Samuel Pepys @samuelpepys@mastodon.social

Here was also Haynes, the incomparable dancer of the King’s house, and a seeming civil man, and sings pretty well, and they gone, we abroad to Marrowbone, and there walked in the garden, the first time I ever was there; and a pretty place it is, and here we eat and drank.

Here took up Knepp into our coach, and all of us with her to her lodgings, and thither comes Bannister with a song of hers, that he hath set in Sir Charles Sidly’s play for her; this he did teach her, and it being but a slight, silly, short ayre, she learnt it presently.

Lord! their confidence! and how many men do hover about them as soon as they come off the stage, and how confident they are in their talk! I did kiss the pretty woman newly come, called Pegg, that was Sir Charles Sidly’s mistress, a pretty woman, and seems, but is not, modest.

Thence called Knepp from the King’s house, where going in for her, the play being done, I did see Beck Marshall come dressed, off of the stage, and looks mighty fine, and pretty, and noble: and also Nell, in her boy’s clothes, mighty pretty.

I sent for Mercer to dine with me, and after dinner she and I called Mrs. Turner, and I carried them to the Duke of York’s house, and there saw “The Man’s the Master,” which proves, upon my seeing it again, a very good play.

And there, ponendo the key in the door, yo tocar sus mamelles con mi mano and su cosa with me cosa et yo did dar-la a shilling, and so parted, and yo home to put up things against tomorrow’s carrier for my wife.

I did see our Nell, Payne’s daughter, and her yo did desear venga after migo, and so ella did seque me to Tower Hill to our back entry there that comes upon the degres entrant into nostra garden.

I did walk in the dusk up and down, round through our garden, over Tower Hill, and through Crutched Friars, three or four times, and did meet Mercer and another pretty lady, but being surprized I could say little, although I had an opportunity of pleasing myself, but left them.

And there I found her on a pallet in the dark, where yo did poner mi manos under her jupe and tocar su cosa and waked her; that is Knepp. And so to talk; and by and by did eat some curds and cream, and thence away home.

I back to the King’s playhouse, and there saw “The Virgin Martyr,” and heard the music that I like so well, and intended to have seen Knepp, but I let her alone; and having there done, went to Mrs. Pierces back again, where she was.

By water to the New Exchange, where bought a pair of shoe-strings, and so to Mr. Pierces, where invited, and there was Knepp and Mrs. Foster and here dined, but a poor, sluttish dinner, as usual, and so I could not be heartily merry at it.

This morning the House is upon the City Bill, and they say hath passed it, though I am sorry that I did not think to put somebody in mind of moving for the churches to be allotted according to the convenience of the people, and not to gratify this Bishop, or that College.

I met Mrs. Washington, my old acquaintance of the Hall, whose husband has a place in the Excise at Windsor, and it seems lives well. I have not seen her these 8 or 9 years, and she begins to grow old, I perceive, visibly. So time do alter, and do doubtless the like in myself.

One thing of familiarity I observed in my Lady Castlemayne: she called to one of her women, for a little patch off her face, and put it into her mouth and wetted it, and so clapped it upon her own by the side of her mouth, I suppose she feeling a pimple rising there.

My Lady pretty well pleased with it; but here I sat close to her fine woman, Willson, who indeed is very handsome, but, they say, with child by the King.

There we sat with them, and I saw “The Impertinents” once more, now three times, and the three only days it hath been acted. And to see the folly how the house do this day cry up the play more than yesterday! and I for that reason like it, I find, the better, too.

Creed and I to the Duke of York’s playhouse; and there coming late, he and I up to the balcony-box, where we find my Lady Castlemayne and several great ladies.

Mrs. Pierce called me from the gallery, and I took her and Mrs. Corbet by coach up and down, and took up Captain Rolt; and at last I carried them to the Beare in Drury Lane, and there did treat them with a dish of mackrell, the first I have seen this year, and mighty merry.

To the Duke of York’s house, and there saw “The Impertinents” again, and with less pleasure than before, it being but a very contemptible play, though there are many little witty expressions in it; and the pit did generally say that of it.

To the Duke, and there present Balty to the Duke of York and a letter from the Board to him about him, and the Duke of York is mightily pleased with him, and I doubt not his continuance in employment, which I am glad of.