Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Mountain. 2nd piece [1st time: CO 2, by James Hook Jun. Larpent MS 1172; not published]: With appropriate Scenery, Dresses, and Decorations. The Overture and Music by James Hook? Sen.. True Briton, 16 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Mountain, No. 28, Maiden-lane, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #287 3s. (86.4.6; 14.6.0; tickets: 186.12.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5]: By the celebrated Henry Fielding; and never yet performed or published. With new Scenes, Dresses, &c. [and incidental music by Michael Arne. Prologue by David Garrick. Epilogue by the same (see text)]. Public Advertiser, 12 Dec. 1778: This Day is published The Fathers (1s. 6d.). "This play was written by Mr Henry Fielding, some years before his death. Mr Garrick saw it at that time. Mr Fielding gave the only fair copy he had of it to his friend Sir Charles Williams, of whose judgment he entertained a high opinion. Sir Charles soon after went abroad, and the comedy was mislaid. Mr. Fielding communicated this circumstance to his family on his death-bed; and enquiry was made for it, but without effect. At length Mr Thomas? Johnes, Member for Cardigan, looking over Sir Charles's books, found a comedy in manuscript, which he read, and, approving, had it transcribed and sent to Mr Garrick for his opinion, who, like Archimedes, cried out, 'This is the lost sheep! This is Mr Henry Fielding's play!' Mr Garrick communicating it to Mr Johnes, Mr Johnes immediately sent the original manuscript, which was in Mr Fielding's hand-writing, to the family, with his best wishes for its success, promising to assist it to the utmost of his power" (Gentleman's Magazine, Dec. 1778, p.586). See also, for corroboration of the above and for other details, Wilbur L. Cross, The History of Henry Fielding, 1918, III, 99-104. Receipts: #210 11s. 6d. (186.6.0; 23.19.6; 0.6.0)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. On Thursday 10 Dec. 1663, Pepys reported that this play was to be acted the following week, but the date of the first performance is uncertain. But--except for the holidays--it was probably acted on consecutive days until 1 Jan. 1663@4, when Pepys saw it. The play is also in Herbert, Dramatic Records, p. 138, as a "Revived Play." Pepys, Diary: I perceive the King and Duke and the Court was going to the Duke's playhouse to see Henry VIII. acted, which is said to be an admirable play. But, Lord! to see now near I was to have broken my oathe, or run the hazard of 20s. losse, so much my nature was hot to have gone thither; but I did not go. Downes (p.24): King Henry the 8th, This Play, by Order of Sir William Davenant, was all new Cloath'd in proper Habits: The King's was new, all the Lords, the Cardinals, the Bishops, the Doctors, Proctors, Lawyers, Tip-staves, new Scenes: The part of the King was so right and justly done by Mr Betterton, he being Instructed in it by Sir William, who had it from Old Mr Lowen, that had his Instructions from Mr Shakespear himself, that I dare and will aver, none can, or will come near him in this Age, in the performance of that part: Mr Harris's performance of Cardinal Wolsey, was little Inferior to that, he doing it with such just State, Port, and Mein, that I dare affirm, none hitherto has Equall'd him:...Every part by the great Care of Sir William, being exactly perform'd; it being all new Scenes; it continu'd Acting 15 Days together with general Applause

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is known by one of the rare playbills extant from this period. It is in HMC, Verney MSS., 7th Report, p. 509, and reproduced opposite page 240 in Lawrence, Elizabethan Playhouse, 2d Series: Never Acted but once. At the Theatre Royal, in Drury-Lane, this present Wensday being the Nineth day of November, will be presented, A New Play called, Henry the Second King of England. No money to be return'd after the curtain is drawn. By their Majesties Servants. Vivant Rex & Regina. Lady Margaret Russell to Katherine Russell, 10 Nov. 1692: You will be surprised that Lady Cavendish has been hindered by a little sore throat from going yesterday to a new play of King Henry and Rosamond, which is much commended (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Part V, Rutland MSS., p. 124)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never Acted before. [by Henry Fielding.] Afterpiece: Never perform'd before. By Scriblerus Secundus. [By Henry Fielding.] Afterpiece: Never perform'd before. By Scriblerus Secundus. [By Henry Fielding.] Books of the Tragedy, with Notes by Way of Key, &c. will be sold at the Theatre, as also Books of the Farce

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; c 5, by Hannah Cowley. Prologue by Henry Bate (European Magazine, Mar. 1782, p. 210, which also gives name of speaker)]. 2nd piece [1st time; prel I, by Henry Bate (later Sir Henry Bate Dudley). Epilogue by John O'Keeffe (O'Keeffe, 11, 301)]: With New Dresses, Scenery, &c. Public Advertiser, 19 Feb. 1782: This Day is published The Dramatic Puffers (6d.). Receipts: #222 9s. 6d. (219/4/6; 3/5/0)

Event Comment: The King's Company, presumably. For a version of this play, see R. G. Howarth, "A Manuscript of James Shirley's Court Secret," Review of English Studies, VII (1931), 302-13. The manuscript is in the Worcester College Library (Plays 9. 21). Pepys, Diary: My wife going to-day to dine with Mrs Pierce, and thence with her and Mrs Clerke to see a new play, The Court Secret. [The play had not been acted before the Restoration.

Event Comment: [By James Miller.] All the Characters new drest

Event Comment: [Written by James Thomson.] With New Habits

Event Comment: A New Tragedy. [By James Ralph.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not Acted these thirty Years. Taken from the French of Moliere by Sir John Vanbrugh. [This version by James Ralph.] The Songs new set by John Frederick Lampe, and a new Grand Dance, in Grotesque Characters, proper to the Play. Afterpiece: a Farce of two Acts. Alter'd from Beaumont and Fletcher. [Author unknown. Apparently not published.]

Event Comment: A new Comedy [By James Miller.]

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Afterpiece: A New Farce of Two Acts. Taken from Shakespear: Intermix'd with Songs. [By James Worsdale.]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never Acted before. [By James Miller.] Daily Advertiser, 6 March: We hear that Sir John Barnard has offerM a Proposal limiting the Number of Playhouses, and for putting them under the Regulation of Parliament

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never Acted before. [By James Sterling.] Afterpiece: a Ballad Opera. [Author unknown. Apparently not published.]

Event Comment: [By James Miller. An adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing.

Event Comment: Never Acted before. [By James Miller.] Preface to edition of 1738: Ill-fated Scenes....It was said...by a Gentleman at the Time of this Comedy's being Represented, That he never knew a Play Destroy'd with so much Art; its Enemies suffering those Things to pass without Disturbance which were of an indifferent Nature...but giving no Quarter to the Parts which they thought would entertain