Thursday 5 September 1667
Up, and all the morning at the office, where we sat till noon, and then I home to dinner, where Mary Batelier and her brother dined with us, who grows troublesome in his talking so much of his going to Marseilles, and what commissions he hath to execute as a factor, and a deal of do of which I am weary. After dinner, with Sir W. Pen, my wife, and Mary Batelier to the Duke of York’s house, and there saw “Heraclius,” which is a good play; but they did so spoil it with their laughing, and being all of them out, and with the noise they made within the theatre, that I was ashamed of it, and resolve not to come thither again a good while, believing that this negligence, which I never observed before, proceeds only from their want of company in the pit, that they have no care how they act. My wife was ill, and so I was forced to go out of the house with her to Lincoln’s Inn walks, and there in a corner she did her business, and was by and by well, and so into the house again, but sick of their ill acting.1 So home and to the office, where busy late, then home to supper and to bed.
This morning was told by Sir W. Batten, that he do hear from Mr. Grey, who hath good intelligence, that our Queen is to go into a nunnery, there to spend her days; and that my Lady Castlemayne is going into France, and is to have a pension of 4000l. a-year. This latter I do more believe than the other, it being very wise in her to do it, and save all she hath, besides easing the King and kingdom of a burden and reproach.
9 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
Arlington to Sandwich
Written from: Whitehall
Date: 5 September 1667
Informs Lord Sandwich of the transfer of the Seals from Clarendon to Bridgeman, with, he adds, "a great deal of satisfaction to the World and to his Majesty". Communicates the King's desire for the continuance of Lord Sandwich's endeavours towards a stricter union with the Crown of Spain, and for putting it upon the Spaniards to propose the terms.
"In these jealous times", it will be better, he thinks, that Lord Sandwich should avoid joining with the Pope's Ambassador, on any occasion. It would cause prejudice in England.
http://www.rsl.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwm…
A. De Araujo • Link
"but they did so spoil it with their laughing"
Still quite common these days,particularly with old operas;the directors seem to think that modern audiences will not go for it so they transform them into comedies.
Terry Foreman • Link
"but they did so spoil it with their laughing”
I took it that Pepys was compainibg about the actors.
Mary • Link
spoil it with their laughing.
Yes, I'm sure that Pepys is complaining about the actors and their lack of professionalism. The odd instance of corpsing can amuse an audience, but once the actors really lose control of themselves then the audience has every right to feel offended. Why should the paying public take the performance seriously ("being all of them out" = not having learnt their parts properly) if the actors are not prepared to do so?
Robert Gertz • Link
Poor Heraclius...Really was a tragedy, his reign. From savior of Byzantium from the Persians to watching the new Arab power grab half the Empire. Easy to see Sam would find professional actors behaving badly and clearly not having their lines down irritating in such a play.
Robert Gertz • Link
"This morning was told by Sir W. Batten, that he do hear from Mr. Grey, who hath good intelligence, that our Queen is to go into a nunnery, there to spend her days; and that my Lady Castlemayne is going into France, and is to have a pension of 4000l. a-year."
I see Mr. Grey is about as reliable as most tabloids. But he forgot to mention how space aliens actually led the Dutch to victory on the Medway and that the King gets his advice from a head of Shakespeare on Mars.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"saw “Heraclius,” which is a good play; but they did so spoil it with their laughing, and being all of them out, and with the noise they made within the theatre, that I was ashamed of it..., believing that this negligence, which I never observed before, proceeds only from their want of company in the pit, "
L&M clarify: "their laughing, and being all of them out" -- i.e. the actors had not memorized their lines properly; -- and the lack of discriminating playgoers ("company") in the pit didn't provide examples for those behind them..
Terry Foreman • Link
"This morning was told by Sir W. Batten, that he do hear from Mr. Grey, who hath good intelligence, that our Queen is to go into a nunnery, there to spend her days; and that my Lady Castlemayne is going into France, and is to have a pension of 4000l. a-year. "
L&M: Batten's informant was probably Thomas Grey, M.P., a member of several committees of Council. According to the Duke of York's account, Buckingham and Bristol were now plotting to have the Queen divorced.: Life (ed. J. S. Clarke(, i. 438. Burnet (i. 474) says that the King tried (through her confessor) to persuade her to take the veil, 'upon which the parliament would havee been easily prevailed on to pass a divorce. . . . but what steps were made in it were never known'. See also Reresby, memoirs (ed. Browning), pp. 80-1, 161, 204-5; cf. https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… There was no truth in the remour about Lady Castlemaine.
Terry Foreman • Link
"this negligence, which I never observed before, proceeds only from their want of company in the pit"
L&M: The pit usually contained the most discriminating of the playgoers.