Event Comment: The United Company. This play was in rehearsal before the death of Charles II-see 6 Feb. 1684@5-and was staged shortly after the playhouse reopened. Luttrell's date of acquisition of the separately-printed Prologue and Epilogue is 9 May 1685 (in possession of Pickering and Chatto, Ltd., 1938), and the play may have been first given on that date or during the week preceding Saturday 9 May 1685. For Cibber's account of Mountfort as Sir Courtly, see Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, I, 129. The separately-printed Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 228-30. A separately-printed Three New Songs in Sir Courtley Nice (1685) contains three songs, with the music by Samuel Ackroyde and an unknown composer. In addition, two songs, As I grazed unaware and O be kind my dear be kind, both composed by R. King, are in The Theater of Music, Second Book, 1685. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 40-41): The first new Comedy after King James came to the Crown, was Sir Courtly Nice, wrote by Mr Crown:...The Comedy being justly Acted, and the Characters in't new, Crown'd it with a general Applause: Sir Courtly was so nicely Perform'd, that not any succeeding, but Mr Cyber has Equall'd him. Note, Mr Griffin so Excell'd in Surly, Sir Edward Belfond, The Plain Dealer, none succeeding in the 2 former have Equall'd him, except his Predecessor Mr Hart in the latter. The Lover's Session; In Imitation of Sir John Suckling's Session of Poets (in Poems on Affairs of State, II [1703], 162): @Montrath was in Foppery conceiv'd another@Of Whitehall true Breed, Sir Nices Twin Brother:@None could tell, so alike all their Follies did seem,@Whether he acted Mumford, or Mumford him.

Event Comment: Sir Robert Southwell to Edward Southwell, 26 Aug. 1685 (in Morley, Bartholomew Fair, pp. 224-26): I think it not now so proper to quote you verses out of Persius, or to talk of Caesar and Euclide, as to consider the great theatre of Bartholomew Fair....You wou'd certainly see the garboil there to more advantage if Mr Webster and you wou'd read, or cou'd see acted, the play of Ben Jonson, call'd Bartholomew Fair:...The main importance of this fair is not so much for merchandize, and the supplying what people really want; but as a sort of Bacchanalia, to gratify the multitude in their wandring and irregular thoughts. Here you see the rope-dancers gett their living meerly by hazarding of their lives, and why men will pay money and take pleasure to see such dangers, is of separate and philosophical consideration. You have others who are acting fools, drunkards, and madmen, but for the same wages which they might get by honest labour, and live with credit besides. Others, if born in any monstrous shape, or have children that are such, here they celebrate their misery, and by getting of money forget how odious they are made

Event Comment: The United Company. This play was apparently never published, but it was mentioned in the Prologue to King Edward the Third (ca. Nov. 1690) and again in tne Gentleman's Journal, Jan. 1691@2. Gentleman's Journal, Jan. 1691@2: You have often ask'd me, who was the author of that, call'd The Gordian Knot unty'd; and wondred, with many more, why it was never printed. I hear that Gentleman who writ lately a most ingenious Dialogue concerning Women, now translated into French, is the Author of that witty Play, and it is almost a Sin in him to keep It and his name from the world. [This statement points to William Walsh's A Dialogue Concerning Women, Being a Defence of the Sex. Written to Eugenia (London, 1691).] Henry Purcell wrote the instrumental music for this work. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), vii

Event Comment: A warrant, L. C. 5@150, p. 306, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 357, dated this day calls for a payment of L10 to William Mountfort for King Edward the Third, acted on an unspecified date before the Queen

Event Comment: This celebration of the Queen's Birthday presumably was given on 30 April, her birthday. The music in the Royal Society of Music gives the singers as Mrs Ayliff, The Boy, Turner, Snow, Edwards, Howell, Bowman, Damascene, Bouchier, Williams, Woodeson, Roberts. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XXIV (1926), ii

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the Prologue to Bonduca refers to She Ventures and He Wins. As Bonduca was advertised in the London Gazette, No. 3126, 24-28 Oct. 1695, the play was certainly not acted later than early October 1695, probably not later than September 1695. The Edition of 1696 includes on the titlepage: With A New Entertainment of Musick, Vocal and Instrumental. [The music was composed by Henry Purcell. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XVI, vii-xiii.] Those songs for which a performer is named are as follows: O lead me to some peaceful gloom, sung by Miss Cross, and Sing ye Druids, all your voices raise, sung by Mrs Ayliff, both in Songs in the Tragedy of Bonduca, ca. 1696. To arms, sung by Freeman and Edwards, is in Thesaurus Musicus, The Fifth Book, 1696

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Man, 29 Feb.-2 March 1695@6, and the London Gazette, No. 3165, 9-12 March 1695@6, suggests that its first appearance was not later than early February. One song, The town rakes, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Mr Edward, was separately printed ca. 1696. Epistle Dedicatory, Edition of 1696: The unjust Sentence this Play met with before very partial Judges in the Acting....So that I may reasonable impute its miscarriage to some Faction that was made against it, which indeed was very Evident on the First day, and more on the endeavours employ'd, to render the Profits of the Third, as small as could be...Ch. Gildon

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of this production is not certain. The Dedication, signed by George Powell and John Verbruggen, is dated Monday, 16 Oct. 1696, but this date is in error, for the sixteenth fell on Friday in October; however, 16 Nov. 1696 fell on Monday. In addition, the Dedication implies that the two men hope to have visitors (i.e., spectators at performances) on "Wednesday, and Saturday next, the Visiting Days of, Your Friends and Servants, George Powell, John Verbruggen." It is possible that the text and the songs were printed in advance of performance and were available at the theatre, but it is still uncertain whether the opera first appeared in October or November 1696. The Single Songs, With the Dialogue, was published separately in 1696, with Daniel Purcel named as the composer. The songs to which performers' names are listed are as follows: Cease, Cynthia, cease your fruitless tears, sung by Mrs Cross. I courted and writ, the verse by Jo Hanes and sung by Church. How happy I am the fair sex can defy, the verse by Jo Hanes and sung by Leveridge. 'Tis in vain to tell me I am deceived, sung by Freeman. Great queen of Hymen's hallowed fires, sung by Mrs Willis. Why, Chloe, will you not perceive, the verse by John Robens and sung by Church. Why dost thou fly me, sung by Edwards and Mrs Cross. If mortals laugh and sing, sung by Freeman. The Songs were entered in the Term Catalogues, November 1696

Event Comment: According to Sir Edward Smith's bill--see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 308-the regular company at Drury Lane resumed acting (after the summer vacation) on 11 Oct. 1696 and acted 200 times to 7 July 1697, after which the young actors played 58 days to 7 Oct. 1697

Event Comment: According to Sir Edward Smith's bill--see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 308--Rich's Company acted 161 days from 6 Oct. 1697 to 19 May 1698, 41 days from that date to 10 July 1698, and the young actors played 24 days from 10 July 1698 to 10 Oct. 1698

Event Comment: According to Sir Edward Smith's bill (see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 308) Rich's Company acted 209 times from 9 Oct. 1698 to 9 July 1699, after which the young actors performed 27 times from 9 July 1699 to 10 Oct. 1699

Event Comment: Post Boy, 11 May 1699: A Consort of New Vocal and Instrumental Musick, for the Benefit of Mr Edward Keene, who was the first Promoter of the Musical Entertainments in Sommerset House Garden

Event Comment: According to Sir Edward Smith's bill (see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 308) Rich's company acted 218 times between 6 Oct. 1699 and 26 July 1700, and the young actors played 15 times from 26 July 1700 to 12 Oct. 1700

Event Comment: Post Boy, 16-19 March 1700: In York Buildings, this present Tuesday, being the 19th of this Instant March, will be perform'd a Consort of Vocal and Instrumental Musick, for the Benefit of Mr Edward Keene, beginning at the usual hour. Prices 2s. 6d. Those Persons that have already any of his Tickets dated the 20th are desired to take Notice that the Performance will be this day, and not as the Tickets are dated

Event Comment: Not Acted these Three Years. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Containing the Distresses and Deathv of King Henry the Sixth; the Murther of Young King Edward the Fifth, and his Brother, in the Tower; with the Landingv of the Earl of Richmond, and the Memorable Battle of Bosworth Fieldv, being the last that was fought between the Houses of York and Lancaster

Event Comment: Containing the Distresses and Death of King Henry the Sixth; the Murther of Young King Edward the Fifth, and his Brother, in the Tower; with the Landing of the Earl of Richmond, and the Memorable Battle of Bosworth Fieldv, being the last that was fought between the Houses of York and Lancaster

Event Comment: By His Royal Highness's Command. According to the Original Weekly Journal 26 April the Prince was present, but Edward Harley Jr writing to Abigail Harley on 6 May stated: The P..., not long ago, bespoke at the Old Playhouse, a play called the Indian Emperor. The K...hearing of it, sent to the players to tell them that if the P...came, and they acted that play, he would turn them out of his service, which message they sent to the P..., who had the good sense not to come, so the Indian Emperor was acted.-Portland MS, V, 560

Event Comment: At Mr Penkethman's and Mr Miller's Booth, at the Horns-Inn at Pye Corner, entering into Smithfield. A Celebrated Droll, Shewing the Pomp and Grandeur she lived in King Edward the IVth's Time, and the Misery she fell into upon Richard Duke of Gloucester's being made Protector. How she was oblig'd to do Penance in a white Sheet, carrying a lighted Torch bare Foot thro' the City, and then turn'd out to Starve; as also how she wandering met with her Husband, and the Tragick End of them Both. With the comical and diverting Humours of Sir Anthony Noodle, a foolish Courtier, and his Man Weezel

Event Comment: Benefit Edward Lally. At the Desire of several Ladies of Qulity. Pit and Boxes together at 5s. Gallery Box 3s. Gallery 2s. Receipts: money #14 15s.; tickets #140 19s

Event Comment: Benefit Edward Lally. Receipts: money #29 18s. 6d.; tickets #137 13s

Event Comment: Receipts: #170 9s. 6d. Probable attendance: boxes, 236 paid; stage, 44 paid; balcony, 2 paid; Pit, 290 Paid and 3 orders; slips, 47 paid and 1 order; first gallery, 419 paid and 1 order; second gallery, 189 paid. For a comment on the play by Thomas Edwards, see V. M. Gilbert, Unrecorded Comments on John Gay, Henry Travers, and Others, Notes and Queries, August 1953, pp. 337-38

Event Comment: [By Ebenezer Forrest.] By Command of His Royal Highness. After the Manner of the Beggar's Opera. All the Habits and Scenes entirely New. Receipts: #161 18s. 6d. [For a comment on this performance, see Thomas Edwards to John Clerke, "Unrecorded Comments on John Gay, Henry Travers, and Others", N & Q (August 1953), p. 338.

Event Comment: Benefit Edward Giles. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: Benefit Roberts and Jones. Afterpiece: A New Ballad Opera of one Act [by Edward Phillips]. [For a puff of the afterpiece, see Daily Advertiser, 25 April, and Daily Post, 2 May.