Event Comment: Edition of 1662: Being a True Relation of the Honourable the City of Londons Entertaining Their Sacred Majesties Upon the River of Thames, and Welcoming them from Hampton-Court to White-Hall. Expressed and set forth in several Shews and Pageants, the 23 day of August 1662. According to the printed version, the management of the pageant was under the care of Peter Mills, Surveyor; Malin, Water Bayliff; Thomas Whiting, Joyner; Richard Cleere, Carver. The songs were set by John Gamble, one of His Majesty's Servants. Evelyn, Diary: I this day was spectator of the most magnificent Triumph that certainly ever floted on the thames, considering the innumerable number of boates & Vessels, dressed and adorned with all imaginable Pomp: but above all, the Thrones, Arches, Pageants, & other representations, stately barges of the Lord Major, & Companies, with various Inventions, musique, & Peales of Ordnance both from the vessels & shore, going to meete & Conduct the new Queene from Hampton Court to White-hall, at the first time of her Coming to Towne.... his Majestie & the Queene, came in an antique-shaped open Vessell, convered with a State or Canopy of Cloth of Gold, made in forme of a Cupola, supported with high Corinthian Pillars, wreathd with flowers, festoones & Gyrlands: Pepys, Diary: We got into White Hall garden, and so to the Bowling-green, and up to the top of the new Banqueting House there, over the thames, which was a most pleasant place as any I could have got; and all the show consisted chiefly in the number of boats and barges; and two pageants, one of a King, and another of a Queen, with her Maydes of Honour sitting at her feet very prettily; and they tell me the Queen is Sir Richard Ford's daughter. Anon come the King and Queen in a barge under a canopy with 10,000 barges and boats, I think, for we could see no water for them, nor discern the King nor Queen. And so they landed at White Hall Bridge, and the great guns on the other side went off

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid Mr Vincent for 3 sets of Abels Symphonies #2 5s. (Account Book). Receipts: #116 11s. (Account Book). This was the last time Mr Beard appeared on the stage. John Beard Esq Buried in the vault (at Hampton) 12 Feb. 1791. This celebrated actor was bred up at the King's Chapel, and was afterwards one of the singers at the Duke of Chandos's Chapel at Canons, where he took a part in Handel's Oratorio of Hester. His first appearance on the stage was 30 August 1737, in the character of Sir John Loverule [Devil to Pay], at Drury Lane. In 1739 he married Lady Henrietta Herbert, daughter of James, Earl of Waldegrave, and Widow of Lord Edward Herbert. Upon this event he quitted the Stage. After a few years he returned to it again, and continued to be a great favourite with the public both as an actor and a vocal performer till 1767, when he finally retired from the theatre. Lady Henrietta Beard died in 1753; and in 1759 Mr Beard married a Daughter of John Rich Esq Patentee of Covent Garden Theatre. On this occasion he removed a second time to that theatre, where he had acted from 1744 to 1748; and on the death of his father-in-law in 1761, was appointed Manager. Mr Beard, who was as much esteem'd in private life as he was admired on the stage, was for many years an Inhabitant of Hampton. See Lysons's Middlesex Parishes, p. 89 and 80. Mr Beard died 4 Feb. 1791, aged 74 years. See his Epitaph, ibidem. See Lady Beard's Epitaph in St Pancreas Churchyard (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: Evening Post, 30 Aug.: Yesterday Mr Bullock, Master of the Play-House in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, was commanded to attend his Majesty at Hampton-Court, where he receiv'd Orders for his Company to perform several Plays for the Entertainment of His Majesty during his Stay there, in the Winter Season, and there is a magnificent Theatre erecting for that Purpose

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. N.B. The Tickets deliver'd to Subscribers will be taken at this Play, or on Monday Night, which is the last time of Acting till after Southwark Fair. Original Weekly Journal, 30 Aug.: The King hath order'd the Comedians gf the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane to perform at Hampton-Court, during his Majesty's stay there, for which Service they are to be allow'd 100l. extraordinary each Night they Act

Event Comment: According to Cibber, Apology (II, 218-89), the warrant (dated 15 Nov.) for the performances at Hampton Court shows expenses incurred by the actors of #374 1s. 8d. The King made the dl company a present of an additional #200

Event Comment: Benefit Wilcocks, Mines, and Widow Gardiner. Receipts: money #6 6s., tickets #103 11s. Daily Post, 25 May: We hear, that when His Majesty removes to Hampton-Court, the Theatre in that Palace will be open'd, and Plays acted by the King's Company of Comedians

Event Comment: DDaily Advertiser, 14 June: The Managers of...Drury-Lane, have Orders to get Things in Readiness for the Royal Theatre at Hampton-Court, where Plays are to be acted for the Diversion of the Royal Family

Event Comment: DDaily Advertiser, 17 June: His Majesty's Servants [of dl] are getting every Thing in Readiness to Act at Hampton-Court twice a Week...and We hear they are to act there the first Time on Monday next

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. [Daily Post, 5 July, states that The London Merchant probably will be acted soon at Hampton Court.

Event Comment: Benefit the Author. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality.Daily Journal, 9 July: We hear that a Play-house is to be erected on Hampton-Green, will all Expedition, for acting Plays for the Entertainment of the Royal Family

Event Comment: As 11 July. Daily Courant, 13 July: Mr Booth of Drury Lane Playhouse hath sold his Share and Interest in the Stock and Management to John Highmore of Hampton Court