Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347. This performance may well be the premiere. In the Preface the author states that the play was asked for on Shrove Tuesday and he wrote it within a week; a premiere, then, before this date would allow very little time for rehearsal. This play is certainly a "Lenten" performance, for it was acted on a Wednesday in Lent and was referred to in the Prologue as a "Lenten Play." See the discussion under The Spanish Rogue (March 1673) and Gray, pp. 785-86. See also J. G. McManaway, The Copy for The Careless Lovers," MLN, XLVI (1931), 406-9. Preface to the edition of 1673: [This play] was written at the Desire of the Young Men of the Stage, and given them for a Lenten-Play, they ask't it not above a Week before Shrove-Tuesday

Event Comment: An L. C. order, 5@147, p. 239, states: that ye play called ye Spanish Friar should bee noe more Acted (Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 10n)

Event Comment: Dryden to Walsh, 9 May 1693: The play I am now writeing is a feignd story: & a Tragicomedy of the nature of the Spanish Fryar: And I am sure the tale of it is likely to be diverting enough. I have plotted it all; & written two Acts of it. This morning I had their chief Comedian whom they call Solon [Dogget], with me; to consult with him concerning his own Character: & truly I thinke he has the best Understanding of any man in tihe Playhouse (Letters of John Dryden, p. 54)

Event Comment: The Gentleman's Journal, November 1693: Mr Durfey's Richmond Heiress has been Revis'd, and Acted several times, with Alterations and Amendments. We are to have this Winter a Play by him, call'd Don Quixote....We are impatiently expecting a Play by Mr Dryden; 'tis of the Nature of his Spanish Fryar. We are also to have a Tragedy by Mr Southern; a Comedy by Mr Crown; and the Tragedy of Pyrrhus, by Mr H. I need not say any thing of Mr Congreve's Double-Dealer (the only new Play since my last) after the Character which Mr Dryden has given of it

Event Comment: [In Daily Courant, 27 Jan., The Spanish Fryar was announced for this day.

Event Comment: Benefit Bowen, who will be (in a most particular Manner) Honour'd that Night with the Presence of L'Madam Signiora Fount, Native de Barselona Di Cala Qualificatta, being the first time of her appearance in the English Theatre; and by reason the Queen's Box will be taken up by the Foreign Ministers, The Spanish Lady will be in one of the Stage-Boxes in the Habit of of her Country

Event Comment: Benefit Young Boman and Young Pervil, who lately acted the Part of Gomez in The Spanish Fryar. Admission as 21 May

Event Comment: Receipts: #31 2s. In Daily Courant, 6 Feb., The Spanish Fryar had been announced for this day

Event Comment: With all Scenes and Decorations proper to the Play

Event Comment: At the earnest Desire of several Ladies and Gentlemen. At the Anchor and Vine Tavern in Chancery Lane

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Alter'd from Shakespear by the late Mr Betterton. [In Daily Post, 8 Sept., The Spanish Fryar had been announced for this day.

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Afterpiece: With a new Grotesque Part. See Fog's, 15 March, for an essay on Drury Lane and Cibber

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Mr Addison. Note, Mr Giffard thinks it proper to inform the Gentleman who sent to him to have the Spanish Fryar play'd for next Monday, that he had not recollected a Pre-engagement of that Day to several Persons of Quality, but if the Gentleman will be pleas'd to let Mr Giffard know where he may wait on him, he wou'd be very much oblig'd to him to fix any other Day he thinks fit

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Distinction. N.B. Mr Giffard hopes the Gentleman who bespoke the Spanish Fryar, for Tomorrow, will not take it ill, that Hamlet is to be perform'd; because the Ladies, whom he mention'd, have since sent to him for that Play-but he shall be very glad to oblige him any other day

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. [Count de Montijo, the Spanish Ambassador, present.

Event Comment: By particular Desire of several Persons of Distinction. Set to Musick after the Italian Manner. [The Conde de Montijo, the Spanish Ambassador, present.

Event Comment: Mr Anthony Aston, commonly call'd Tony Aston . . . His Comical and Unparallelled Medley at the Bouffler's Tavern. 6 P.M. Tickets 2s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit Carlo Broschi Farinello. With several Alterations and Additions. Pit and Boxes, Places on the Stage, at Half a Guinea. N.B. Signor Farinello humbly hopes, that the Subscribers will not make use of their Tickets on this Occasion. The Stage will be in the same Manner as in the Assembly with a great Number of Benches. Mrs Pendarves to Mrs Granville, 15 March: Tonight is Farinelli's benefit; all the polite world will flock there, and go at four o'clock, for fear they should not be time enough. I don't love mobbing, and so I shall leave them to themselves. Daily Advertiser, 13 March: 'Tis expected that Signor Farinelli will have the greatest Appearance on Saturday that has been known. We hear that a Contrivance will be made to accommodate 2000 People. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has been pleas'd to give him 200 Guineas, the Spanish Ambassador 100, the Emperor's Ambassador 50, his Grace the Duke of Leeds 50, the Countess of Portmore 50, Lord Burlington 50, his Grace the Duke of Richmond 50, the Hon. Col. Paget 30, Lady Rich 20, and most of the other Nobility 50, 30 or 20 Guineas each; so that 'tis believ'd his Benefit will be worth to him upwards of 2000l

Event Comment: By Command of His Royal Highness the Duke. Egmont, Diary, III, 83: I went with my wife to the play entitled 'Sir Walter Raleigh,' revived by the comedians on occasion of the now differences with Spain. They choose one to represent Count Gundemar, who in all things is like Mr Giraldini, the Spanish minister at our Court lately recalled, and whenever any severe things were said which bore a resemblance to our ministry's transactions, or our backwardness to resent the insults of Spain, the audience clapped all over the house

Event Comment: By Command of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. For the Benefit of the Brave and Unfortunate Capt John Peddie, of the Prince of Orange, who, after defending his Ship, and saving her by the most Gallant Behaviour, against a Spanish Privateer, had the Misfortune to lose her, and all he had on Board, in the late Storm. Mainpiece: Written by the late Mr Addison. Pit and Boxes 5s. Galleries 2s. and 1s. Receipts: money #52 1s.; tickets #295 (Account Book); #350 (Rylands MS.)

Event Comment: By the late Mr Addison. Benefit Capt Norton, late Commander of the Crawley Pink, who was taken the 18th of Sept. last, after a Gallant Engagement of Five Hours with Twelve Spanish privateers