Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: By coach to White Hall, thinking to have met at a Committee of Tangier, but nobody being there but my Lord Rutherford, he would needs carry me and another Scotch Lord to a play, and so we saw, coming late, part of The Generall, my Lord Orrery's (Broghill) second play; but, Lord! to see how no more either in words, sense, or design, it is to his Harry the 5th is not imaginable, and so poorly acted, though in finer clothes, is strange. And here I must confess breach of a vowe in appearance, but I not desiring it, but against my will, and my oathe being to go neither at my own charge nor at another's, as I had done by becoming liable to give them another, as I am to Sir W. Pen and Mr Creed; but here I neither know which of them paid for me, nor, If I did, am I obliged ever to return the like

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: My wife and I to the Duke's playhouse, and there did see King Harry the Eighth; and was mightily Pleased, better than I ever expected, with the history and shows of it. We happened to sit by Mr Andrews, our neighbour, and his wife

Event Comment: See 27 Feb. 1668@9. Pepys, Diary: I did meet Sir Jeremy Smith, who did tell me that Sir W. Coventry was just now sent to the Tower, about the business of his challenging the Duke of Buckingham, and so was also Harry Saville to the Gate-house....So, meeting with my Lord Bellassis, he told me the particulars of this matter; that it arises about a quarrel which Sir W. Coventry had with the Duke of Buckingham about a design between the Duke and Sir Robert Howard, to bring him into a play [The Rehearsal] at the King's house, which W. Coventry not enduring, did H. Saville send a letter to the Duke of Buckingham, that he had a desire to speak with him. Upon which, the Duke of Buckingham did bid Holmes, his champion ever since my Lord Shrewsbury's business, go to him to know the business; but H. Saville would not tell it to any but himself, and therefore did go presently to the Duke of Buckingham, and told him that his uncle Coventry was a person of honour, and was sensible of his Grace's liberty taken of abusing him, and that he had a desire of satisfaction, and would fight with him. But that here they were interrupted by my Lord Chamberlain's coming in, who was commanded to go to bid the Duke of Buckingham to come to the King, Holmes having discovered it

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2: King Hen. 8. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347. In The Rehearsal (II, V): Mr Bayes informs his actors that "you Dance worse than the Angels in Harry the Eight." The Epilogue to The Ordinary (in A Collection of Poems Written upon several Occasions by several Persons, 1673) may refer to the same spectacle: @Now empty shows must want of sense supply,@Angels shall dance, and Macbeths Witches fly.

Event Comment: Benefit Charke, who performs the Part of Harry Hunter

Event Comment: Benefit Carey. With some Additional Songs proper to the Characters, which will be printed, and given Gratis to all Persons at their Entrance. [A Tragedy of half an act entitled Did You Ever See The Like? was advertised as an afterpiece for this day 1n Fog's, 28 Nov.] Daily Post, 3 Dec.: Our Friend Harry Carey having this Night a Benefit...the Powers of Music, Painting, and Poetry, assemble in his Behalf, he being an Admirer of the three Sister Arts: The Body of Musicians meet in the Hay-market, from whence they march in great Order, preceded by a magnificent moving Organ, in Form of a Pageant, accompany'd by all Kinds of Musical Instruments ever in Use, from Tubal Cain to this Day: A great Multitude of Booksellers, Authors and Printers, form themselves into a Body at Temple-Bar, from whence of Printers Devils, with their proper Implements: Here the two Bodies of Music and Poetry are joined by the Brothers of the Pencil, where taking a Glass of Refreshment at the Bedford-Arms, they make a solemn Procession to the Theatre, amidst an innumerable Croud of Spectators

Event Comment: Benefit for Yates. Being positively the last time of performing the mainpiece this season. Afterpiece: Never acted before. Sad Farce (Cross). [Afterpiece sent to the Licenser under the title The Kept Mistress; or, The Mock Orators. Larpent MS 125 lists the parts: Harry, Belton, Hempton, Miss Belladue, her Maid; Old Ringworm, Widow Lovephrase, Servant; Lady Whiffle; Old Belladue, First Lady, Second Lady, First Orator, Second Orator, Third Orator, Doorkeeper; Press Gang (Mr Grapling Chart, Mr Anchorstock). The concluding sailor's Song most patriotic: "Our Navy see, spread o'er the Seas..."]. Receipts: #220 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. The Whole Pit will be laid into the Boxes, where servants will be admitted to keep places, and upon the Stage, which will be formed into an Amphitheatre and divided into Boxes. The Pit doors will be opened for the Ladies to pass to their places there, without incommoding those in the Front Boxes. Box, Pit and Stage at 5s. Nothing under full price will be taken during the performance. Ladies send servants by 3 o'clock (Public Advertiser). [The Larpent MS 130 indicates the intended cast, and suggests Dizzy-Oliver; Ruffle-$Yates; and Mrs Dotterel-$Mrs Bennet.] Receipts: #320 ($Cross)

Event Comment: "DuBellamy, who played Douglas, and was to have assailed Falstaff, during the combat between Harry Percy and the Prince of Wales [in V.iv], went up to undress, having forgot that his part was not finished" (Morning Chronicle, 29 July)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bonnor. 1st piece: Not acted these 5 years. 2nd piece: Translated from La Fete de Campagne; ou, L'Intendant Comedien malgre lui, written by Mons. Dorvigny, and acted in Paris with uncommon applause. 3rd piece: Written by Harry Carey; not acted these 16 years [acted 28 May 1773]

Event Comment: [In afterpiece the playbill assigns Sir Harry's Servant to Dodd, but "King [asked that] Dodd, on account of illness, be released from his part in the farce. Whitfield was in consequence Sir Harry " (World, 24 Sept.).] Receipts: #185 12s. (133.18.0; 50.6.6; 1.7.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sedgwick. 3rd piece: Not acted these 20 years [never previously acted at this theatre]. Written and composed by Harry Carey, with Alterations and new Accompaniments to the original Music, and several new Airs composed by Shield, Reeve and Stevens. Receipts: #123 2s. 6d. (31.3.0; 11.13.0; 0.14.6; tickets: 76.12.0) (charge: #106 18s. 5d.)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain, and also under the Patronage of their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, and the Duke of Clarence. Benefit for Lee Lewes. The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15. Tickets and Places for the Boxes to be had of Lee Lewes, at Mr Brough's, No. 18, Portland-street, Soho. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by James Fennell. Larpent MS 924; not published. Synopsis of plot in Morning Post, 8 Mar.]

Event Comment: [Extra night] By Authority of the Most Noble for Marquis of Salisbury, Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Household. Benefit for Waldron, prompter. Tickets to be had of Waldron, No. 4, Cross-court, Bow-street, Covent Garden