Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: At Wotton's, the shoemaker's, who tells me the reason of Harris's going form Sir Wm. Davenant's house, that he grew very Proud and demanded #20 for himself extraordinary, more than Betterton or any body else, upon every new play, and #10 upon every revive; which with other things Sir W. Davenant would not give him, and so he swore he would never act there more, in expectation of being received in the other House; but the King will not suffer it, upon Sir W. Davenant's desire that he would not, for then he might shut up house, and that is true. He tells me that his going is at present a great loss to the House, and that he fears he hath a stipend from the other House privately. He tells me that the fellow grew very proud of late, the King and every body else crying him up so high, and that above Betterton, he being a more ayery man, as he is indeed. But yet Betterton, he says, they say do act some parts that none but himself can do

Event Comment: A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), commenting upon Betterton's success with I Henry IV (see 9 Jan. 1699@1700) pictures Betterton entering his Closet and praying to Shakespeare for further assistance (p. 25), with the result that "tho' some of those Plays that Batterton Acted were Historical, and consequently highly irregular, yet they never fail'd to please" (p. 26). Sullen adds: Well, this lucky hit of Batterton's put D. Lane in a non-plus! Shakespear's Ghost was rais'd at the New-house, and he seem'd to inhabit it for ever: What's to be done then? Oh, says Rich I'll pray as well as he-What? Shall a Heathen Player have more Religion than a Lawyer? No, it shall never be said--with that Mr R@@ goes up to the Garret (a pair of Stairs higher than his own Apartment) and taking Ben Johnson's Picture with him, he implores. This work implies that Betterton presented Henry VIII in addition to I Henry IV and that Rich revived Volpone, The Alchymist, and The Silent Woman, which had, according to the author of this work, lain unacted for twenty years (p. 26)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@139, p. 125: The Schoole of Complements at Court. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 346. The edition of 1667 was licensed 24 May 1667. Gildon, Life of Betterton (1710), states that Betterton had a role in it

Event Comment: Newdigate newsletters, 14 Aug. 1683: The Manager of ye Kings Theatre intend wth in short time to pforme an Opera in like manner of yt of ffrance. Mr Betterton wth other Actrs are gone over to fetch Ye designe [Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 82). See also a letter from Lord Preston to the Earl of Sunderland, Paris, 25 Aug. 1683 N.S. concerning Betterton's visit to Paris (HMC, 7th Report, Appendix, p. 288)

Event Comment: According to the testimony of Sir Thomas Skipwith, 10 Dec. 1694, the young actors played during the vacation nearly thirty days without Betterton, Williams, Bright, Kinaston, Sandford, or Mrs Betterton, and made sufficient money to keep them over the vacation. L. C. 7@3, 17 Dec. 1694, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 374

Event Comment: Cibber, Apology, I, 203-9, refers to an incident which occurred after the division of the companies, perhaps early in their competition. Essentially, Drury Lane, learning that Lincoln's Inn Fields was to act Hamlet on a Tuesday, posted it for Monday at Drury Lane, whereupon Betterton's Company, having announced The Old Batchelor for Monday, cancelled it in favor of Hamlet. As a countermove, Drury Lane altered its program to The Old Batchelor on Monday, Powell to mimic Betterton. A last-minute discovery that no one had been assigned to Fondlewife, originally played by Dogget, gave Cibber an opportunity to play the role, which he learned on short notice and which he acted with applause; he was pleased to see Dogget in the pit watching his performance

Event Comment: Possibly on this day, Davenant and Killigrew, with a united company, began acting at this theatre. In L. C. 5@137, p. 332 (6 Oct. 1660) is a list of His Majesty's Comedians: Burt, Hart, Mohun, Robert Shatterell, Lacy, Wintershell, Clunne, Cartwright, Edward Shatterell, Baxter, Loveday, Kynaston, Betterton. (See Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 294; Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 204.) Hotson, p. 205, states that the company acted daily from 8 to 16 Oct. 1660

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: Mr Creed and I to White-Fryars, where we saw The Bondman acted most excellently, and though I have seen it often, yet I am every time more and more pleased with Betterton's action

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: I to the Cockpitt, with much crowding and waiting, where I saw The Valiant Cidd acted, a play I have read with great delight, but is a most dull thing acted, which I never understood before, there being no pleasure in it, though done by Betterton and by Ianthe [Mrs Saunderson], and another fine wench [Mrs Norton] that is come in the room of Roxalana [Mrs Davenport]; nor did the King or Queen once smile all the whole play, nor any of the company seem to take anyPleasure but what was in the greatness and gallantry of the company

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: And took my wife out immediately to the King's Theatre, it being a new month, and once a month I may go, and there saw The Indian Queen acted; which indeed is a most pleasant show, and beyond my expectation; the play good, but spoiled with the ryme, which breaks the sense. But above my expectation most, the eldest Marshall did do her part most excellently well as I ever heard woman in my life; but her voice not so sweet so Ianthe's [Mrs Betterton's]; but, however, we came home mightily contented

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: I away before to White Hall and into the new play-house there, the first time I ever was there, and the first play I have seen since before the great plague. By and by Mr Pierce comes, bringing my wife and his, and Knipp. By and by the King and Queene, Duke and Duchesse, and all the great ladies of the Court; which, indeed, was a fine sight. But the play being Love in a Tub, a silly play, and though done by the Duke's people, yet having neither Betterton nor his wife, and the whole thing done ill, and being ill also, I had no manner of pleasure in the play. Besides, the House, though very fine, yet bad for the voice, for hearing. The sight of the ladies, indeed, was exceeding noble; and above all, my Lady Castlemayne. The play done by ten o'clock. I carried them all home, and then home myself, and well satisfied with the sight, but not the play

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This play in on the L. C. list, 5@139, p. 125. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 346. It is possible that this is a delayed third performance and that the conjectured one for 7 Oct. did not occur. Pepys, Diary: My wife and I and Willet to the Duke of York's house, where, after long stay, the King and Duke of York come, and there saw The Coffee House, the most ridiculous, inspid play that ever I saw in my life, and glad we were that Betterton had no part in it

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's house, thinking as we appointed, to meet my wife there, but she was not; and more, I was vexed to see Young (who is but a bad actor at best) act Macbeth in the room of Betterton, who, poor man! is sick: but, Lord! what a prejudice it wrought in me against the whole play, and everybody else agreed in disliking this fellow. Thence home, and there find my wife gone home; because of this fellow's acting of the part, she went out of the house again

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's playhouse; but there Betterton not being yet well, we would not stay, though since I hear that Smith do act his part in The Villaine, which was then acted, as well or better than he, which I do not believe

Event Comment: Pepys' comment implies that he saw the Duke's Company, Pepys, Diary: With my wife to a play, and the girl--Macbeth, which we still like mightily, though mighty short of the content we used to have when Betterton acted, who is still sick

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Jean Chappuzeau, Le Theatre Francois (Paris, 1675), states that he saw a revival of this play in 1668. Pepys, Diary: Sent my wife and Deb. to see Mustapha acted...and so to the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw the last act for nothing. Where I never saw such good acting of any creature as Smith's part of Zanger; and I do also, though it was excellently acted by [...], do yet want Betterton mightily

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This date marks the opening of the new theatre in Dorset Garden. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 31): The new Theatre in Dorset-Garden being Finish'd, and our Company after Sir William's Death, being under the Rule and Dominion of his Widow the Lady Davenant, Mr Betterton and Mr Harris, (Mr Charles Davenant her Son Acting for her) they remov'd from Lincolns-Inn-Fields thither. And on the Ninth Day of November 1671, they open'd their new Theatre with Sir Martin Marral, which continu'd Acting 3 Days together, with a full Audience each Day; notwithstanding it had been Acted 30 Days before in Lincolns-Inn-Fields, and above 4 times at court. [This play is also on the L. C. lists at Harvard. See VanLennep, "Plays on the English Stage", p. 18: Sir Martin.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance, the premiere, is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 216: first Acting. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348. Nell Gwyn also attended this performance; see VanLennep, Nell Gwyn's Playgoing, p406. The title page states: The English Opera; or The Vocal Musick in Psyche, with the Instrumental Therein Intermix'd...By Matthew Lock. Preface: All the Instrumental Musick (which is not mingled with the Vocal) was Composed by that Great Master, Seignior Gio. Baptista Draghi, Master of the Italian Musick to the King. The Dances were made by the most famous Master of France, Monsieur St.Andree. The Scenes were Painted by the Ingenious Artist, Mr Stephenson. In those things that concern the Ornament or Decoration of the Play, the great industry and care of Mr Betterton ought to be remember'd, at whose desire I wrote upon this Subject. Roger North Upon Music: I am sure the musick in the Psyche was composed by Mr M. Lock, of whom wee may say, as the Greeks sayd of Cleomenes, that he was ultimus Heroum. This masque is also in print, and begins 'Great Psyche,' &c. and the book containing the whole musick of that entertainment is not unworthy of a place in a vertuoso's cabanet (ed. John Wilson [1959], pp. 306-7). Preface to Settle's Ibrahim (licensed 4 May 1676): I have often heard the Players cursing at their oversight in laying out so much on so disliked a play [Psyche]; and swearing that they thought they had lost more by making choice of such an Opera: writer than they had gained by all his Comedies; considering how much more they might have expected, had such an Entertainment had that scence in it, that it deserved: and that for the future they expect the Tempest, which cost not one Third of Psyche, will be in request when the other is forgotten. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 35-36): In February 1672. The long expected Opera of Psyche, came forth in all her Ornaments; new Scenes, new Machines, new Cloaths, new French Dances: This Opera was Splendidly set out, especially in Scenes; the Charge of which amounted to above 800l. It had a Continuance of Performance about 8 Days together it prov'd very Beneficial to the Company; yet the Tempest got them more Money