Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347. There is no certainty that this performance is the premiere, but it may well be. Two songs, Ah false Amyntas, and Amyntas led me to a grove, both set by Robert Smith, are in Choice Songs and Ayres, 1673. Preface to the edition of 1673: Good, Sweet, Honey, Sugar-candied Reader, ...Indeed that day 'twas Acted first, there comes into the Pit a long, lither, plegmatick, white, ill-favour'd, wretched Fop, an Officer in Masquerade newly transported with a Scarfe & Feather out of France, a sorry Animal that has nought else to shield it from the uttermost contempt of all mankind, but that respect which we afford to Rats and Toads, which though we do not well allow to live, yet when considered as a part of God's Creation, we make honourable mention of them. A thing, Reader--but no more of such a Smelt: This thing, I tell ye, opening that which serves it for a mouth, out issued such a noise as this to those that state about it, that they were to expect a woful Play, God damn him, for it was a womans.... Reader, I have a complaint or two to make to you, and I have done; Know then that this Play was hugely injur'd in the Acting, for 'twas done so imperfectly as never any was before, which did more harm to this than it could have done to any of another sort; the Plot being busie (though I think not intricate) and so requiring a continual attention, which being interrupted by the intolerable negligence of some that acted in it, must needs much spoil the beauty on't. My Dutch Lover spoke but little of what I intended for him, but supplied it with a great deal of idle stuff, which I was wholly unacquainted with until I heard it first from him. According to the Preface, the Prologue was lost

Event Comment: The Lord Mayor's Pageant. For an account of the dinner, see Spectator, No. 462, 30 Aug. 1712

Event Comment: The Lord Mayor's Show. For brief accounts, see Luttrell, A Brief Relation, I, 25, and Domestick Intelligence, No. 34, 31 Oct. 1679

Event Comment: The True News; or, Mercurius Anglicus, 4-7 Feb. 1679@80: On Munday night last happened a great dispute in the Duke's Play-house, some Gentlemen in their Cupps entring into the Pitt, flinging Links at the Actors, and using several reproachfull speeches against the Dutchess of P. and other persons of Honour, which has occasioned a Prohibition from farther Acting, till his Majesties farther pleasyre. A letter written by the Dowager Countess of Sunderland to Henry Sidney, dated 6 Jan. 1679@80 [possibly misdated] refers to disorders which are similar to those recorded in The True News: You must needs hear of the abominable disorders amongst us, calling all the women whores and the men rogues in the playhouses--throwing candles and links--calling my Lord Sunderland traitor, but in good company; the Duke of York?, rascal; and all ended in "God bless his Highness, the Duke of Monmouth. We will be for him against the world." I am told they may be fined a great deal if they are prosecuted. Two of these are knights of shires, Sir Scroope How, and my Lord Wharton's@eldest son; the only sufferer yet is Porter. They are ashamed, I hear, and afraid (R. W. Blencowe, Diary of the Times of Charles the Second by the Honourable Henry Sidney [London, 1843], I, 237)

Event Comment: For reports on the Lord Mayor's Day, see Luttrell, A Brief Relation, I, 139-40, and The Impartial Protestant Mercury, No 55, 28 Oct.-1 Nov. 1681

Event Comment: The Lord Mayor's Show. By Thomas Jordan. Luttrell (A Brief Relation, I, 285-86): The 29th, sir Henry Tulse...was sworn before the barons of the exchequer at Westminster, whither he went by water, accompanied by the late lord mayor, the new recorder, aldermen, and sheriffs, and attended by diverse of the companies in their barges; their majesties and the duke of York being upon the leads at Whitehall when they passed by: being come back, they passed from the place where they landed, with the usual solemnity, to Grocers Hall, where the lords of the councill, severall of the nobility, judges, and other persons of quality dined

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but Luttrell dated his copy of the separately-printed Prologue and Epilogue 5 April 1684 (J. W. Dodds, Thomas Southerne, p. 48). Very probably the play first appeared during the week of 31 March-5 April, immediately following Easter. The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 191-94. This may have been the last new role William Smith undertook for some years; see Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, 1, 78-79, for the incident which prompted Smith's leaving the stage for awhile. One song, I never saw a face till now, with music by Captain Pack, is in The Theater of Music, the First Book, 1685; and another, O why did e'er my thoughts aspire, the music by R. King, is in the same collection. A third song, See how fair Corinna lies, the music by Captain Pack, is in A Collection of Twenty-Four Songs, 1685

Event Comment: Evelyn, Diary: I carried my Lord Clarendon through the Citty amidst all the Squibbs & barbarous bacchanalia of the Lord-Majors shew

Event Comment: See also Luttrell, A Brief Relation, I, 362. The cost of the Pageants was #175; the total cost of the Lord Mayor's Show came to #473 4d. See Robert Withington, English Pageantry (Cambridge, Mass., 1920), II, 62

Event Comment: Evelyn, Diary: was a Triumphant shew of the Lord Major, both by land & water with much solemnity, when yet his power was so deminish'd, by the losse of their former charter

Event Comment: Newdigate newsletters (Folger Shakespeare Library), 22 Oct. 1687: There are to be 5 Pageants on the Ld Mayors day one representing Liberty by a Beautifull young Lady attended with Riches Plenty and ffreedom &c. (transcribed by Professor John Harold Wilson). Luttrell (A Brief Relation, I, 418): The 29th was the anniversary of the lord mayors show, the new one, sir John Shorter, now entring on his office; the shew was splendid and the entertainment great, according to custome: his majestie, with the prince of Denmark, did the citty the honour to dine with them at Guildhall, as also the nobility, foreign ministers, amongst which was the popes nuncio (who was invited particularly by some of the aldermen): the streets were new gravell'd all that morning on one side of the way, from Charing-crosse to the citty, for his majesties passage. His majestie was well satisfied with the whole entertainment. The Duke of Beaufort to the Duchess, 29 Oct. 1687 [a summary, apparently]: Has just come from the greatest entertainment he ever saw at a Lord Mayor's feast in the city, and the best ordered, though there was the greatest concourse there and in the streets that was ever known, and the greatest acclamations, all through the city as the King passed. The Queen did not dare venture, remembering that the Bristol entertainment had put her out of order, but all the nobility in town, and the foreign ministers were there. The Pope's Nuncio in particular was invited by the Lord Mayor and nobly entertained (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Beaufort MSS., Part IX, pp. 90-91)

Event Comment: By Elkanah Settle. Luttrell, A Brief Relation, 29 Oct. 1692: This day the usuall show of lord mayors, where the king and queen dined, most of the nobility, &c., but the prince and princesse were not invited: the feast was at charge of lord mayor and court of alderman: the lord mayor subscribed 300#, each she rife, 150#, and the aldermen 50# apeice: the kings regiment of foot guards was all in new cloths, and the horse guards too: the militia of Middlesex were as a guard in the Strand, and the artillery, with silver and steell headpeices, lined tne streets where the mayor came

Event Comment: The Lord Mayor's Shoew. By Elkanah Settle. The cost of the pageants: Masters' Accounts, #479 14s. 2d.; Wardens' Accounts, #43 1s. 2d. See R. T. D. Sayle, Lord Mayors' Pageants (London, 1931), p. 145

Event Comment: Post Boy, 2-4 Feb. 1696@7: On Monday the King visited the Princess of Denmark and invited her to Whitehall on Saturday next, it being her Royal Highnesses Birth Day, and his Majesty has been pleased to give the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine Orders to have the Play called Love for Love, written by Mr Congreve, Acted there the better to Celebrate the Day. Post Boy, 6-9 Feb. 1696@7: Last Saturday being the Anniversary of her Royal Highness the Princess Ann of Denmark's birth...at night the King was pleased to Entertain her with a fine Comedy, call'd Love for Love, Written by Mr Congreve, Acted by his Majesty's servants at Whitehall, where the Court appeared very gay and splendid, suitable to the occasion. [Somewhat similar references appear also in Luttrell, A Brief Relation, IV, 180, and The Flying Post, 6-9 Feb. 1696@7.

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. This performance is recorded in A Calendar of the Inner Temple Records, ed. Inderwick, III, 227. Post Boy, 30 Oct.-2 Nov. 1697: There was Yesterday a very great Feast in the Temple, there being present the High Honourable the Lord Chancellor, with Divers of the Judges; after Dinner there was a Play Acted. John Oldmixon, Reflections on the Stage (London, 1699), p. 69: The Bar-Gown has often been play'd with, and shewn in a more despicable Figure, yet the Lawyers don't think it worth their while to cry out against Comedy, as aiming at the ruin of the Courts in Westminster-hall, and the Judges themselves have desir'd Love for Love, with all the faults Mr Collier has laid to its charge, to be presented 'em, and were extreamly well pleas'd with their entertainment, tho' the Lawyer there makes a trivial appearance

Event Comment: An order of the Court of Common Council for London forbids any performances of plays or interludes at Bartholomew Fair. See a broadside in the British Museum [1851 b. 25 (25)], reported by Alfred Jackson, Review of English Studies, XIV (1938), 55. Flying Post, 22-25 June 1700: The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and Court of Alderman have ordered that no Play-house Bills be affix'd on any Post, &c. in this City; and the like Orders are resolved on in Westminster

Event Comment: For the Entertainment of the Lords Spiritual & Temporal, And the Honourable House of Commons. Undertaken by $Cavendish Weedon, Esq.

Event Comment: For the Entertainment of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, And the Honourable House of Commons. Undertaken by $Cavendish Weedon, Esq.

Event Comment: Benefit Stoppelaer. For the Entertainment of the Grand, the Vice-Grand, and the rest of the Ancient and Honourable Order of Gregoreans. Two Rows of the Pit will be railed in for Gregoreans only

Event Comment: For the Entertainment of the Grand, the Vice-Grand, and the Brethren of the Ancient and Honourable Order of Gregorians. Benefit James. Receipts: #150 (Rylands MS.)

Event Comment: The Farce dislik'd (Cross). Receipts: #160 (Cross); #169 18s. 6d. (Winston MS 8). [See review of the reception and circumstances of publication in Gentleman's Magazine (p. 37), which presents Hill in no good light. See also review of A Letter to the Honourable Author of the Rout (idem.) with its charges against Garrick.