Diary, Feb/Mar 1668/69 | Page 4

DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. FEBRUARY & MARCH 1668-1669
February 1st. Up, and by water from the Tower to White Hall, the first
time that I have gone to that end of the town by water, for two or three

months, I think, since I kept a coach, which God send propitious to me;
but it is a very great convenience. I went to a Committee of Tangier,
but it did not meet, and so I meeting Mr. Povy, he and I away to
Dancre's, to speak something touching the pictures I am getting him to
make for me. And thence he carried me to Mr. Streeter's, the famous
history-painter over the way, whom I have often heard of, but did never
see him before; and there I found him, and Dr. Wren, and several
Virtuosos, looking upon the paintings which he is making for the new
Theatre at Oxford: and, indeed, they look as if they would be very fine,
and the rest think better than those of Rubens in the Banqueting-house
at White Hall, but I do not so fully think so. But they will certainly be
very noble; and I am mightily pleased to have the fortune to see this
man and his work, which is very famous; and he a very civil little man,
and lame, but lives very handsomely. So thence to my Lord Bellassis,
and met him within: my business only to see a chimney-piece of
Dancre's doing, in distemper, with egg to keep off the glaring of the
light, which I must have done for my room: and indeed it is pretty, but,
I must confess, I do think it is not altogether so beautiful as the oyle
pictures; but I will have some of one, and some of another. Thence set
him down at Little Turnstile, and so I home, and there eat a little dinner,
and away with my wife by coach to the King's playhouse, thinking to
have seen "The Heyresse," first acted on Saturday last; but when we
come thither, we find no play there; Kinaston, that did act a part therein,
in abuse to Sir Charles Sedley, being last night exceedingly beaten with
sticks, by two or three that assaulted him, so as he is mightily bruised,
and forced to keep his bed. So we to the Duke of York's playhouse, and
there saw " She Would if She Could," arid so home and to my office to
business, and then to supper and to bed. This day, going to the play,
The. Turner met us, and carried us to her mother, at my Lady
Mordaunt's; and I did carry both mother and daughter with us to the
Duke of York's playhouse, at next door.

2nd. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, and home to dinner at
noon, where I find Mr. Sheres; and there made a short dinner, and
carried him with us to the King's playhouse, where "The Heyresse,"
not- withstanding Kinaston's being beaten, is acted; and they say the
King is very angry with Sir Charles Sedley for his being beaten, but he

do deny it. But his part is done by Beeston, who is fain to read it out of
a book all the while, and thereby spoils the part, and almost the play, it
being one of the best parts in it; and though the design is, in the first
conception of it, pretty good, yet it is but an indifferent play, wrote,
they say, by my Lord Newcastle. But it was pleasant to see Beeston
come in with others, supposing it to be dark, and yet he is forced to
read his part by the light of the candles: and this I observing to a
gentleman that sat by me, he was mightily pleased therewith, and
spread it up and down. But that, that pleased me most in the play is, the
first song that Knepp sings, she singing three or four; and, indeed, it
was very finely sung, so as to make the whole house clap her. Thence
carried Sheres to White Hall, and there I stepped in, and looked out Mr.
May, who tells me that he and his company cannot come to dine with
me to- morrow, whom I expected only to come to see the manner of our
Office and books, at which I was not very much displeased, having
much business at the Office, and so away home, and there to the office
about my letters, and then home to supper and to bed, my wife being in
mighty ill humour all night, and in the morning I found it to be from
her observing Knepp to wink and smile on me; and she says I smiled on
her; and, poor wretch! I did perceive that