eave of me, he
being upon his voyage to Portugal, and for my letters to my Lord which
are not ready. But I took him to the Mitre and gave him a glass of sack,
and so adieu, and then straight to the Opera, and there saw "Hamlet,
Prince of Denmark," done with scenes very well, but above all, Betterton

[Sir William Davenant introduced the use of scenery. The character
of Hamlet was one of Betterton's masterpieces. Downes tells us that
he was taught by Davenant how the part was acted by Taylor of the
Blackfriars, who was instructed by Shakespeare himself.]

did the prince's part beyond imagination. Hence homeward, and met with
Mr. Spong and took him to the Sampson in Paul's churchyard, and there
staid till late, and it rained hard, so we were fain to get home wet,
and so to bed.

25th (Lord's day). At church in the morning, and dined at home alone
with my wife very comfortably, and so again to church with her, and had
a very good and pungent sermon of Mr. Mills, discoursing the necessity
of restitution. Home, and I found my Lady Batten and her daughter to
look something askew upon my wife, because my wife do not buckle to
them, and is not solicitous for their acquaintance, which I am not
troubled at at all. By and by comes in my father (he intends to go
into the country to-morrow), and he and I among other discourse at last
called Pall up to us, and there in great anger told her before my father
that I would keep her no longer, and my father he said he would have
nothing to do with her. At last, after we had brought down her high
spirit, I got my father to yield that she should go into the country
with my mother and him, and stay there awhile to see how she will demean
herself. That being done, my father and I to my uncle Wight's, and there
supped, and he took his leave of them, and so I walked with [him] as far
as Paul's and there parted, and I home, my mind at some rest upon this
making an end with Pall, who do trouble me exceedingly.

26th. This morning before I went out I made even with my maid Jane, who
has this day been my maid three years, and is this day to go into the
country to her mother. The poor girl cried, and I could hardly forbear
weeping to think of her going, for though she be grown lazy and spoilt
by Pall's coming, yet I shall never have one to please us better in all
things, and so harmless, while I live. So I paid her her wages and gave
her 2s. 6d. over, and bade her adieu, wit