Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@142, p. 81, a last, undated entry in a series of plays acted from 28 May 1675 to 12 May 1677. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348. A performance, dated 12 May 1677, is on the L. C. lists at Harvard; see VanLennep, Plays on the English Stage, 1669-1672, p. 12. Downes (pp. 36-37): All the Musick was set by Mr Banister, and being well Perform'd, it answer'd the Expectation of the Company. Two of the songs, with the music by Bannister, are in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Second Book, 1679. The Songs in Circe, published separately in 1677, bears a licensing date of 7 May 1677. The play was licensed 18 June 1677, and entered in the Stationers' Register, 19 June 1677

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@143, p. 162. An entry for the same play on L. C. list, 5@144, p. 120, with the date 25 April, is possibly an error. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, pp. 348-49. There is no indication that this performance is the premiere, but a licensing date of 31 May 1678 suggests a premiere in April 1678

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@143, p. 162; on a similar list (L. C. 5@145, p. 120) the date is given as 25 May, but the second list may have been compiled from the first one and subject to error. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 349. There is no indication that this is the first production, but the Epilogue refers to the shortly expected "long Vacation," a suggestion that the premiere came in May. The play was not licensed until 29 Aug. 1678

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not known; an entry in L. C. 5@145, p. 120, lists it for 1 March, but leaves the year in question. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 349. Because the Prologue upbraids the audience for deserting Dorset Garden to see The Female Prelate at Drury Lane (beginning 31 May 1680) and because the Epilogue refers to railing at the Penny Post, a service inaugurated on 1 April 1680, a performance in mid-June 1680 seems the likely first production. If so, the L. C. entry for 1 March probably represents a revival for 1 March 1680@1. A song, Bonny lass gin thou wert mine, with music by Thomas Farmer, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Third Book, 1681. For Leigh as Sir Jolly and Nokes as Sir Davy, see Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, I, 147-48. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 36): These two Comedies [The Soulder's Fortune and D'Urfey's The Fond Husband] took extraordinary well, and being perfectly Acted; got the Company great Reputation and Profit

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not certain, but the Dedication speaks of its being acted two days and an order, L. C. 5@144, p. 29 (Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p.1 on), dated 14 Dec. 1680, banning it suggest that it was performed on 11 and 13 Dec. 1680. It is possible, however, that Tate's statements may refer to performances on 18 and 19 Jan. 1680@1. Dedication, Edition of 1681: For the two Days in which it was Acted, the Change of the Scene, Names of Persons, &c. was a great Disadvantage: many things were by this means render'd obscure and incoherent that in their native Dress had appear'd not only proper but gracefull. I call'd my Persons Sicilians but might as well have made 'em Inhabitants of the Isle of Pines. Henry Purcell composed the music for a song, "Retir'd from any mortal's sight." See Purcell, Works, The Purcell Society, XX (1916), ix-x

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This play is on the L. C. list, 5@145, p. 120--see also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 349--immediately following the 1 March listing for The Soldier's Fortune. Because The Spanish Fryar was apparently a newly acted play on 1 Nov. 1680, the performance on this L. C. list is assigned to 8 March 1680@1 rather than to 8 March 1679@80

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance, which is out of the chronological order, is on L. C. list, 5@147, p. 68; the list does not indicate which Part of this play was given. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350, and page 380, for an order (L. C. 5@147, p. 1) for rehabilitation of the seats in the theatre

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, p. 69: ye Moore of Venice at Whitehall. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. See also an L. C. notice, 5@147, p. 24 (in Boswell, Restoration Court Stage, p. 85) concerning Preparations for plays to be acted at court every week

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of this Performance is stated as 16 Feb. (L. C. records) or 17 Feb. (Peregrine Bertie), but as Lent began on Wednesday 17 Feb., the performance probably occurred on Shrove Tuesday. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, P. 125. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. Peregrine Bertie to the Countess of Rutland, 17 Feb. 1685@6: To night will be the last play at court, they tell mee 'tis the Mocke Astrologer (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Rutland MSS., Part V, p. 105). John Povey to Sir Robert Southwell, 18 Feb. 1685@6: Sir, the enclosed had been sent last post, had it not been detained late by a play at Court which ended our Carnival. The night before the King and Queen were entertained by the Lord President at a ball or masque in Lady Portsmouth's lodgings. The Masquers were twelve couples whose habits were of several nations' and prescribed by a picture sent to each of them from the Queen, and the least habit cost !bove a hundred Pounds, and some above three hundred pounds, besides jewels of which Mrs Fox and some others had above thirty thousand pounds value each (Savile-Finch Correspondence, Add. Mss. 28,569; I owe this quotation to Professor John Harold Wilson)

Event Comment: A troupe of French Comedians played at theatre in Windsor Castle. On 25 July 1688 a warrant (L. C. 5@17, pp. 60, 65, in Boswell, Restoration Court Stage, pp. 61, 127) ordered the playhouse there to be made ready for the foreign company. According to L. C. 5@17, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 65, the French players arrived on 11 Aug. and remained at Windsor until 22 Sept

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@151, p. 369. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 352. This appears to be a substitution for a previously scheduled performance of Amphitryon (Nicoll, p. 352). In L. C. 5@150, p. 74 (Nicoll, p. 357) is an order for a large looking glass to be provided for Sir Courtly Nice at this performance. In addition, there appears to have been a concert in honor of the Queen's birthday. See D'Urfey, Wit and Mirth, I, 62-64: An Ode on the Anniversary of the Queens-Birth. Set to Musick by Mr Henry Purcel, April 30th, 1690

Event Comment: [Mainpiece: Author unknown. Never Acted before. Afterpiece: By Christopher Bullock. Never Acted before.] The Prince of Wales present. Receipts: #34 19s

Event Comment: Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 11 Oct.: Last Friday Night...three Gentlemen demanded to go behind the Scenes; but there being an Order of the House made to the contrary, they were denied Admittance; upon which they went into the Pit, and with Apples, &c. pelted the Players in a shameful Manner, after which they got upon the Stage and drew their Swords and broke down the Scenery, Lamps, &c. which put the House in an Uproar, and 'twas an Hour before the Gentlemen could be brought to a civil Behaviour

Event Comment: Not Acted these Fifteen Years

Event Comment: [By Mrs Aubert.] Never Acted before. In Daily Courant, 26 May: Never acted before, being unfortunately prevented on Friday last, by the unexpected Arrest of the Person who was to have played the Doctor