Event Comment: The
Duke's Company. This play should not be confused with
Heraclius Emperour of the East by
Lodowick Carlell.
Pepys, Diary: My
wife and I out to the Duke's playhouse,
and there saw
Heraclius, an excellent play, to my extraordinary content;
and the more from the house being very full, an
and great company; among others,
Mrs Steward, very fine, with her locks done up with puffs, as my
wife calls them:
and several other great ladies had their hair so, though I do not like it; but my
wife do mightily--but it is only because she sees it is the fashion. Here I saw my
Lord Rochester and his lady,
Mrs Mallet, who hath after all this ado married him;
and, as I hear some say in the pit, it is a great act of charity; for he hath no estate. But it was pleasant to see how everybody rose up then my
Lord John Butler, the
Duke of Ormond's son, come into the pit towards the end of the play, who was a servant to
Mrs Mallet,
and now smiled upon her,
and she on him. I had sitting next to me a woman, the likest my
Lady Castlemayne that ever I saw anybody like another; but she is a whore, I believe, for she is acquainted with every fine fellow,
and called them by their name, Jacke,
and Tom,
and before the end of the play frisked to another place. Mightily pleased with the play