*p1697 02 20 lif The Mourning Bride. Edition of 1697: Prologue-Mr Betterton; Epilogue-Mrs Bracegirdle; Manuel-Verbruggen; Gonsalez-Sanford; Garcia-Scudamour; Perez-Freeman; Alonzo-Arnold; Osmyn-Betterton; Heli-Boman; Selim-Baily; Almeria-Mrs Bracegirdle; Zara-Mrs Barry; Leonora-Mrs Boman.*c1697 02 20 lif <i>Betterton's Company</i>. The date of the first performance is not certain, but the evidence points to this day as a strong Possibility. $Downes=, <i>Roscius Anglicanus</i> (p. 44) states that it was given thirteen days consecutively, and $John Coke= (see 16 March 1696@7) states that it was acted "till Saturday" (16 March 1696@7). If the tragedy was acted on Wednesdays but not Fridays, as was often the practice in <i>Lent</i>, and if the farce alluded to for Saturday, 16 March 1696@7, comprised the entire program, this day was probably the premiere. The following sequence of performances is based on these premises. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 44: <i>The Mourning Bride</i>...had such Success, that it continu'd Acting Uninterrupted 13 Days together. $Gildon=, <i>English Dramatick Poets</i>, p. 23: This Play had the greatest Success, not only of all $Mr Congreve='s, but indeed of all the Plays that ever I can remember on the <i>English Stage</i>, excepting some of the incomparable $Otway='s. $Aston=, <i>A Brief Supplement</i> (in <i>Cibber, Apology</i>, II, 302): His [$Betterton='s] Favourite, $Mrs Barry=, claims the next in Estimation. They were both never better pleas'd, than in Playing together.--Mrs Barry outshin'd $Mrs Bracegirdle= in the Character of <i>Zara</i>r in the <i>Mourning Bride</i>, altho' Mr Congreve design'd <i>Almeria</i>r for that Favour.