Event Comment: On this day and on Friday the 20th the Duke's players gave The Impertinents; or, The Sullen Lovers or Sir Salomon. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 29) lists these as the two plays presented by the Duke's Company, but no contemporary statement indicates for certain which play was given on each day. The Journal of Sir Richard Bulstrode: Yesterday [19] at five of ye clocke, the Court were entertained with a comedy acted by the Duke's player (The Bulstrode Papers, 1879, I, 139). Saturday 28 May 1670: The absence of the court which continues at Dover till Wensday next makes us very barren of news. There is the greatest gallantry and mirth imaginable. The Dukes players have beene there all the time past came up yesterday and the kings goe downe this day (Aston Papers, Vol. XVI, Add. Mss. 36916, folio 182)

Event Comment: Last Night the Princess Carolina dy'd & this Morning about 8 we receiv'd an order from the Chamberlain not to play 'till farther orders,--we obey'd & order ye Bills posted for this Night, to be pull'd down (Cross). [The Fatal Marriage and The Male Coquette had been scheduled.] Yesterday about 11 o'clock died at her Apartments in St James's Palace, Princess Caroline Elizabeth, 3rd daughter of our most Gracious Sovereign. Her Royal Highness was in her 45th year of her age, being born on the 10th of June 1713, and has been in a bad state of health for several years past. Her burial, it is said, is by her own Desire to be very private (Public Advertiser)

Event Comment: Benefit Dupre and Roberts on a one-half value of tickets and minimum charge basis. Receipts: #12 6s. 6d. leaving a deficit for the minimum charge of #14 11s. 6d. Tickets: Dupre #45 13s. (Boxes 36; Pit 191; Gallery 80); Roberts #78 19s. (Boxes 50; Pit 359; Gallery 126). Half value of total #62 6s

Event Comment: On this day arrived in London the news of the death of the King's sister, the Duchess of Orleans, which occured on 20 June 1670. According to The Bulstrode Papers (I, 144), 25 June 1670: The players are silenced dureing this tyme of sadness. [Probably acting ceased for at least six weeks, the customary period for silencing the companies when the Court went into full mourning. Nevertheless, the Duke's Company may have been permitted to act at Oxford. See Sybil Rosenfeld, "Some Notes on the Players in Oxford, 1661-1713," Review of English Studies XIX (1943), 366-67.

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the first production is not known. Although the play was not entered in the Term Catalogues until May 1681, Wilson (Six Restoration Play-Dates, p.222) has argued that the reference in the Prologue to the young men (presumably Gray, Goodman, and Clarke; see February 1679@80) who had gone to Scotland and returned empty-handed suggests a performance near March 1680, when these references would have more point than they would have a year later

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The evidence for this date as the premiere of The Relapse is Jennens' report on 19 Nov. 1696 that Drury Lane expected to produce a new play on this date, coupled with the fact that Lady Morley saw this play on 25 Nov. 1696. The play was advertised in the Post Boy, 26-29 Dec. 1696. Preface, Edition of 1697: One word more about the Bawdy, and I have done. I own the first Night this thing was acted, some indecencies had like to have happen'd, but 'twas not my Fault. The fine Gentleman of the Play, drinking his Mistress's Health in Nants Brandy, from six in the Morning, to the time he wadled upon the Stage in the Evening, had toasted himself up, to such a pitch of Vigor, I confess I once gave Amanda for gone, and am since (with all due Respect to Mrs Rogers) very sorry she scap'd; for I am confident a certain Lady (let no one take it to herself that is handsome) who highly blames the Play, for the barenness of the conclusion, wou'd then have allowed it, a very natural Close. Gildon, English Dramatick Poets, p. 145: This Play was received with mighty applause. Cibber, Apology, I, 216: This Play (the Relapse) from its new and easy Turn of Wit, had great Success, and gave me, as a Comedian, a second Flight of Reputation along with it

Event Comment: For the Entertainment of Four Indian Kings lately arriv'd from America. Tee Yee Neen Ho Go Row, Emperor of the Six Nations. Sa Ga Yean Qua Rash Tow, King of the Marquas. K Tow oh Koam, King of the River Nation. On Nee Yeath Tow no Riow, King of Granahjoh-Hore [in Daily Courant, 26 April]. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality

Event Comment: long letter published in the Public Advertiser by Delectante specifying a six point program for eliminating the confusion and the "riots that regularly follow the breaking up of a full house at the Opera": I) exclude servants from the lobby; 2) all chairs to come down Market Lane from Charles Street to take up and go off by Pall Mall; 3) no chairs to be allowed at other doors and passages; 4) a pent house to be built to protect those waiting from the rain; 5) all carriages to come to the door in the Haymarket, with horses heads towards Cockspur street; 6) constables to attend and assert themselves in regulating the traffic.

Event Comment: Bills were put up for a Word to the Wise. As soon as the Curtain was drawn up a great hissing Mr Garrick went on the Stage Several Plays were propos'd to be done but Mr Kelly's Party would have none but a Word to the Wise & the other Party would not Consent, Mr Garrick offer'd to play himself but that would not satisfy them. at Length the House was dismiss'd about Nine O'Clock (Hopkins Diary). A Word to the Wise, Damn'd (Cross Diary). We stayed from 6 to past 10 in which time Garrick came out 6 or 7 times and talked to the audience, tho' often 5 or 6 minutes before he could be heard. Once he said the author was willing to withdraw his play, but then the party for Kelly [opposed by the Wilkesites] said he had no right to do so: they insisted on the play, the other that it should not be, etc.; the same about what play to be given out, one party calling for the new play and the other against it. When King came on, being called to speak the prologue, the hubbub forced him back, and one or two oranges struck him. The people came away in great numbers after ten and we amongst the rest, and had our money returned. Parson Horne [Horne Tooke] there but did not interfere, tho'at the bottom of it (John Baker, Diary, p. 189)

Event Comment: Opera [1st time; Past 3, author unknown]. The music [to Part I] composed by Giovanni Battista? Bianchi, [to Part II by] Rauzzini, [to Part III by] Giordani. With Grand Chorusses. With new Decorations devised and painted by Novosielski, and new Dresses. The Side-boards, with a cold Collation and all sorts of Wines, at 12 o'clock. The Performance under the direction of Vestris Sen., and to conclude with a Ball. Tickets, at 2 Guineas each, are ready to be delivered at the Office in Union-court, where Boxes may be taken. No Masks will be admitted. The Doors will be opened at 9:00, and the Performance to begin at 10:00. Books of the Performance will be given out (gratis) at the Theatre. Morning Herald, 7 June: The Omaggio, or homage paid by the vassals and tenants to their Lord, is naturally calculated to give free scope to lively, and sentimental music. In the former stile Bianchi and Giardini [sic] were equally succesful; and in the latter Rauzzini was surprisingly great, both as composer and performer...Slingsby would, in our opinion, have come out with as great a share of applause as the best of them, having to go through an English dance in his own stile, but by some unaccountable accident...the music-band stopped short when he was in the very climax of his exertions. The scenes are in the rural stile, with the addition of natural trees, flowering shrubs, &c., set in the neatest order...The company did not begin to move till about four, and by five the rooms were cleared. Public Advertiser, 7 June: The Vestris' gave incontrovertible proof of the variety of their powers...They did more, they shewed what this country had never seen-the possibility of presenting to the eye a large and extensive stage filled with dancers all in motion at the same time

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Particular Desire of the Cherokee Chiefs. [These six Chiefs had recently come to England to enlist aid in their dispute with Mexico (London Chronicle, 2 Nov.). The playbill retains Bannister as Robin Hood, but "Previous to the curtain's drawing up...Farley walked forward and apologized for the absence of Bannister, informing the audience that their favourite singer was suddenly indisposed, and that Davies had undertaken to play Bannister's part" (Diary, 13 Nov.). Davies's part of Scarlet was probably acted by Farley (see 18 Nov.).] Receipts: #201 17s. 6d. (187.5.0; 14.12.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Particular Desire of the Cherokee Chiefs. [These six Chiefs had recently come to England to enlist aid in their dispute with Mexico (London Chronicle, 2 Nov.). The playbill retains Bannister as Robin Hood, but "Previous to the curtain's drawing up...Farley walked forward and apologized for the absence of Bannister, informing the audience that their favourite singer was suddenly indisposed, and that Davies had undertaken to play Bannister's part" (Diary, 13 Nov.). Davies's part of Scarlet was probably acted by Farley (see 18 Nov.).] Receipts: #201 17s. 6d. (187.5.0; 14.12.6)

Event Comment: MMr Cibber having obtained Leave to act Plays, etc. at the Theatre in the Haymarket, humbly solicits Subscription, from his Patrons among the nobility, Gentry, etc. @Conditions. Each Subscriber will have@for Five Guineas 25 Box, or 40 Pit Tickets@for four Guineas 20 Box, or 32 Pit Tickets@for three Guineas 15 Box, or 24 Pit Tickets@for two Guineas 10 Box, or 16 Pit Tickets@for one Guinea 5 Box, or 8 Pit Tickets@for Half a Guinea 4 Pit Tickets or 6 Gallery@ Subscription Tickets will be taken any Night of the first Ten Performances. No Subscriptions will be received after Thursday 1 Jan. 1758, the first Day of Performance. The Play, Farce, and Entertainments will be timely mentioned in the Bills, Advertisements, &c

Event Comment: House open'd Sept 16th. Mrs Ward engag'd from Covent Garden-Mrs Cibber not intending to play this Season. The first time I ever remember ye Company to play every Day so soon in ye Season (Cross). Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places to be had of Hobson at the stage door be repeated here.] Receitps: #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: By Particular Desire. Benefit for Cibber. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. To begin at 6:30 p.m. To prevent any interruption in the Performance, there will be no Building on the Stage. Afterpiece: The Dramatick Piece of Two Acts...is taken from the inimitable comic Scenes of Shakespeare, which contain the Humours of Antient Pistol, Justice Shallow, Sir John Falstaff, Justice Silence, the Hostess Doll Tearsheet, and the Recruits, etc. (Daily Advertiser). On Tuesday the 2d of July Mr The: Cibber had a play at Drury Lane, ye Busy Body, & farce from ye 2d pt of Henry 4th. & had 140 pounds in Money & 66 in Tickss (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for ye Marine Society (Cross). Part of Pit laid into Boxes. Receipts: #200 (Cross). [The Prologue is in Larpent MS 163: @"Ye sons of Freedom view this little Band@They owe their safety to your giving hand@Snatch'd from the paths of vice and branded shame@You ope the door to Honesty and Fame..."@ The Prologue is printed in the British Magazine, Jan., 1760.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 5 years. [See 21 March 1768.] Paid Mr Davies's note to Dennis #6 6s.; ditto to Lacy, #3 6s. 3d.; Rec'd Mr Condill for Fruit Office (1st payment) #20. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #197 5s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Cautherly. Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. [See 24 Nov. 1769.] Paid Tallow Chandler's 8th Bill #20 19s. 3d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #122 7s. 6d. Charges: #64 14s. Profit to Cautherley: #57 13s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The Bills were up this day for Phaedra and Hippolitus & the Wedding Ring for the Benefit of Mrs Barry-about Nine o'clock this Morning Rec'd Note that Mrs Barry was so ill She could not play: therefore fresh Bills were put up (Hopkins Diary). [See 21 April.] Paid Mr Bannister as per order #10 10s.; Mr Turner, extra trumpet 6 nights (14th incl.) #2 5s. Receipts: #225 7s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Barry. By Command of his Majesty. Duke and Amelia [present] (Cross). Pit and Boxes laid together, and servants will be allowed to keep places there and on the stage, which will be formed into front and side boxes. Ladies desired to send their servants by three o'clock. Tickets and places to be had of Barry, the corner of Bow St., Covent Garden; and of Hobson at the stage door. Receipts: #280 (Cross); #252 (Treasurer's Book). @Rec'd: Cash Front #84 14s. 6d.@Stage #45 16s. 6d.@Tickets Front #119 10s.@Stage-@ Paid salary List 4 days, #203 7s. (Treasurer's Book)