Event Comment: This play was seen at the red bull by Jacques Thierry and Will Schellinks (Seaton, Literary Relationships, pp. 333, 335). Seaton speculates that the play may be: (1) Rowley's A Shoemaker a Gentleman; (2) a droll made out of the Christopher Sly prologue of The Taming of the Shrew; (3) Tourneur's lost The Nobleman or Great Man. William VanLennep ("The new-made Nobleman," Times Literary Supplement, 20 June 1936, p. 523) thinks that it may be Beaumont and Fletcher's Noble Gentleman. Nicoll (Restoration Drama, pp. 309-10) believes that this was Jolly's Company acting at the red bull

Event Comment: The Memoirs of Sir John Reresby, ed. Browning (p. 137): This day in the afternoon I had a quarrell in the King's playhous upon this occasion. As I sate in the pit a gentleman, whose name I afterwards heard to be Mr Symons came and placed himself next to me, and not content to rest ther, after a while desired me to give him my seat, or to exchange with him, (pretending he was to speake to one of his acquaintances on the other side). I had noe mind to quitt my seat, which was better to see than his; besides, he haveing been drinking, his manner of askeing was not altogather soe gratefull, insomuch as I denyed it. Here upon he said I was uncivil, and I tould him he was a rascall; upon which words we were both prepared to strike one another, had not a gentleman that sate near us (one Sir Jonathan Trelany) put his hand between us to prevent it

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but Luttrell's copy (Huntington Library) of the play bears the date of acquisition 3 June [1690, apparently], and the play was advertised in the London Gazette, No 2566, 12-16 June 1690. See Fredson Bowers, A Bibliographical History of the Fletcher-Betterton Play, The Prophetess, 1690, The Library, 5th Series, XVI (1961), 169-75. It seems likely that the opera was first given early in June 1690. An edition of The Vocal and Instrumental Musick of The Prophetess appeared in 1691. See Works of Henry Purcell, Purcell Society, IX. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 42): The Prophetess, or Dioclesian an Opera, Wrote by Mr Betterton; being set out with Coastly Scenes, Machines and Cloaths: The Vocal and Instrumental Musick, done by Mr Purcel; and Dances by Mr Priest; it gratify'd the Expectation of Court and City; and got the Author great Reputation. [See also R. E. Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theater (Cambridge, Mass., 1961), Chapter V; and E. W. White, Early Theatrical Performances of Purcell's Operas, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1958-59), 44.] The Muses' Mercury (January 1707, pp. 4-5): This prologue was forbidden to be spoken the second Night of the Representation of the Prophetess. Mrs Shadwell was the occasion of its being taken notice of by the Ministry in the last Reign: He happen'd to be at the House on the first Night, and taking the beginning of the Prologue to have a double meaning, and that Meaning to reflect on the Revolution, he told a Gentleman, He would immediately Put a stop to it. When that Gentleman ask'd, Why he wou'd do the Author such a Disservice? He said, Because while Mr Dryden was Poet Laureat, he wou'd never let any Play of his be Acted. Mr Shadwell informed the Secretary of State of it, and representing it in its worst Colours, the Prologue was never Spoken afterwards, and is not printed in Mr Dryden's Works, or his Miscellanies. Cibber, Apology (ed. Lowe, II, 13-14): A Prologue (by Dryden) to the Prophetess was forbid by the Lord Dorset after the first War in Ireland. It must be confess'd that this Prologue had some familiar, metaphorical Sneers at the Revolution itself; and as the Poetry of it was good, the Offence of it was less pardonable

Event Comment: The United Company. The Gentleman's Journal, January 1691@2, page 5, implies that King Arthur was revived in December 1691: And the last Opera called King Arthur, which hath been plaid several times the last Month. [Since the Gentleman's Journal was often published in the month following the date of an issue, it is possible that this revival occurred in January 1691@2, for there was a certain performance on 7 Jan. 1691@2.

Event Comment: The United Company. Tne date of the first performance is not known, but the Gentleman's Journal, March 1692 (licensed 9 March 1691@2), refers to its having already been produced. See also a letter concerning it dated 19 Jan. 1691@2. Probably the play was given in early February 1692. A song, How long must women wish in vain, the music by Robert King, is in Comes Amoris, The Fourth Book, 1693. Gentleman's Journal, March 1692: We have had lately a new Play, called, The Innocent Impostors. It hath been acted four times. Mr Shadwell Poet-Laureat, usher'd it into the Stage. It is said that the Author of it is not one of the Laity; therefore since he desires not to be known, I shall not presume to let you know his Name, tho the Play being Historical, and altogether of the Tragick kind, and withal treated with all the decency imaginable, can never be inglorious to its ingenious Author

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the play was noticed in the Gentleman's Journal, April 1692 (licensed 13 April 1692) as having been acted "last month" (March). It was entered in the Term Catalogues, May 1692. Gentleman's Journal, April 1692 (licensed 13 April 1692): The Traytor, an old Tragedy, hath not only been revived the last Month, but also been reprinted with Alterations and Amendments; It was suppos'd to be Shirly's, but he only usher'd it in to the Stage; the Author of it was one Mr Rivers a Jesuite, who wrote it in his Confinement in Newgate, where he died. It hath always been esteemed a very good Play, by the best Judges of Dramatick Writing