef, on which I ate heartily, I being very hungry. Home, where Mr. Snow (whom afterwards we called one another cozen) came to me to see me, and with him and one Shelston, a simple fellow that looks after an employment (that was with me just upon my going to sea last), to a tavern, where till late with them. So home, having drunk too much, and so to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 08 Jun 1661. Then to the Cook's with Mr. Shepley and Mr. Creed, and dined together, and then I went to the Theatre [Map] and there saw Bartholomew Fayre, the first time it was acted now a-days. It is a most admirable play and well acted, but too much prophane and abusive.

Pepy's Diary. 27 Jun 1661. To my father's, and with him to Mr. Starling's to drink our morning draft, and there I told him how I would have him speak to my uncle Robert, when he comes thither, concerning my buying of land, that I could pay ready money £600 and the rest by £150 per annum, to make up as much as will buy £50 per annum, which I do, though I not worth above £500 ready money, that he may think me to be a greater saver than I am. Here I took my leave of my father, who is going this morning to my uncle upon my aunt's letter this week that he is not well and so needs my father's help. At noon home, and then with my Lady Batten, Mrs. Rebecca Allen, Mrs. Thompson, &c., two coaches of us, we went and saw "Bartholomew Fayre" acted very well, and so home again and staid at Sir W. Batten's (age 60) late, and so home to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 31 Aug 1661. At home and the office all the morning, and at noon comes Luellin to me, and he and I to the tavern and after that to Bartholomew fair, and there upon his motion to a pitiful alehouse, where we had a dirty slut or two come up that were whores, but my very heart went against them, so that I took no pleasure but a great deal of trouble in being there and getting from thence for fear of being seen.

Pepy's Diary. 07 Sep 1661. At the office all the morning. At noon Mr. Moore dined with me, and then in comes Wm. Joyce to answer a letter of mine I wrote this morning to him about a maid of his that my wife had hired, and she sent us word that she was hired to stay longer with her master, which mistake he came to clear himself of; and I took it very kindly. So I having appointed the young ladies at the Wardrobe to go with them to a play to-day, I left him and my brother Tom (age 27) who came along with him to dine, and my wife and I took them to the Theatre [Map], where we seated ourselves close by the King, and Duke of York (age 27), and Madame Palmer (age 20), which was great content; and, indeed, I can never enough admire her beauty. And here was "Bartholomew Fayre", with the puppet-show, acted to-day, which had not been these forty years (it being so satyricall against Puritanism, they durst not till now, which is strange they should already dare to do it, and the King do countenance it), but I do never a whit like it the better for the puppets, but rather the worse.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Nov 1661. At the office all the morning. Dined at home alone. So abroad with Sir W. Pen (age 40). My wife and I to "Bartholomew Fayre", with puppets which I had seen once before, and at play without puppets often, but though I love the play as much as ever I did, yet I do not like the puppets at all, but think it to be a lessening to it.

Pepy's Diary. 25 Aug 1663. This noon going to the Exchange [Map], I met a fine fellow with trumpets before him in Leadenhall-street [Map], and upon enquiry I find that he is the clerk of the City Market; and three or four men carried each of them an arrow of a pound weight in their hands. It seems this Lord Mayor begins again an old custome, that upon the three first days of Bartholomew Fayre, the first, there is a match of wrestling, which was done, and the Lord Mayor (age 48) there and Aldermen in Moorefields [Map] yesterday: to-day, shooting: and to-morrow, hunting. And this officer of course is to perform this ceremony of riding through the city, I think to proclaim or challenge any to shoot. It seems that the people of the fayre cry out upon it as a great hindrance to them.

Pepy's Diary. 04 Sep 1663. Thence Creed and I away, and by his importunity away by coach to Bartholomew Fayre, where I have no mind to go without my wife, and therefore rode through the fayre without 'lighting, and away home, leaving him there; and at home made my wife get herself presently ready, and so carried her by coach to the fayre, and showed her the Monkeys dancing on the ropes, which was strange, but such dirty sport that I was not pleased with it. There was also a horse with hoofs like rams hornes, a goose with four feet, and a cock with three.

Pepy's Diary. 02 Aug 1664. Thence to the King's play-house, and there saw "Bartholomew Fayre", which do still please me; and is, as it is acted, the best comedy in the world, I believe. I chanced to sit by Tom Killigrew (age 52), who tells me that he is setting up a Nursery; that is, is going to build a house in Moorefields [Map], wherein he will have common plays acted. But four operas it shall have in the year, to act six weeks at a time; where we shall have the best scenes and machines, the best musique, and every thing as magnificent as is in Christendome; and to that end hath sent for voices and painters and other persons from Italy.

Pepy's Diary. 04 Sep 1668. Up, and met at the Office all the morning; and at noon my wife, and Deb., and Mercer, and W. Hewer (age 26) and I to the Fair, and there, at the old house, did eat a pig, and was pretty merry, but saw no sights, my wife having a mind to see the play "Bartholomew-Fayre", with puppets. Which we did, and it is an excellent play; the more I see it, the more I love the wit of it; only the business of abusing the Puritans begins to grow stale, and of no use, they being the people that, at last, will be found the wisest. And here Knepp come to us, and sat with us, and thence took coach in two coaches, and losing one another, my wife, and Knepp, and I to Hercules Pillars, and there supped, and I did take from her mouth the words and notes of her song of "the Larke", which pleases me mightily. And so set her at home, and away we home, where our company come home before us. This night Knepp tells us that there is a Spanish woman lately come over, that pretends to sing as well as Mrs. Knight; both of which I must endeavour to hear. So, after supper, to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 22 Feb 1669. Up, and betimes to White Hall; but there the Duke of York (age 35) is gone abroad a-hunting, and therefore after a little stay there I into London, with Sir H. Cholmly (age 36), talking all the way of Tangier matters, wherein I find him troubled from some reports lately from Norwood (who is his great enemy and I doubt an ill man), of some decay of the Mole, and a breach made therein by the sea to a great icon. He set me down at the end of Leadenhall Street [Map], and so I home, and after dinner, with my wife, in her morning-gown, and the two girls [Barbara Pepys and Elizabeth Pepys] dressed, to Unthanke's, where my wife dresses herself, having her gown this day laced, and a new petticoat; and so is indeed very fine. And in the evening I do carry them to White Hall, and there did without much trouble get into the playhouse, there in a good place among the Ladies of Honour, and myself also sat in the pit; and there by and by come the King (age 38) and Queen (age 30), and they begun "Bartholomew Fayre". But I like no play here so well as at the common playhouse; besides that, my eyes being very ill since last Sunday and this day se'nnight, with the light of the candles, I was in mighty pain to defend myself now from the light of the candles. After the play done, we met with W. Batelier and W. Hewer (age 27) and Talbot Pepys, and they follow us in a Hackney-coach: and we all stopped at Hercules' Pillars; and there I did give them the best supper I could, and pretty merry; and so home between eleven and twelve at night, and so to bed, mightily well pleased with this day's work.