play now. The Duke of York
and [Sir] W. Coventry gone to Portsmouth, makes me thus to go to
plays. So home, and to the office a little and then home, where I find
Goodgroome, and he and I did sing several things over, and tried two or
three grace parts in Playford's new book, my wife pleasing me in singing
her part of the things she knew, which is a comfort to my very heart. So
he being gone we to supper and to bed.

19th. Up, and to the office all the morning, doing a great deal of
business. At noon to dinner betimes, and then my wife and I by coach
to the Duke's house, calling at Lovett's, where I find my Lady
Castlemayne's picture not yet done, which has lain so many months there,
which vexes me, but I mean not to trouble them more after this is done.
So to the playhouse, not much company come, which I impute to the heat
of the weather, it being very hot. Here we saw "Macbeth,"

[See November 5th, 1664. Downes wrote: "The Tragedy of Macbeth,
alter'd by Sir William Davenant; being drest in all it's finery, as
new cloaths, new scenes, machines as flyings for the Witches; with
all the singing and dancing in it. The first compos'd by Mr. Lock,
the other by Mr. Channell and Mr. Joseph Preist; it being all
excellently perform'd, being in the nature of an opera, it
recompenc'd double the expence; it proves still a lasting play."]

which, though I have seen it often, yet is it one of the best plays for
a stage, and variety of dancing and musique, that ever I saw. So being
very much pleased, thence home by coach with young Goodyer and his own
sister, who offered us to go in their coach. A good-natured youth I
believe he is, but I fear will mind his pleasures too much. She is
pretty, and a modest, brown girle. Set us down, so my wife and I into
the garden, a fine moonshine evening, and there talking, and among other
things she tells me that she finds by W. Hewer that my people do observe
my minding my pleasure more than usual, which I confess, and am ashamed
of, and so from this day take upon me to leave it till Whit-Sunday.
While we were sitting in the garden comes Mrs. Turner to advise about
her son, the Captain, when I did give her the best advice I could, to
look out for some land employment for him, a peace being at hand, when
few ships will be employed and very many, and these old Captains, to be
provided for. Then to other talk, and among the rest about Sir W. Pen's
being to buy