Event Comment: [The King's Company. Settings by Alphonso Marsh the Elder of two of the songs are in Choice Songs and Ayres, 1673. This performance, which may have been the first one, is one the L. C. list 5@139, p. 129: An Evening Love his Mate and the Queene at the Theatre. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 344

Event Comment: [The King's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but a letter--see 2 Jan. 1670@1--indicates that the first part had been acted before that date and that Part II was to be shortly staged. The point of the Prologue spoken by Ellen Gwyn seems to have derived from an incident at Dover (see Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 20) in May 1670, when James Nokes attired himself in a ridiculous fashion, including "Broad wast Belts." The speakers of the Epilogue and the Prologue to the Second Part are mentioned in Sir William Haward's MS (Bodl. MS Don. b., pp. 248-49); see The Poems of John Dryden, ed. James Kinsley (Oxford, 1958), IV, 1848-49. In Part I a song Beneath a myrtle shade, with music by John Bannister, is in Choice Songs and Ayres, First Book, 1673. Another, Wherever I am, with music by Alphonso Marsh, is in the same collection, as is also How unhappy a lover am I, the music by Nicholas Staggins. Mrs John Evelyn to Mr Bohun, ca. Jan. 1670@1: Since my last to you I have seen The Siege of Grenada, a play so full of ideas that the most refined romance I ever read is not to compare with it; love is made so pure, and valour so nice, that one would image it designed for an Utopia rather than our stage. I do not quarrel with the poet, but admire one born in the decline of morality should be able to feign such exact virtue; and as poetic fiction has been instructive in former ages, I wish this the same event in ours. As to the strict law of comedy I dare not pretend to judge: some think the division of the story is not so well if it could all have been comprehended in the day's actions (The Diary and Correspondence of John Evelyn, ed. William Bray, IV, 25). According to John Evelyn--see 9 Feb. 1670@1--Robert Streeter did some of the scenes for this play. In the Preface to The Fatal Discovery, ca. February 1697@8, George Powell, in discussing revivals of Dryden's plays, stated: In relation to our reviving his Almanzor...very hard crutching up what Hart and Mohun could not prop

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but this play belongs to a group which have been considered as "Lenten plays," ones in which the young actors of a company comprise a large portion of the cast. On this basis, as Easter fell on 30 March 1673, this play has been assigned to March 1673. See Philip B. Gray Jr, Lenten Casts and the Nursery: Evidence for the Dating of Certain Restoration Plays, PMLA, LIII (1938), 781-94; for this play particularly, pp. 791-92. A song, Down with this love, set for this play by Alphonso Marsh, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, 1676

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. This Benefit was given to Mr B. after the Season Clos'd on Account of Some trouble he was in (Hopkins Diary). Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. [June 2 by Treasurer's Book.] Profits to Bannister after all charges #106 6s. 5d. This month was publish'd Theatrical Portraits, epigrammatically delineated, &c. 4to. Price 1s. 6d. (Gentleman's Magazine Catalogue). Receipts: #210 6d. (Treasurer's Book). AFTER SEASON RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES (Treasurer's Book). Rec'd: 15 June: Mr Parsonage's (late Williams) Rent 1 yr to Lady day last with 4s. 10d. deducted, #43 10s.; Mr Harrison's Rent 1 yr to ditto with #7 17s. 6d. Land Tax deducted, #38 2s. 6d.; for candles, oil & lampmen on Theatrical Fund Night #3 18s. 6d. 18 June: From Public Advertiser this season #50; from Daily Gazetteer #50; from Mr Pope 1 yrs. rent to Lady Day last with #1 13s. land tax deducted, #28 7s. 23 June: From New Additional Sinking Fund #241 13s.; Patentees' Draft on Mr Clutterbuck #50; Music forfeits this season, Mr D. Richards included, #25 14s. 7d. 25 June: Their Majesties Account 8 nights #80, the Queen's Ladies 2 nights #6. 29 June: Mr Rowland's Rent 1 year to Lady Day last with #2 2s. land tax deducted #40 18s. 30 June: Mr Evans (wardrobe?) sundry forfeips this season #47 8s. Paid: 4 June: Tallow chandler's 9th & last Bill (#37 12s. 9d., but with a discount at 8 on #350 16s. amount of this season's Bills) #9 11s. 6d. Mr Page in full of #25 this season, #1 10s.; Rector & Watch Covent Garden parish 1 year to Lady Day last #1 8s. 4d. 10 June: Two Housekeeper's Bills #11 3s.; half yrs, paving &c. St Martin to Lady Day last #17 13s. 15 June: Messrs Barrow & Co., Oil, #191 14s. 6d.; Messrs Marshall & Co. (plumbers) #55 3s.; Mr Cropley (linen draper) #15 13s. 6d.; Mr Cole (turner) #12 15s.; Mr Dalmaine (embroiderer) #3 13s. 6d.; Mr Landall (Undertaker) #3 4s. Mr Hatsell (mercer) #37 7s.; Mr Carpue (silk dyer)#7 7s. 6d.; Mr Barrett (wax chandler) #27 1s. 6d.; Mrs Vaughan (haberdasher) #7 16s. 6d.; Messrs Sandys & Co. (colourmen) #72 6d.; Mr Carter (scowrer) #20 6s.; Messrs Hewetson & Co. (lacemen) #27 3s.; Mr Stephens (mason) #4 6s.; Mr Cubit (tinman) #12 4s. 6d.; Mr Hopkins & Co. (ironmongers) #10 18s.; Mr Powney (stationer) #4 7s. 16 June: Miss Berkley on note #5 5s.; half yrs rent to Duke of Bedford to Lady Day last #165 2d.; Loss on sale of 330 and 1!2 light Guineas, #17; Mr Pope's Bill for Wigs, &c. #14 2s.; Mr Pope for 69 nights extra dressing this season #6 18s.; Mr J. Johnston's Music Bill, #16 12s. 6d. 23 June: Lowe & Co. (glaziers) #4 7s. 6d.; Scott & Co. (lacemen) #17 11s.; Waller & Co. (hosiers) #7 10s.; Mrs Chitty (coals) #28 10s.; Bibb (sword cutler) #1 5s.; Gardner (shoemaker) #6; Thomson (smith) #23 7s.; Chettell (timber) #40 17s.; Ireland (upholsterer) #35 1s.; Blakes (hatter) #3 1s.; Palmer (spermacetti candles) #124; Dorman (coals) #27 15s.; Dorman for attending practices of dances this season, #10 10s.; A. Johnston's Bill for sundrys #47 11s.; Mrs Garwood (laundress) #12 15s. 29 June: Black Lyon Bills for Wardrobe, Carpenters & Surveyors Dinners #25 14s.; Mr J. French on Acct #9 10s. 30 June: One yrs paving &c. to Covent Garden Parish to Lady Day last #3; Hopkins' Prompter's Bills #30 17s.; Victor's gratuity #30., and extra salary 2 weeks #5; Evans in lieu of Benefit #42, and extra salary 2 weeks #3. Books closed 30 June 1774: @Total Receipts #33,075 1s. 11d.@Total Expense #30,153 15s. 10d.@Profits #2,921 6s. 1d. divided as follows:@To Patentees #1840@To Mr Clutterbuck #1,081 6s. 1d.@*c1774 06 02 dl Benefit for Bannister. This Benefit was given to Mr B. after the Season Clos'd on Account of Some trouble he was in (Hopkins Diary). Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. [June 2 by Treasurer's Book.] Profits to Bannister after all charges #106 6s. 5d. This month was publish'd Theatrical Portraits, epigrammatically delineated, &c. 4to. Price 1s. 6d. (Gentleman's Magazine Catalogue). Receipts: #210 6d. (Treasurer's Book). AFTER SEASON RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES (Treasurer's Book). Rec'd: 15 June: Mr Parsonage's (late Williams) Rent 1 yr to Lady day last with 4s. 10d. deducted, #43 10s.; Mr Harrison's Rent 1 yr to ditto with #7 17s. 6d. Land Tax deducted, #38 2s. 6d.; for candles, oil & lampmen on Theatrical Fund Night #3 18s. 6d. 18 June: From Public Advertiser this season #50; from Daily Gazetteer #50; from Mr Pope 1 yrs. rent to Lady Day last with #1 13s. land tax deducted, #28 7s. 23 June: From New Additional Sinking Fund #241 13s.; Patentees' Draft on Mr Clutterbuck #50; Music forfeits this season, Mr D. Richards included, #25 14s. 7d. 25 June: Their Majesties Account 8 nights #80, the Queen's Ladies 2 nights #6. 29 June: Mr Rowland's Rent 1 year to Lady Day last with #2 2s. land tax deducted #40 18s. 30 June: Mr Evans (wardrobe?) sundry forfeips this season #47 8s. Paid: 4 June: Tallow chandler's 9th & last Bill (#37 12s. 9d., but with a discount at 8 on #350 16s. amount of this season's Bills) #9 11s. 6d. Mr Page in full of #25 this season, #1 10s.; Rector & Watch Covent Garden parish 1 year to Lady Day last #1 8s. 4d. 10 June: Two Housekeeper's Bills #11 3s.; half yrs, paving &c. St Martin to Lady Day last #17 13s. 15 June: Messrs Barrow & Co., Oil, #191 14s. 6d.; Messrs Marshall & Co. (plumbers) #55 3s.; Mr Cropley (linen draper) #15 13s. 6d.; Mr Cole (turner) #12 15s.; Mr Dalmaine (embroiderer) #3 13s. 6d.; Mr Landall (Undertaker) #3 4s. Mr Hatsell (mercer) #37 7s.; Mr Carpue (silk dyer)#7 7s. 6d.; Mr Barrett (wax chandler) #27 1s. 6d.; Mrs Vaughan (haberdasher) #7 16s. 6d.; Messrs Sandys & Co. (colourmen) #72 6d.; Mr Carter (scowrer) #20 6s.; Messrs Hewetson & Co. (lacemen) #27 3s.; Mr Stephens (mason) #4 6s.; Mr Cubit (tinman) #12 4s. 6d.; Mr Hopkins & Co. (ironmongers) #10 18s.; Mr Powney (stationer) #4 7s. 16 June: Miss Berkley on note #5 5s.; half yrs rent to Duke of Bedford to Lady Day last #165 2d.; Loss on sale of 330 and 1!2 light Guineas, #17; Mr Pope's Bill for Wigs, &c. #14 2s.; Mr Pope for 69 nights extra dressing this season #6 18s.; Mr J. Johnston's Music Bill, #16 12s. 6d. 23 June: Lowe & Co. (glaziers) #4 7s. 6d.; Scott & Co. (lacemen) #17 11s.; Waller & Co. (hosiers) #7 10s.; Mrs Chitty (coals) #28 10s.; Bibb (sword cutler) #1 5s.; Gardner (shoemaker) #6; Thomson (smith) #23 7s.; Chettell (timber) #40 17s.; Ireland (upholsterer) #35 1s.; Blakes (hatter) #3 1s.; Palmer (spermacetti candles) #124; Dorman (coals) #27 15s.; Dorman for attending practices of dances this season, #10 10s.; A. Johnston's Bill for sundrys #47 11s.; Mrs Garwood (laundress) #12 15s. 29 June: Black Lyon Bills for Wardrobe, Carpenters & Surveyors Dinners #25 14s.; Mr J. French on Acct #9 10s. 30 June: One yrs paving &c. to Covent Garden Parish to Lady Day last #3; Hopkins' Prompter's Bills #30 17s.; Victor's gratuity #30., and extra salary 2 weeks #5; Evans in lieu of Benefit #42, and extra salary 2 weeks #3. Books closed 30 June 1774: @Total Receipts #33,075 1s. 11d.@Total Expense #30,153 15s. 10d.@Profits #2,921 6s. 1d. divided as follows:@To Patentees #1840@To Mr Clutterbuck #1,081 6s. 1d.