*p1661 06 28 lif The Siege of Rhodes, Part I?. $Downes= (<i>Roscius Anglicanus</i>, pp. 20-21, 34): Solyman-Betterton; Alphonso-Harris; Villerius-Lilliston; Admiral-Blagden; Roxolana-Mrs Davenport; Ianthe-Mrs Sanderson; Haly-Downes.*c1661 06 28 lif The date of the first performance is not certainly known, but $Pepys=, on 2 July, saw Part II, stating that 2 July was the premiere of Part I and the opening of the <i>Duke's Company</i>'s new theatre in <i>Lincoln's Inn Fields</i>. $Downes= (<i>Roscius Anglicanus</i>, pp. 20-21): His [$Davenant='s] Company Rehears'd the First and Second Part of the <i>Siege of Rhodes</i>...at <i>Pothecaries-Hall</i>: And in Spring 1662 [1661], Open'd his House with the said Plays, having new Scenes and Decorations, being the first that e're were Introduc'd in <i>England</i>....All Parts being Justly and Excellently Perform'd; it continu'd Acting 12 Days without Interruption with great Applause. Downes, p. 34: I must not forget my self, being Listed for an Acotr in $Sir William Davenant='s Company in <i>Lincolns-Inn-Fields</i>: The very first Day of opening the House there, with the <i>Siege of Rhodes</i>, being to Act <i>Haly</i>r; ($The King=, $Duke of York=, and all the Nobility in the House, and the first time the King was in a Publick Theatre). The sight of that August presence, spoil'd me for an Actor too. <i>HMC, 10th Report</i>, Appendix, Part IV, p. 21: @For the Siege of Rhodes all say@It is an everlasting play@Though they wonder now Roxalana is gon@What shift it makes to hold out so long@For when the second part took, butt for Bully@The first did not satisfie so fully.@ [Presumably this verse was written after $Mrs Davenport= left the stage, in 1662(?).]