Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw The Five Hours' Adventure, which hath not been acted a good while before, but once, and is a most excellent play, I must confess

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: My wife and I to the Duke of York's house, to a play, and there saw The Mad Lover, which do not please me so well as it used to do, only Betterton's part still pleases me. But here who should we have come to us but Bab. and Betty and Talbot, the first play they were yet at; and going to see us, and hearing by my boy, whom I sent to them, that we were here, they come to us hither, and happened all of us to sit by my cozen Turner and The.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's house, and there saw "The Gratefull Servant," a pretty good play, and which I have forgot that ever I did see

Event Comment: Pepys' remarks suggest that Shadwell's The Royal Shepherdess may once have been intended to have its premiere on this day. Pepys, Diary: By a hackneycoach followed my wife and the girls, who are gone by eleven o'clock, thinking to have seen a new play at the Duke of York's house. But I do find them staying at my tailor's, the play not being to-day.... Thence to the Duke of York's playhouse, and there, finding the play begun, we homeward

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This play is on the L. C. lists at Harvard. See VanLennep, "Plays on the English Stage", p. 14. A song in this play, Thus all our Lives, with music by John Banister, is in Choice Songs and Ayres, 1673. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 31): [Concerning several plays] All which Expir'd the third Day, save the Royal Shepherdess, which liv'd Six. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's house, and there before one, but the house infinite full, where, by and by, the King and Court come, it being a new play, or an old one new vamped, by Shadwell, called The Royal Shepherdesse!; but the silliest for words and design, and evepything, that ever I saw in my whole life, there being nothing in the world pleasing in it, but a good martial dance of pikemen, where Harris and another do handle their pikes in a dance to admiration; but never less satisfied with a play in my life

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. If The Royal Shepherdess was acted six days consecutively, the interruption of its run for this day is due to the tradition of the company's not regularly acting on Wednesday and Fridays in Lent. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw an old play, the first time acted these forty years, called The Lady's Tryall, acted only by the young people of the house; but the house very full. But it is but a sorry play, and the worse by how much my head is out of humour by being a little sleepy and my legs weary since last night

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw The Impertinents, a play which pleases me wdll still; but it is with great trouble that I now see a play, because of my eyes, the light of the candles making it very troublesome to me

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Langbaine, English Dramatick Poets, p. 509: [It] was alter'd (as I have heard by Mr Carthwright) by Mr Betterton. Downes, p. 30: [Done] by the same Author [Betterton]...and all the other Parts Exactly perform'd, it lasted Successively 8 Days, and very frequently Acted afterwards. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's playhouse, and there, in the side balcony, over against the musick, did hear, but not see, a new play, the first day acted, The Roman Virgin, and old play, and but ordinary, I thought; but the trouble of my eyes with the light of the candles did almost kill me

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 Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the Preface suggests that it was given first in the summer; the fact that part of the Duke's Company was at Oxford in July makes June a probable time. Preface: It had the misfortune to be brought into the world in a time, when the Dog-star was near his Reign, and my Judges sat in a hot Bath, rather than a Theatre, and were doubly persecuted by the heat of the weather, and the Impertinence of the Poet; and which was the worst mishap, when the most candid, as well as the most Illustrious Judges (I mean the Court) were absent. A song, Lo behold a sea of tears, with music by John Bannister, for this play, is Choice Ayres and Songs, The First Book, 1673

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This play is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347. It is uncertain, however, just when this performance occurred. The L. C. lists at Harvard (see VanLennep, Plays on the English Stage, p. 19) suggest that the three performances at the head of this list belong to the spring of 1672 rather than the spring of 1671. If this is correct, this performance of Sir Solomon is out of place in the list, for it can hardly be placed at 14 Nov. 1672, yet it is surprising that, so soon after the opening of dg, the Duke's Company should act at court, especially when the King and Queen attended dg on the following day, 15 Nov. 1671. This performance of Sir Solomon should be judged as an uncertain one

Event Comment: The King's Company. This day marks the resumption of acting by the King's Company after the disastrous fire at Bridges Street, Drury Lane; the players turned to the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields which the Duke's Company had recently left. The Prologue was printed in Covent Garden Drollery, 1672. Sloane MS. 4455 folio 26 verso: The Prologue of a Play entitled Witt without Money-Spoken at the Dukes old Theatre (after the Kings was burnt) by the King's players, Feb. 26 1671. The Curtaine being drawne up all the Actors were discover'd on the stage in Melancholick postures, & Moone [Mohun] advancing before the rest speaks as follows, addressing chiefly to ye King then [present]. Langbaine (English Dramatick Poets, p. 216): Wit Without Money: a Comedy which I have seen acted at the Old House in little Lincolns-Inn-Fields with very great Applause: the part of Valentine being Play'd by that compleat Actor Major Mohun deceas'd. This was the first Play that was acted after the Burning the King's House in Drury-lane: a New Prologue being writ for them by Mr Dryden

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the play followed The Citizen Turned Gentleman (4 July 1672) and refers to it in the Prologue. Edward Ravenscroft replied in the Preface and Prologue to The Careless Lovers, which appeared in February or March 1672@3. A song, Long betwixt Love and fear Phillis tormented, set by Robert Smith, is in Choice Songs and Ayres, The First Book, 1673. Preface to The Assignation: It succeeded ill in the representation, against the opinion of many of the best Judges of our Age. Langbaine, English Dramatick Poets, p. 154: This Play was Damn'd on the Stage

Event Comment: Boswell (Restoration Court Stage, pp. 180-81) believes that a performance occurred on this day, as well as on 16 Feb. 1674@5, Shrove Tuesday, the date often specified in advance statements. For previous notices, see 2 Feb. 1674@5, 15 and 22 Dec. 1674. Edition of 1675:....followed at innumerable Rehearsals, and all the Representations by throngs of Persons of the greatest Quality...at the 20th or 30th, for near so often it had been Rehearsed and Acted....And the Composer of all the Musick both Vocal and Instrumental Mr Staggins. Langbaine. (English Dramatick Poets, p. 92): a Masque at court, frequently presented there by Persons of great Quality, with the Prologue, and the Songs between the Acts: printed in quarto Lond. 1675....This Masque was writ at the Command of her present Majesty: and was rehearsed near Thirty times, all the Representations being follow'd by throngs of Persons of the greatest Quality, and very often grac'd with their Majesties and Royal Highnesses Presence. John Evelyn (The Life of Mrs Godolphin): [Mrs Blagge] had on her that day near twenty thousand pounds value of Jewells, which were more sett off with her native beauty and luster then any they contributed of their own to hers; in a word, she seemed to me a Saint in Glory, abstracting her from the Stage. For I must tell you, that amidst all this pomp and serious impertinence, whilst the rest were acting, and that her part was sometymes to goe off, as the scenes required, into the tireing roome, where severall Ladyes her companions were railing with the Gallants trifleingly enough till they were called to reenter, she, under pretence of conning her next part, was retired into a Corner, reading a booke of devotion, without att all concerning herself or mingling with the young Company; as if she had no farther part to act, who was the principall person of the Comedy...[With] what a surprizeing and admirable aire she trode the Stage, and performed her Part, because she could doe nothing of this sort, or any thing else she undertooke, indifferently....Thus ended the Play, butt soe did not her affliction, for a disaster happened which extreamly concern'd her, and that was the loss of a Diamond of considerable vallue, which had been lent her by the Countess of Suffolke; the Stage was immediately swept, and dilligent search made to find it, butt without success, soe as probably it had been taken from her, as she was oft inviron'd with that infinite crowd which tis impossible to avoid upon such occasion. Butt the lost was soon repair'd, for his Royall Highness understanding the trouble she was in, generousely sent her the wherewithall to make my Lady Suffolke a present of soe good a Jewell. For the rest of that days triumph I have a particular account still by me of the rich Apparell she had on her, amounting, besides the Pearles and Pretious Stones, to above three hundred pounds (ed. Samuel Lord Bishop of Oxford [London, 1847], pp. 97-100). See also 15 Dec. 1674

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is known from a disturbance which occurred on this day; Langbaine states that the play was Macbeth. John Verney to Sir Ralph Verney, 30 Aug. 1675: On Saturday last, at the Duke's playhouse, Sir Tho. Armstrong killed Mr Scrope....Their quarrel is said to [be] about Mrs Uphill, the player, who came into the house maskt, and Scrope would have entertained discourse with her, which Sir T. Armstrong would not suffer, so a ring was made wherein they fought (HMC Verney MSS., 7th Report, 1879, p. 465). See also The Hatton Correspondence, Camden Society, XXII (1878), 121

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Nell Gwyn attended this performance. See VanLennep, Nell Gwyn's Playgoing, p.408. It is not certain that this was the premiere, but, as the play was licensed for publication on 20 Nov. 1676, the first performance may well have been on this day. A song, Away with the causes of riches and cares, with music by Matthew Lock, is in Catch that Catch Can, No. 64, 1685. Another, Beneath a shady willow, with music by William Turner, is in A New Collection of Songs and Poems...by Thomas D'Urfey, 1683. Edition of 1677: That its only good Fortune was, in being the Subject of the Courts Diversion, where their Noble Clemency and Good Nature were extremely requisite, in covering its defects from the too Censorious; His Majesty, according to His accustomed Royal and Excellent Temper, was pleas'd to descend so far, as to give it a particular Applause, which was seconded by your Grace [The Duke of Ormond]

Event Comment: John Verney to Sir R. Verney, 23 June 1679: Churchill, for beating an orange wench in the Duke's playhouse, was challenged by Capt. Otway (the poet), and were both wounded, but Churchill most. The relation beinb told the King, by Sir John Holmes, as Churchill thought to his prejudice he challenged Holmes, who fighting, disarmed him, Churchill. On Saturday, at the Duke's Theatre, happened a quarrel between young Bedlow and one of the novices of St Omer's, and many swords were drawn, but as yet I have not heard whether any blood was shed in this religious quarrel (HMC, Verney MSS., 7th Report, Appendix, 1879, p. 473)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the premiere is not known. Pepys saw it on 6 March 1679@80, calling it a "New Play," and that may have been the first day. The Prologue alludes also to the Duke of York's triumphant return from Scotland on 24 Feb. 1679@80, and the play was entered in the Term Catalogues, May 1680. For Mrs Bracegirdle as the "little Girl," see Edmund Curll, History of the English Stage (1741), p. 26, and Lucyle Hook, Anne Bracegirdle's First Appearance, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1959), 134. For Betterton as Castalio and Mrs Barry as Monimia, probably as they performed in the next decade, see Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, I, 116, 160. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 37) gives the same cast except for omissions and except for Serina-and Isabella in The Fatal Marriage] These three Parts, gain'd her the Name of Famous $Mrs Barry">Mrs Mountfort, who acted it later. Downes (pp. 37-38) adds: [Monimia, Belvidera in Venice Preserved, and Isabella in The Fatal Marriage] These three Parts, gain'd her the Name of Famous $Mrs Barry, both at court and City; for when ever She Acted any of these three Parts, she forc'd Tears from the Eyes of her Auditory, especially those who have any Sense of Pity for the Distress't. These 3 Plays, by their Excellent Performances, took above all the Modern Plays that succeeded. A song for this play, Come all the youths whose hearts have bled, the music by Forcer, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Third Book, 1681

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Loyal Protestant, 2 Feb. 1681@2: This day his Excellency the Embassedor of Morocco was present at the Dukes Theatre, where the Tempest was acted with which his Excellency seem'd extreamly pleased. [Essentially the same report is in Monthly Recorder, 1 Feb.-1 March 1681@2.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. True Protestant Mercury, 17-20 May 1682: On Thursday the Ambassador from the King of Bantam was entertained with a play called the Libertine Destroyed at the Duke's Theatre. [See also Luttrell, A Brief Relation, I, 187, and Wilson, More Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 59