Event Comment: [Litchfield, who is identified in European Magazine, Jan. 1794, p. 50, had made his 1st appearance on the stage at Richmond, 7 Sept. 1793, billed as "A Young Gentleman" (Charles Mathews, Memoirs, 1838-39, I, 70, and Thespian Magazine, Supp. 1793, p. 401). Not. Dram. states that "A person under the name of Litchfield but as I am informed in reality a Mr Holland Nephew to Mr Holland formerly of Drury Lane appeared 1st time at the HM in Richard III." But Holland was at this time acting at Bath, and did not appear in London until 31 Oct. 1796, at Drury Lane.]

Event Comment: London Journal, 14 Dec.: The Duke and Duchess of Richmond, the Earl and Countess of Albemarle, and a great Number of Gentry were present. [See also 23 Nov.

Event Comment: Benefit Two Orphans, Mines (Gallery Officekeeper), and others

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Wroughton as Richmond, and Webb as Lord Mayor. On the Kemble playbill both names are deleted. The name of Wroughton's substitute has been cut by the binder; who acted the part has not as yet come to light. A MS annotation substitutes Bates for Webb.] Receipts: #165 18s. (162/13/6; 3/4/6)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Wroughton as Richmond, but on the Kemble playbill his name is deleted, and a MS annotation substitutes Kemble's.] Receipts: #226 1s. (221/12; 4/9)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys does not indicate that this performance is the premiere, and Summers, The Playhouse of Pepys, p. 137, states, without offering his evidence, that the play first appeared on 11 Aug. 1664. The play also appears in Herbert, Dramatic Records, p. 138. If Pepys saw the premiere, the play was possibly given on 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24 Aug. Pepys, Diary: Mr Creed dining with me I got him to give my wife and me a play this afternoon, lending him money to do it, which is a fallacy that I have found now once, to avoyde my vowe with, but never to be more practised I swear, and to the new play, at the Duke's house, of Henry the Fifth; a most noule play, writ by my Lord Orrery; wherein Betterton, Harris, and Ianthe's parts are most incomparably wrote and done, and the whole play the most full of height and raptures of wit and sense, that ever I heard; having but one incongruity, or what did not please me in it, that is, that King Harry promises to plead for Tudor to their Mistresse, Princesse Katherine of France, more than when it comes to it he seems to do; and Tudor refused by her with some kind of indignity, not with a difficulty and honour that it ought to have been done in to him. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 27-28: This Play was Splendidly Cloath'd: The King, in the Duke of York's Coronation Suit; Owen Tudor, in King Charle's: Duke of Burgundy, in the Lord of Oxford's, and the rest all New. It was Excellently Perform'd, and Acted 10 Days Successively

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Downes (p. 25) states that it was acted eight days successively, but as Pepys does not indicate whether he saw its first performance, the sequence of playing it is not known. Pepys, Diary: We [Mrs Pepys and Pepys] took coach and to the Duke's playhouse, where we saw The Duchess of Malfy well performed, but Betterton and Ianthe [Mrs Saunderson] to admiration. Downes (p. 25): This Play was so exceeding Excellently Acted in all Parts; chiefly, Duke Ferdinand and Bosola: It fill'd the House 8 Days Successively, it proving one of the Best of Stock Tragedies

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. On Thursday 10 Dec. 1663, Pepys reported that this play was to be acted the following week, but the date of the first performance is uncertain. But--except for the holidays--it was probably acted on consecutive days until 1 Jan. 1663@4, when Pepys saw it. The play is also in Herbert, Dramatic Records, p. 138, as a "Revived Play." Pepys, Diary: I perceive the King and Duke and the Court was going to the Duke's playhouse to see Henry VIII. acted, which is said to be an admirable play. But, Lord! to see now near I was to have broken my oathe, or run the hazard of 20s. losse, so much my nature was hot to have gone thither; but I did not go. Downes (p.24): King Henry the 8th, This Play, by Order of Sir William Davenant, was all new Cloath'd in proper Habits: The King's was new, all the Lords, the Cardinals, the Bishops, the Doctors, Proctors, Lawyers, Tip-staves, new Scenes: The part of the King was so right and justly done by Mr Betterton, he being Instructed in it by Sir William, who had it from Old Mr Lowen, that had his Instructions from Mr Shakespear himself, that I dare and will aver, none can, or will come near him in this Age, in the performance of that part: Mr Harris's performance of Cardinal Wolsey, was little Inferior to that, he doing it with such just State, Port, and Mein, that I dare affirm, none hitherto has Equall'd him:...Every part by the great Care of Sir William, being exactly perform'd; it being all new Scenes; it continu'd Acting 15 Days together with general Applause

Event Comment: Benefit for Redman, Casey, Dumai and Bates. Charges #64 12s. Deficit to beneficaries #25 10s. 6d. covered by individual incomes from tickets: Casey #14 4s. (Box 18; Pit 34; Gallery 46); Redman #25 6s. (Box 5; Pit 77; Gallery 125); Dumay #56 12s. (Box 106; Pit 182; Gallery 103); Bates #17 10s. (Pit 48; Gallery 103) (Account Book). Receiv'd of Fransdorf 1!2 value of his tickets 28th inst....#4 2s. 6d. Receipts: #39 1s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Hull and Macready. 1st piece: In Act I a Grand Banquet. With the Procession [in Act IV] from the Abbey at the Coronation of Anne Bullen . To conclude with the Ceremonial of a Royal Christening. [In 2nd piece the scenes, as listed on 10 May, are indicated.] Morning Herald, 20 May: Tickets to be had of Hull, No. 7, Duke's-court, Westminster; Diary, 21 May: of Macready, No. 3, Mary-street, Charles-street, Tottenham-Court-Road. Receipts: #282 14s

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: Against my judgment and conscience (which God forgive, for my very heart knows that I offend God in breaking my vows therein) to the Opera, which is now newly begun to act again, after some alteracion of their scene, which do make it very much worse; but the play, Love and Honour, being the first time of their acting it, is a very good plot, and well done. Downes (pp. 21-22): This Play was Richly Cloath'd; The King giving Mr Betterton his Coronation Suit;...The Duke of York giving Mr Harris his...and my Lord of Oxford gave Mr Joseph Price his...and all the other Parts being very well done: The Play having a great run, Produc'd to the Company great Gain and Estimation from the Town

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is known by the separately printed Prologue and Epilogue: Prologue. By Mr Otway to his Play call'd Venice preserv'd or the Plot discover'd. Acted at His Royal Highness the Duke of Yorks Theatre, the 9th of February, 1681. [These have been reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 61-66.] Luttrell dated his copy of the Prologue and Epilogue 11 Feb. 1681@2 (Huntington Library). It is not certain that 9 Feb. 1681@2 represents the first performance, but it may well be. For a comment by Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, on Mrs Barry, see The Orphan, February 1679@80

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The Prologue and Epilogue, separately printed, bear Luttrell's date of acquisition, 21 April 1682 (Huntington Library), and have been reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 102-05. The Prologue and Epilogue were advertised in The Observator, 27 April 1682, with the statement: Recommended to All Men of Sense and Loyalty

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not Acted these Six Years. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Written by the late N. Tate, Esq; Poet Laureat, Author of the Tragedy of King Lear. With Scenes, Habits, Machines, and other proper Decorations