The Diary of Samuel Pepys [458]
and we all stopped at Hercules' Pillars; and there I did give them the best supper I could, and pretty merry; and so home between eleven and twelve at night.
23rd. To Westminster Abbey, and there did see all the tombs very finely, having one with us alone (there being other company this day to see the tombs, it being Shrove-Tuesday:) and here we did see, by particular favour, the body of Queen Katherine of Valois; and I had the upper part of her body in my hands, and I did kiss her mouth, reflecting upon it that I did kiss a queene, and that this was my birth-day, thirty-six years old, that I did kiss a queene. But here this man, who seems to understand well, tells me that the saying is not true that she was never buried, for she was buried; only when Henry the Seventh built his chapel, she was taken up and laid in this wooden coffin; but I did there see that in it the body was buried in a leaden one, which remains under the body to this day.
25th. To the Duke of York's house, and there before one, but the house infinite full; where by and by the King and Court come, it being a new play, or an old one new vamped by Shadwell, called "The Royall Shepherdesse;" [A tragi-comedy, altered by Thomas Shadwell from a comedy written by Mr. Fountain, called "The Rewards of Virtue."] but the silliest for words and design, and every thing, that ever I saw in my whole life, there being nothing in the world pleasing in it, but a good martiall dance of pikemen, where Harris and another do handle their pikes in a dance to admiration; but never less satisfied with a play in my life.
26th. To the King's playhouse, and saw "The Faithfull Shepherdesse." But, Lord! what an empty house, there not being, as I could tell the people, so many as to make up above 10l. in the whole house! But I plainly discern the musick is the better, by how much the house the emptier.
1668-9. MARCH 1. I do hear that my Lady Paulina Montagu did die yesterday! at which I went to my Lord's lodgings, but he is shut up with sorrow, and so not to be spoken with: and therefore I returned, and to Westminster Hall, where I have not been, I think, in some months. And here the Hall was very full, the King having by Commission to some Lords this day prorogued the Parliament till the 19th of October next; at which I am glad, hoping to have time to go over to France this year. But I was most of all surprised this morning by my Lord Bellasses, who by appointment met me at Auditor Wood's at the Temple, and tells me of a duell designed between the Duke of Buckingham and my Lord Halifax, or Sir W. Coventry; the challenge being carried by Harry Saville, but prevented by my Lord Arlington, and the King told of it: and this was all the discourse at Court this day. But I meeting Sir W. Coventry in the Duke of York's chamber, he would not own it to me, but told me he was a man of too much peace to meddle with fighting; and so it rested: but the talk is full in the town of the business. Thence, having walked some turns with my cosen Pepys, and most people by their discourse believing that this Parliament will never sit more, I away. I did bring home a piece of my face cast in plaister, for to make a visard upon for my eyes.
2nd. My wife this day put on first her French gown, called a Sac, which becomes her very well.
3rd. To White Hall, where W. Hewer met me; and he and I took a turn in St. James's Park, and in the Mall did meet Sir W. Coventry and Sir J. Duncomb, and did speak, with them about some business, before the Lords of the Treasury: but I did find them more than usually busy, though I knew not then the reason of it, though I guessed it by what followed next day. Thence to Dancre's the painter's and there saw my picture of Greenwich, finished to my very good content, though this manner of distemper do make the figures not so pleasing as in oyle. To the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw an old play, the first time acted these forty years, called "The Lady's Tryall," [A tragedy, by John Ford.] acted only by the young people of the house
23rd. To Westminster Abbey, and there did see all the tombs very finely, having one with us alone (there being other company this day to see the tombs, it being Shrove-Tuesday:) and here we did see, by particular favour, the body of Queen Katherine of Valois; and I had the upper part of her body in my hands, and I did kiss her mouth, reflecting upon it that I did kiss a queene, and that this was my birth-day, thirty-six years old, that I did kiss a queene. But here this man, who seems to understand well, tells me that the saying is not true that she was never buried, for she was buried; only when Henry the Seventh built his chapel, she was taken up and laid in this wooden coffin; but I did there see that in it the body was buried in a leaden one, which remains under the body to this day.
25th. To the Duke of York's house, and there before one, but the house infinite full; where by and by the King and Court come, it being a new play, or an old one new vamped by Shadwell, called "The Royall Shepherdesse;" [A tragi-comedy, altered by Thomas Shadwell from a comedy written by Mr. Fountain, called "The Rewards of Virtue."] but the silliest for words and design, and every thing, that ever I saw in my whole life, there being nothing in the world pleasing in it, but a good martiall dance of pikemen, where Harris and another do handle their pikes in a dance to admiration; but never less satisfied with a play in my life.
26th. To the King's playhouse, and saw "The Faithfull Shepherdesse." But, Lord! what an empty house, there not being, as I could tell the people, so many as to make up above 10l. in the whole house! But I plainly discern the musick is the better, by how much the house the emptier.
1668-9. MARCH 1. I do hear that my Lady Paulina Montagu did die yesterday! at which I went to my Lord's lodgings, but he is shut up with sorrow, and so not to be spoken with: and therefore I returned, and to Westminster Hall, where I have not been, I think, in some months. And here the Hall was very full, the King having by Commission to some Lords this day prorogued the Parliament till the 19th of October next; at which I am glad, hoping to have time to go over to France this year. But I was most of all surprised this morning by my Lord Bellasses, who by appointment met me at Auditor Wood's at the Temple, and tells me of a duell designed between the Duke of Buckingham and my Lord Halifax, or Sir W. Coventry; the challenge being carried by Harry Saville, but prevented by my Lord Arlington, and the King told of it: and this was all the discourse at Court this day. But I meeting Sir W. Coventry in the Duke of York's chamber, he would not own it to me, but told me he was a man of too much peace to meddle with fighting; and so it rested: but the talk is full in the town of the business. Thence, having walked some turns with my cosen Pepys, and most people by their discourse believing that this Parliament will never sit more, I away. I did bring home a piece of my face cast in plaister, for to make a visard upon for my eyes.
2nd. My wife this day put on first her French gown, called a Sac, which becomes her very well.
3rd. To White Hall, where W. Hewer met me; and he and I took a turn in St. James's Park, and in the Mall did meet Sir W. Coventry and Sir J. Duncomb, and did speak, with them about some business, before the Lords of the Treasury: but I did find them more than usually busy, though I knew not then the reason of it, though I guessed it by what followed next day. Thence to Dancre's the painter's and there saw my picture of Greenwich, finished to my very good content, though this manner of distemper do make the figures not so pleasing as in oyle. To the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw an old play, the first time acted these forty years, called "The Lady's Tryall," [A tragedy, by John Ford.] acted only by the young people of the house