Event Comment: The
King's Company.
Pepys, Diary: To the King's playhouse, and there saw
The English Monsieur; sitting for privacy sake in an upper box: the play hath much mirth in it as to that particular humour. After the play done, I down to
Knipp, and did stay her undressing herself; and there saw the several players, men and women go by; and pretty to see how strange they are all, one to another, after the play is done. Here I saw a wonderful pretty maid of her own, that come to undress her, and one so pretty that she says she intends not to keep her, for fear of her being undone in her service, by coming to the playhouse. Here I hear
Sir W. Davenant is just now dead; and so who will succeed him in the mastership of the house is not yet known. The
eldest Davenport is, it seems, gone from this house to be kept by somebody; which I am glad of, she being a very bad actor.... [
Mrs Knepp] tells me mighty
news, that my
Lady Castlemayne is mightily in love with
Hart of their house; and he is much with her in private, and she goes to him, and do give him many Presents; and that the thing is most certain, and
Becke Marshall only privy to it, and the means of bringing them together, which is a very odd thing; and by this means she is even with
the King's love to
Mrs Davis
Performances
Mainpiece Title: The English Monsieur