Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the fact that Narcissus Luttrell purchased a copy on 22 March 1679@80 suggests that the premiere occurred not later than February. A copy, with Luttrell's date of purchase, is in the Ohio State University Library. (I am indebted to Professor J. H. Wilson for this information.

Event Comment: During this month the dissident players from the King's Company--Goodman, Gray, and Clarke--returned from Edinburgh. For details, see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, pp. 262-63

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-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 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: The Duke's Company. The date of this performance is uncertain. It is one of a series of plays acted at Court, in L. C. 5@145, p. 120. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. In view of the recent disorders at the Duke's Theatre, it is somewhat surprising to have this series of plays acted at Court at this time, but three of the entries would fall on Sunday if the sequence is assigned to the season of 1680-81; hence, the series has been assigned to 1679-80

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@145, p. 120: The Wanton Wife. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. For difficulties in dating this performance, see 11 Feb. 1679@80

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This is the third in the series of Court performances in L. C. 5@145, p. 120: Sir Fopling Flutter. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350, and 11 Feb. 1679@80

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This is another in the series of Court performances in L. C. 5@145, p. 120. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350, and 11 Feb. 1679@80. Mountstevens to Henry Stevens, 20 Feb. 1679@80: Upon Sunday the Court is to be in mourning for the death of the Princess Elizabeth, sister to Prince Rupert. (R. W. Blencowe, Diary of the Time of Charles the Second [London, 1843], I, 283)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This is another in the series of Court performances in L. C. 5@145, p. 120. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350, and 11 Feb. 1679@80. It should be noted that not only is this date a Friday in Lent but it is also during the period of mourning for the Princess Elizabeth. Yet to place this performance in 1681 would make it fall on Sunday

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the first production is not known. Although the play was not entered in the Term Catalogues until May 1681, Wilson (Six Restoration Play-Dates, p.222) has argued that the reference in the Prologue to the young men (presumably Gray, Goodman, and Clarke; see February 1679@80) who had gone to Scotland and returned empty-handed suggests a performance near March 1680, when these references would have more point than they would have a year later

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the reference in the Prologue to "this good Godly time of Lent" would place it between 25 Feb. and 3 April 1680. It was entered in the Term Catalogues in May 1680

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: March 6 Saturday: See 2 acts of the New Play Orphan (Mornamont MS II, f. 1207, Cambridge University Library)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is another in the sequence of plays acted at court in L. C. 5@145, p. 120: Night's Intrigue. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350, and 11 Feb. 1679@80. If this performance were placed on 6 March 1680@1, it would fall on Sunday

Event Comment: The King's Company. The Newdigate newsletters, 29 May 1680: Their Matyes players have put out a Bille that on Munday next they will Act a new play abt the ffemale prelate or the History of Pope Joan (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 80). Newdigate newsletters, 3 June: On Munday last the King's players began to Act the new play called Pope Joan (ibid.)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not known. Luttrell, however, dated the copy he purchased 6 July 1680 (VanLennep, Two Restoration Comedies, pp. 57-58) and attributed it to Mrs Aphra Behn. If copies were available in early July, the play was most probably performed in June 1680. Langbaine (English Dramatick Poets, p. 547) had heard that Mrs Behn was the author, but A Comparison between the Two Stages (p. 11) attributed it to Thomas Betterton. For a discussion of the authorship, see also Ten English Farces, ed. Leo Hughes and A. H. Scouten (Austin, Texas, 1948), pp. 203-4

Event Comment: The King's Company. The Newdigate newsletters, 3 June 1680: On Munday last the King's players began to Act...Pope Joan & on Tuesday the D. of Norolke was there to see it (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 80)

Event Comment: The King's Company. The Newdigate newsletters, 3 June 1680: But on Wednesday the Duchesse of Portsmouth to disoblige Mr Settle the Poet carryed all the Court with her to the Dukes house to see Macbeth (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 80)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. See dl, 2 June 1680

Event Comment: The King's Company acted at Oxford during this month. See Sybil Rosenfeld, Some Notes on the Players in Oxford, 1661-1713, Review of English Studies, XIX (1943), 369-70

Event Comment: A new agreement, intended to improve affairs in the King's Company, was signed this day. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, pp. 264-65

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. As the play was not printed until 1689, the date of composition is uncertain. In Act I, however, a reference to the death of the Earl of Rochester (26 July 1680) suggests that the play probably followed that even rather closely. On the other hand, the latest likely date for the first production seems set at late 1682 by the fact that Thomas Farmer's music for the play in BM Add. Mss. 19183-19185 is dated December 1682. The play has been placed in September 1680 as the earliest likely date (the presence of an experienced cast makes somewhat unlikely a production in mid-summer 1680). A song, All other blessings are but toys, with music by Thomas Farmer, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Fourth Book, 1683. A song, Lovely Selina, innocent and free, with music by John Blow, is in the same collection; and another, Weep all ye nymphs, with music by John Blow, is in The Theater of Music, The First Book, 1685

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. That this date is the premiere is conjectured from the order, dated 11 Dec. 1680, forbidding further acting of this play. See L. C. 5@144, p. 28, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p.1 on: Whereas I am informed that there is Acted by you a Play called Lucius Junius Brutus..wherein are very Scandalous Expressions & Reflections upon ye Government these are to require you Not to Act ye said Play again. In the Preface to Charles Gildon's The Patriot (1703) it is stated that Lee's play was banned after the third day's Acting, by the Lord Chamberlain Arlington as an anti-monarchical play." As the order is dated 11 Dec. 1680, the drama was probably presented on 8, 9, and 10 Dec. 1680.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not known. An entry in L. C. 5@145, p. 120 (see also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 349) lists a performance for 4 April, once thought to be 4 April 1680; but as this date falls on Sunday, it more likely represents a revival on 4 April 1681. As the Epilogue appears to appeal to Parliament (which existed from 15 Oct. 1680 to 18 Jan. 1680@1) to vote funds for King Charles, "Our King of Poets," it seems likely that the play was first performed before the close of Parliament. The play was not entered in the Term Catalogues until June 1681. A song, Phyllis whose heart was unconfined, set by Thomas? Farmer; and another, A pox upon this cursed life, set by Captain Pack, are in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Fourth Book, 1683

Event Comment: The King's Company. After the banning of The Sicilian Usurper, it was brought on again under a new title and survived two days before it also was banned. Tate's statement concerning its reception--see 11 Dec. 1680--may refer to these two performances rather than to the sequence in December. Newdigate newsletters (Folger Shakespeare Library), 20 Jan. 1680@1: K. Richd ye 2.d a play, being forbid acting att ye Ks house the Poet put the name Tyrant of Sicily upon it by wch means it was acted twice this weeke, but the Cheate being found out it was forbid acting againe (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 80)