*p1691 12 00 dl The Wives' Excuse; or, Cuckolds Make Themselves. Edition of 1692: Prologue-Mr Betterton; Lovemore-Betterton; Wellvile-Kynnaston; Wilding-Williams; Courtall-Bowman; Springame-Mich. Lee; Friendall-Mountford; Ruffle-Bright; Musick Master-Harris; Mrs Friendall-Mrs Barry; Mrs Sightly-Mrs Bracegirdle; Mrs Wittwoud-Mrs Mountford; Mrs Teazall-Mrs Cory; Betty-Mrs Richardson; Epilogue-Mrs Barry.*c1691 12 00 dl The <i>United Company</i>. The date of the premiere is not known, but the <i>Gentleman's Journal</i>, January 1691@2, suggests that it was first given in December 1691, although the tendency of this journal to be dated one month and appear in the next month makes the interpretation of its information difficult: We have had a new Comedy this last Month, call'd <i>The Wives Execuse; or Cuckolds make themselves</i>: It was written by $Mr Southern=, who made that call'd <i>Sir Anthony Love</i>, which you and all the Town lik'd so well. I will send you <i>The Wives Excuse</i>, as soon as it comes out in Print, which will be very speedily: And tho' the Town hath not been so kind to this last, as to the former, I do not doubt but you will own that it will bear a Reading; which some that meet with a better Fate too often do not; some that must be granted to be good Judges commend the Purity of its Language (pp. 51-52). $Henry Purcell= composed the music for this work. One song, <i>Corinna I excuse thy face</i>, the words (according to the Edition of 1692) by $Tho. Cheek=, the music by Henry Purcell, but without the singer's name, is in <i>The Banquet of Musick</i>, The Sixth and Last Book, 1692 (licensed 17 Feb. 1691@2). <i>Say, cruel Amoret</i>, sung by $Mountfort=; <i>Hang this whining way</i>, sung by $Mrs Butler=; and <i>Ingrateful lover</i>, the words by $Major General Sackville=, are in <i>Joyful Cuckoldom</i>, ca. 1695. See also <i>Purcell, Works</i>, <i>Purcell Society</i>, XXI (1917), xxvi-xxix.