Pepy's Diary. 03 Aug 1660. Up betimes this morning, and after the barber had done with me, then to the office, where I and Sir William Pen (age 39) only did meet and despatch business. At noon my wife and I by coach to Dr. Clerke's to dinner: I was very much taken with his lady, a comely, proper woman, though not handsome; but a woman of the best language I ever heard. Here dined Mrs. Pierce and her husband. After dinner I took leave to go to Westminster, where I was at the Privy Seal Office all day, signing things and taking money, so that I could not do as I had intended, that is to return to them and go to the Red Bull Playhouse¹, but I took coach and went to see whether it was done so or no, and I found it done. So I returned to Dr. Clerke's, where I found them and my wife, and by and by took leave and went away home.

Note 1. This well-known theatre was situated in St. John's Street on the site of Red Bull Yard. Pepys went there on March 23rd, 1661, when he expressed a very poor opinion of the place. T. Carew, in some commendatory lines on Sir William. Davenant's (age 54) play, "The Just Italian", 1630, abuses both audiences and actors:- "There are the men in crowded heaps that throng To that adulterate stage, where not a tongue Of th' untun'd kennel can a line repeat Of serious sense". There is a token of this house (see "Boyne's Trade Tokens", ed. Williamson, vol. i., 1889, p. 725).

Pepy's Diary. 18 Aug 1660.This morning I took my wife towards Westminster by water, and landed her at Whitefriars, with £5 to buy her a petticoat, and I to the Privy Seal. By and by comes my wife to tell me that my father has persuaded her to buy a most fine cloth of 26s. a yard, and a rich lace, that the petticoat will come to £5, at which I was somewhat troubled, but she doing it very innocently, I could not be angry. I did give her more money, and sent her away, and I and Creed and Captain Hayward (who is now unkindly put out of the Plymouth to make way for Captain Allen to go to Constantinople, and put into his ship the Dover, which I know will trouble my Lord) went and dined at the Leg in King Street, where Captain Ferrers, my Lord's Cornet, comes to us, who after dinner took me and Creed to the Cockpitt [Map] play¹, the first that I have had time to see since my coming from sea, "The Loyall Subject", where one Kinaston (age 20), a boy, acted the Duke's sister, but made the loveliest lady that ever I saw in my life, only her voice not very good. After the play done, we three went to drink, and by Captain Ferrers' means, Kinaston (age 20) and another that acted Archas, the General, came and drank with us. Hence home by coach, and after being trimmed, leaving my wife to look after her little bitch, which was just now a-whelping, I to bed.

Note 1. The Cockpit Theatre [Map], situated in Drury Lane, was occupied as a playhouse in the reign of James I. It was occupied by Davenant (age 54) and his company in 1658, and they remained in it until November 15th, 1660, when they removed to Salisbury Court, Fleet Street.

In 1661 Henry Harris (age 27) joined William Davenant's (age 55) company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre.

Pepy's Diary. 03 Jan 1661. Early in the morning to the Exchequer, where I told over what money I had of my Lord's and my own there, which I found to be £970. Thence to Will's, where Spicer and I eat our dinner of a roasted leg of pork which Will did give us, and after that to the Theatre [Map], where was acted "Beggars Bush", it being very well done; and here the first time that ever I saw women come upon the stage¹. From thence to my father's, where I found my mother gone by Bird, the carrier, to Brampton, upon my uncle's great desire, my aunt being now in despair of life. So home.

Note 1. Downes does not give the cast of this play. After the Restoration the acting of female characters by women became common. The first English professional actress was Mrs. Coleman, who acted Ianthe in Davenant's (age 55) "Siege of Rhodes", at Rutland House in 1656.

Pepy's Diary. 02 Jul 1661. Home, and after my singing master had done, took coach and went to Sir William Davenant's (age 55) Opera; this being the fourth day that it hath begun, and the first that I have seen it. To-day was acted the second part of "The Siege of Rhodes". We staid a very great while for the King and the Queen of Bohemia (age 64). And by the breaking of a board over our heads, we had a great deal of dust fell into the ladies' necks and the men's hair, which made good sport. The King being come, the scene opened; which indeed is very fine and magnificent, and well acted, all but the Eunuch, who was so much out that he was hissed off the stage. Home and wrote letters to my Lord at sea, and so to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 24 Aug 1661. Home and there met Capt. Isham (age 33) inquiring for me to take his leave of me, he being upon his voyage to Portugal, and for my letters to my Lord which are not ready. But I took him to the Mitre [Map] and gave him a glass of sack, and so adieu, and then straight to the Opera, and there saw "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark", done with scenes very well, but above all, Betterton (age 26)¹ did the prince's part beyond imagination. Hence homeward, and met with Mr. Spong and took him to the Sampson in Paul's churchyard, and there staid till late, and it rained hard, so we were fain to get home wet, and so to bed.

Note 1. Sir William Davenant (age 55) introduced the use of scenery. The character of Hamlet was one of Betterton's (age 26) masterpieces. Downes tells us that he was taught by Davenant (age 55) how the part was acted by Taylor of the Blackfriars, who was instructed by Shakespeare himself.

Pepy's Diary. 26 Feb 1662. Mr. Berkenshaw with me all the morning composing of musique to "This cursed jealousy, what is it", a song of Sir W. Davenant's (age 56).

Pepy's Diary. 22 Jul 1663. Thence homewards, and in the way first called at Wotton's, the shoemaker's, who tells me the reason of Harris's' going from Sir Wm. Davenant's (age 57) house, that he grew very proud and demanded £20 for himself extraordinary, more than Betterton (age 27) or any body else, upon every new play, and £10 upon every revive; which with other things Sir W. Davenant (age 57) would not give him, and so he swore he would never act there more, in expectation of being received in the other House; but the King (age 33) will not suffer it, upon Sir W. Davenant's (age 57) desire that he would not, for then he might shut up house, and that is true. He tells me that his going is at present a great loss to the House, and that he fears he hath a stipend from the other House privately. He tells the that the fellow grew very proud of late, the King (age 33) and every body else crying him up so high, and that above Betterton (age 27), he being a more ayery man, as he is indeed. But yet Betterton (age 27), he says, they all say do act: some parts that none but himself can do.

Pepy's Diary. 24 Oct 1663. Thence, it being night, homewards, and called at Wotton's and tried some shoes, but he had none to fit me. He tells me that by the Duke of York's (age 30) persuasion Harris is come again to Sir W. Davenant (age 57) upon his terms that he demanded, which will make him very high and proud.

Pepy's Diary. 10 Dec 1663. Calling at Wotton's, my shoemaker's, today, he tells me that Sir H. Wright (age 26) is dying; and that Harris is come to the Duke's house again; and of a rare play to be acted this week of Sir William Davenant's (age 57): the story of Henry the Eighth with all his wives.

Pepy's Diary. 07 Feb 1664. Lord's Day. Up and to church, and thence home, my wife being ill ... kept her bed all day, and I up and dined by her bedside, and then all the afternoon till late at night writing some letters of business to my father stating of matters to him in general of great import, and other letters to ease my mind in the week days that I have not time to think of, and so up to my wife, and with great mirth read Sir W. Davenant's (age 58) two speeches in dispraise of London and Paris, by way of reproach one to another, and so to prayers and to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 13 Feb 1667. The Prince (age 47), I hear, is every day better and better. So away by water home, stopping at Michell's, where Mrs. Martin was, and I there drank with them and whispered with Betty, who tells me all is well, but was prevented in something she would have said, her 'marido venant' just then, a news which did trouble me, and so drank and parted and home, and there took up my wife by coach, and to Mrs. Pierce's, there to take her up, and with them to Dr. Clerke's, by invitation, where we have not been a great while, nor had any mind to go now, but that the Dr., whom I love, would have us choose a day. Here was his wife, painted, and her sister Worshipp, a widow now and mighty pretty in her mourning. Here was also Mr. Pierce and Mr. Floyd, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of Prizes, and Captain Cooke (age 51), to dinner, an ill and little mean one, with foul cloth and dishes, and everything poor. Discoursed most about plays and the Opera, where, among other vanities, Captain Cooke (age 51) had the arrogance to say that he was fain to direct Sir W. Davenant (age 61) in the breaking of his verses into such and such lengths, according as would be fit for musick, and how he used to swear at Davenant (age 61), and command him that way, when W. Davenant (age 61) would be angry, and find fault with this or that note-but a vain coxcomb I perceive he is, though he sings and composes so well. But what I wondered at, Dr. Clerke did say that Sir W. Davenant (age 61) is no good judge of a dramatick poem, finding fault with his choice of Henry the 5th, and others, for the stage, when I do think, and he confesses, "The Siege of Rhodes" as good as ever was writ.

Pepy's Diary. 13 Feb 1667. After dinner Captain Cooke (age 51) and two of his boys to sing, but it was indeed both in performance and composition most plainly below what I heard last night, which I could not have believed. Besides overlooking the words which he sung, I find them not at all humoured as they ought to be, and as I believed he had done all he had sett. Though he himself do indeed sing in a manner as to voice and manner the best I ever heard yet, and a strange mastery he hath in making of extraordinary surprising closes, that are mighty pretty, but his bragging that he do understand tones and sounds as well as any man in the world, and better than Sir W. Davenant (age 61) or any body else, I do not like by no means, but was sick of it and of him for it. He gone, Dr. Clerke fell to reading a new play, newly writ, of a friend's of his; but, by his discourse and confession afterwards, it was his own. Some things, but very few, moderately good; but infinitely far from the conceit, wit, design, and language of very many plays that I know; so that, but for compliment, I was quite tired with hearing it. It being done, and commending the play, but against my judgment, only the prologue magnifying the happiness of our former poets when such sorry things did please the world as was then acted, was very good.

Pepy's Diary. 19 Apr 1667. So to the playhouse, not much company come, which I impute to the heat of the weather, it being very hot. Here we saw "Macbeth"¹, which, though I have seen it often, yet is it one of the best plays for a stage, and variety of dancing and musique, that ever I saw.

Note 1. See November 5th, 1664. Downes wrote: "The Tragedy of Macbeth, alter'd by Sir William Davenant (age 61); being drest in all it's finery, as new cloaths, new scenes, machines as flyings for the Witches; with all the singing and dancing in it. The first compos'd by Mr. Lock, the other by Mr. Channell and Mr. Joseph Preist; it being all excellently perform'd, being in the nature of an opera, it recompenc'd double the expence; it proves still a lasting play".

Pepy's Diary. 12 Sep 1667. Up, and at the office all the morning till almost noon, and then I rode from the office (which I have not done five times I think since I come thither) and to the Exchequer for some tallies for Tangier; and that being done, to the Dog taverne [Map], and there I spent half a piece upon the clerks, and so away, and I to Mrs. Martin's, but she not at home, but staid and drunk with her sister and landlady, and by that time it was time to go to a play, which I did at the Duke's house, where "Tu Quoque" was the first time acted, with some alterations of Sir W. Davenant's (age 61); but the play is a very silly play, methinks; for I, and others that sat by me, Mr. Povy (age 53) and Mr. Progers, were weary of it; but it will please the citizens.

Pepy's Diary. 26 Mar 1668. By and by the King (age 37) come; and we sat just under him, so that I durst not turn my back all the play. The play is a translation out of French, and the plot Spanish, but not anything extraordinary at all in it, though translated by Sir W. Davenant, and so I found the King (age 37) and his company did think meanly of it, though there was here and there something pretty: but the most of the mirth was sorry, poor stuffe, of eating of sack-posset and slabbering themselves, and mirth fit for clownes; the prologue but poor, and the epilogue little in it but the extraordinariness of it, it being sung by Harris (age 34) and another in the form of a ballet.

Pepy's Diary. 07 Apr 1668. Here I hear Sir W. Davenant is just now dead; and so who will succeed him in the mastership of the house is not yet known. The eldest Davenport is, it seems, gone from this house to be kept by somebody; which I am glad of, she being a very bad actor. I took her then up into a coach and away to the Park, which is now very fine after some rain, but the company was going away most, and so I took her to the Lodge, and there treated her and had a deal of good talk, and now and then did baiser la, and that was all, and that as much or more than I had much mind to because of her paint. She tells me mighty news, that my Baroness Castlemayne (age 27) is mightily in love with Hart (age 42) of their house: and he is much with her in private, and she goes to him, and do give him many presents; and that the thing is most certain, and Becke Marshall only privy to it, and the means of bringing them together, which is a very odd thing; and by this means she is even with the King's love to Mrs. Davis (age 20). This done, I carried her and set her down at Mrs. Manuel's, but stayed not there myself, nor went in; but straight home, and there to my letters, and so home to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 09 Apr 1668. Up, and to the office, where all the morning sitting, then at noon home to dinner with my people, and so to the office again writing of my letters, and then abroad to my bookseller's, and up and down to the Duke of York's playhouse, there to see, which I did, Sir W. Davenant's corpse carried out towards Westminster, there to be buried. Here were many coaches and six horses, and many hacknies, that made it look, methought, as if it were the buriall of a poor poet. He seemed to have many children, by five or six in the first mourning-coach, all boys. And there I left them coming forth, and I to the New Exchange, there to meet Mrs. Burroughs, and did take her in a carosse and carry elle towards the Park, kissing her..., but did not go into any house, but come back and set her down at White Hall, and did give her wrapt in paper for my Valentine's gift for the last year before this, which I never did yet give her anything for, twelve half-crowns, and so back home and there to my office, where come a packet from the Downes from my brother Balty (age 28), who, with Harman (age 43), is arrived there, of which this day come the first news. And now the Parliament will be satisfied, I suppose, about the business they have so long desired between Brouncker (age 48) and Harman (age 43) about not prosecuting the first victory. Balty (age 28) is very well, and I hope hath performed his work well, that I may get him into future employment. I wrote to him this night, and so home, and there to the perfecting my getting the scale of musique without book, which I have done to perfection backward and forward, and so to supper and to bed.