Tuesday 2 February 1668/69
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 she did, and do on all such occasions, mind my eyes. I did, with much difficulty, pacify her, and were friends, she desiring that hereafter, at that house, we might always sit either above in a box, or, if there be [no] room, close up to the lower boxes.
4 Annotations
First Reading
Chris Squire • Link
'fain, Etym: Old English fæge . .
. . 2. b. This passes gradually into the sense: Necessitated, obliged.
a1535 T. More Hist. Richard III in Wks. (1557) 58/1 Penker‥so lost his voice that he was faine to leaue off.
1676 M. Hale Contempl. i. 103 In this condition, he is fain to bear his burdensom Cross towards the place of his Execution . . ' [OED]
Terry Foreman • Link
"Mr. May...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,"
Mr. Pepys is in luck again!
On 17 January his invite was otherwise -- or so his Diary says -- (Samuel, read your Journall!!): "I met Hugh May, and he brings me to the knowledge of Sir Henry Capell, a Member of Parliament, and brother of my Lord of Essex, who hath a great value, it seems, for me; and they appoint a day to come and dine with me, and see my books, and papers of the Office, which I shall be glad to shew them" http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"to the King’s playhouse, where “The Heyresse”...is acted....yet it is but an indifferent play, wrote, they say, by my Lord Newcastle."
There is no play entitled The Heiress among the published works of the Duke of Newcastle. The play was evidently one of which he was only part-author, for in a letter written by John Evelyn's wife on 10 February she mentions a play 'of my Lord of Newcastle's, for which printed apologies are scattered in the assembly by Briden's order, either himself who had some hand in it, or for the author most; I think both had right to them': Diary and corresp. of Evelyn (ed. Bray), iv.14 (L&M) https://books.google.com/books?id…
Terry Foreman • Link
"she desiring that hereafter, at that house, we might always sit either above in a box, or, if there be [no] room, close up to the lower boxes."
I.e. at the very back of the pit. (L&M)