Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: Thence after dinner to a play, to see The Generall; which is so dull and so ill-acted, that I think it is the worst I ever saw or heard in all my days. I happened to sit near to Sir Charles Sidly; who I find a very witty man, and he did at every line take notice of the dullness of the poet and badness of the action, that most pertinently; which I was mightily taken with; and among others where by Altemire's command Clarimont, the Generall, is commanded to rescue his Rivall, whom she loved, Lucidor, he, after a great deal of demurre, broke out, "Well, I'le save my Rivall and make her confess, that I deserve, while he do but possesse." "Why, what, pox," says Sir Charles Sydly, "would he have him have more, or what is there more to be had of a woman than the possessing her?" Thence...vexed at my losing my time and above 20s. in money, and neglecting my business to see so bad a play

Event Comment: In April or May 1667, probably, John Dryden's The Wild Gallant may have been revived, perhaps because of the success of Secret Love. The 1667 edition of The Wild Gallant, which was entered in the Stationers' Register, 7 Aug. 1667, contains: A Prologue to The Wild Gallant revived. An Epilogue to The Wild Gallant revived

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: With my wife to the Duke of York's house, and there saw The Wits, a play I formerly loved, and is now corrected and enlarged: but, though I like the acting, yet I like not much in the play now

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. It is not certain this is the first performance, but it may well have been. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@139, p. 125. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 346. Pepys, Diary: Sir W. Pen and I to the Duke's house, where a new play. The King and Court there: the house full, and an act begun. And so went to the King's. Downes (p. 28): Sir Martin Marral, The Duke of New-Castle, giving Mr Dryden a bare translation of it, out of a Comedy of the Famous French Poet Monseur Moleire: He adapted the Part purposely for the Mouth of Mr Nokes, and curiously Polishing the whole....All the Parts being very Just and Exactly perform'd, specially Sir Martin and his Man, Mr Smith, and several others since have come very near him, but none Equall'd, nor yet Mr Nokes in Sir Martin: This Comedy was Crown'd with an Excellent Entry. In the Last Act at the Mask, by Mr Priest and Madam Davies; This, and Love in a Tub, got the Company more Money than any preceding Comedy

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: And wife and Deb. to the King's house, there to see The Wild-goose Chase, which I never saw, but have long longed to see it, being a famous play, but as it was yesterday I do find that where I expect most I find least satisfaction, for in this play I met with nothing extraordinary at all, but very dull inventions and designs. Knepp come and sat by us, and her talk pleased me a little, she telling me how Mis Davis is for certain going away from the Duke's house, the King being in love with her; and a house is taken for her, and furnishing; and she hath a ring given her already worth #600: that the King did send several times for Nelly, and she was with him, but what he did she knows not; this was a good while ago, and she says that the King first spoiled Mrs Weaver, which is very mean, methinks, in a prince, and I am sorry for it, and can hope for no good to the State from having a Prince so devoted to his pleasure. She told me also of a play shortly coming upon the stage, of Sir Charles Sidly's, which, she thinks, will be called The Wandering Ladys, a comedy that, she thinks, will be more pleasant; and also another play, called The Duke of Lerma; besides Catelin, which she thinks, for want of the clothes which the King promised them, will not be acted for a good while

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Downes (p. 29): It took well, but Inferior to Love in a Tub. Pepys, Diary: I to the Duke of York's playhouse; where a new play of Etherige's called She Would if she Could; and though I was there by two o'clock, there was 1000 people put back that could not have room in the pit: and I at last, because my wife was there, made shift to get into the 18d. box, and there saw; but, Lord! how full was the house, and how silly the play, there being nothing in the world good in it, and few people pleased in it. The King was there; but I sat mightily behind, and could see but little, and hear not all. The play being done...here was the Duke of Buckingham to-day openly sat in the pit; and there I found him with my Lord Buckhurst, and Sidly, and Etherige, the poet; the last of whom I did hear mightily find fault with the actors, that they were out of humour, and had not their parts perfect, and that Harris did do nothing, nor could so much as sing a ketch in it; and so was mightily concerned: while all the rest did, through the whole pit, blame the play as a silly, dull thing, though there was something very roguish and witty; but the design of the play, and end, mighty insipid. Thomas Shadwell, Preface to The Humorists (1671): The last (viz.) imperfect Action, had like to have destroy'd She Would if she could, which I think (and I have the Authority of some of the best Judges in England for't) is the best Comedy that has been written since the Restauration of the Stage: And even that, for the imperfect representation of it at first, received such prejudice, that, had it not ben for the favour of the Court, in all probability it had never got up again; and it suffers for it, in a great measure, to this very day

Event Comment: The King's Company. For this cast, see John Harold Wilson, Notes and Queries, 21 Feb. 1948, pp. 71-72. Pepys, Diary: My wide and Deb. to the King's House, to see The Virgin Martyr, the first time it hath been acted a great while: and it is mighty pleasant; not that the play is worth much, but it is finely acted by Becke Marshal. But that which did please me beyond any thing 1n the whole world was the wind-musique when the angel comes down, which is so sweet that it ravished me, and indeed, in a word, did wrap up my soul so that it made me really sick, just as I have formerly been when in love with my wife

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: So the the Fair, and there saw several sights; among others, the mare that tells money, and many things to admiration; and, among others, come to me, when she was bid to go to him of the company that most loved a pretty wench in a corner. And this did cost me 12d. to the horse, which I had flung him before, and did give me occasion to baiser a mighty belle fille that was in the house that was exceeding plain, but fort belle

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: My wife having a mind to see the play Bartholomew-Fayre, with puppets. Which we did, and it is an excellent play; the more I see it, the more I love the wit of it; only the business of abusing the Puritans begins to grow stale, and of no use, they being the people that, at last, will be found the wisest. And here Knepp come to us, and sat with us. [Earlier that day Pepys had been to the Fair briefly, but saw none of the entertainments.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347. There is no certainty that this is the premiere. A song, A heart in love's empire, with music by Robert Smith, and another, Let's drink dear friends, set by Thomas? Farmer, are in Choice Songs and Ayres, The First Book, 1673. The Dedication in the edition of 1672 is to Prince Rupert and states: tho' of thirty times it has been acted, you seldom fail'd to honour it with your presence. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 32): The next new Comedy [at dg] was the Mamamouchi, or the Citizen turn'd Gentleman, Wrote by Mr Ravenscroft [cast as in edition of 1672 except French Tutor and Singing Master, by Mr Haines: (He having Affronted Mr Hart, he gave him a Discharge and then came into our House)]; This Comedy was look[ed] upon by the Criticks for a Foolish Play; yet it continu'd Acting 9 Days with a full House; upon the Sixth the House being very full: The Poet added 2 more Lines to his Epilogue, viz. @The Criticks came to Hiss, and Dam this Play,@Yet spite of themselves they can't keep away.@ However, Mr Nokes in performing the Mamomouchi pleas'd the King and Court, next Sir Martin, above all Plays

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. There is no certainty that this date represents the premiere. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 33-34): Loves Jealousy, and The Morning Ramble. Written by Mr Nevil Pain. Both were very well Acted, but after their first run, were laid aside, to make Room for others; the Company having then plenty of new Poets. Two songs, Ah Corydon in vain you boast and Some happy soul come down and tell, both set by Robert Smith, are in Choice Songs and Ayres, The First Book, 1673

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347. There is no indication that this is the premiere. A song, From friends all inspired, set by Robert Smith, is in Choice Songs and Ayres, The First Book, 1673. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 33-34: Loves Jealousy, and The Morning Ramble. Written by Mr Nevil Pain: Both were very well Acted, but after their first run, were laid aside, to make Room for others; the Company having then plenty of new Poets

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but this play belongs to a group which have been considered as "Lenten plays," ones in which the young actors of a company comprise a large portion of the cast. On this basis, as Easter fell on 30 March 1673, this play has been assigned to March 1673. See Philip B. Gray Jr, Lenten Casts and the Nursery: Evidence for the Dating of Certain Restoration Plays, PMLA, LIII (1938), 781-94; for this play particularly, pp. 791-92. A song, Down with this love, set for this play by Alphonso Marsh, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, 1676

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@142, p. 81: At the Virtuoso. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348. Nell Gwyn also attended this performance; see VanLennep, Nell Gwyn's Playgoing, p. 407. The Diary of Robert Hooke, 25 May 1676: Mr Abraham Hill gave J. Hoskins, Aubery and I an account of Vertuoso play. A song, How retched is the slave to love, the music by Francis Forcer, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Second Book, 1679. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 37): The Libertine and Virtuoso: Both Wrote by Mr Shadwell; they were both very well Acted, and got the company great Reputation

Event Comment: G. Lady Chaworth to Lord Roos, 19 Jan. 1676@7: Theire is two niewe plays which are much comended-the siege of Jerusalem by the Emperour Vespasienv, and his son Titus's love with Berenice; the epilogue is much praysed that tells tis not like to please this age to bring them a story of Jerusalem who would more delight in one of Sodome and a vertuous woman which in this age they promise shan't be seene but on the stage (HMC, Rutland MSS., 1889, II, 36)

Event Comment: John Dryden to Lord Latimer, July 1677: But the Kings Comedy [probably Mr Limberham] lyes in the Sudds till you please to send me into Northamptonshyre: it will be almost such another piece of business as the fond Husband, for such the King will have it, who is parcell poet with me in the plott; one of the designes being a story he was pleas'd formerly to tell me; and therefore I hope he will keep the jeast in countenance by laughing at it...I have a farther honour to beg, that my Tragedy [All for Love], which will be acted at Michaelmasse, & is already written, may have the honour to be addressed to my Lord Treasurer; & that your Lordship and My Lord Mulgrave wil I hope beg together for me (The Letters of John Dryden, ed. Ward, pp. 11-12)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Newdigate newsletters, 15 Aug. 1682: Thursday last being acted a play called the Tragedy of Romulus att the Dukes Theatre & the Epilogue spoken by the Lady Slingsby & written by Mrs Behn having reflected on ye Duke of Monmouth, ye Lord Chamberlaine thereupon has order[ed] them both in Custody to answer th[at] affront for ye same (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 81). See also True Protestant Mercury, 12-16 Aug. 1682, for essentially the same statement. The Prologue and Epilogue were printed separately, and Luttrell' copy (Huntington Library) bears his acquisition date of 8 Aug. 1682. They are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 132-34. The separately printed Prologue states that Mrs Behn also wrote it. A song, Where art thou god of love, the music by Giovanni Draghi, is in Theater of Music, The Third Book, 1686

Event Comment: John Dryden to Jacob Tonson, ca. August 1684: I desire to know whether the Dukes house are makeing cloaths & putting things in a readiness for the singing opera [The Tempest?], to be playd immediately after Michaelmasse: for the Actors in the two plays, which are to be acted of mine, this winter [All for Love and The Conquest of Granada], I had spoken with Mr Betterton by chance at the Coffee house the afternoon before I came away: & I believe that the persons were all agreed on, to be just the same you mentioned. Only Octavia was to be Mrs Buttler, in case Mrs Cooke were not on the Stage. And I know not whether Mrs Percivall who is a Comedian, will do so well for Benzayda (Letters of John Dryden, ed. Ward, pp. 23-24)

Event Comment: Samuel Pepys to Robert Southwell, 10 Oct. 1685: To night wee have had a mighty Musique--Entertainment at court for the welcoming home the King and Queen. Wherein the fraequent Returnes of the Words, Arms, Beauty, Triumph, Love, Progeny Peace, Dominion, Glory, &c. had apparently cost our Poet-Prophet more paine to finde Rhimes then Reasons (R. G. Howard, Letters and the Second Diary of Samuel Pepys [London, 1932], p. 171. [The entertainment for this occasion seems not to have survived.

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, p. 125. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. On this date the Stationers' Register has a reference to a play called Love's Martyr; or, Witt Above Crownes, apparently by Mrs Anne Wharton, forbidding anyone from entering this play in the Stationers' Register

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known. The edition of 1687 states on the title page: This may be printed, April 23. 1686. It was entered in the Stationers' Register, 8 May 1686, under the title: The Disappointed Marriage; or, Ye Generous Mistris. It was probably first given before mid-April 1686, with the publication delayed, a delay accounting for the fact that Mrs Percival, who did not marry Mountfort until 2 July 1686, appears in the cast as Mrs Mountford. A song, O love that stronger art than wine, the music by John Blow, the verse by Ousley, and sung by John Bowman, is in The Theater of Music, The Fourth Book, 1687

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the Dedication is dated 5 May 1690; the play was entered in the Term Catalogues, May 1690; and it was advertised in the London Gazette, No. 2557, 12-15 May 1690. Although the play may not have been first acted until mid-April, it may have been given in late March 1690. Dedication, Edition of 1690: I have no reason to complain of the reception of this Play. A song, The fire of love in youthful blood, the music composed by R. King, is in Apollo's Banquet, 1691

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the Gentleman's Journal, January 1691@2, suggests that it was first given in December 1691, although the tendency of this journal to be dated one month and appear in the next month makes the interpretation of its information difficult: We have had a new Comedy this last Month, call'd The Wives Execuse; or Cuckolds make themselves: It was written by Mr Southern, who made that call'd Sir Anthony Love, which you and all the Town lik'd so well. I will send you The Wives Excuse, as soon as it comes out in Print, which will be very speedily: And tho' the Town hath not been so kind to this last, as to the former, I do not doubt but you will own that it will bear a Reading; which some that meet with a better Fate too often do not; some that must be granted to be good Judges commend the Purity of its Language (pp. 51-52). Henry Purcell composed the music for this work. One song, Corinna I excuse thy face, the words (according to the Edition of 1692) by Tho. Cheek, the music by Henry Purcell, but without the singer's name, is in The Banquet of Musick, The Sixth and Last Book, 1692 (licensed 17 Feb. 1691@2). Say, cruel Amoret, sung by Mountfort; Hang this whining way, sung by Mrs Butler; and Ingrateful lover, the words by Major General Sackville, are in Joyful Cuckoldom, ca. 1695. See also Purcell, Works, Purcell Society, XXI (1917), xxvi-xxix

Event Comment: The United Company. The exact date of the first production is not known, but the play was entered in the Term Catalogues, February 1691@2, and mentioned in the Gentleman's Journal, February 1691@2 (licensed 12 February 1691@2). In all probability, it was first acted not later than January 1691@2. The music to one song, As soon as the Chaos, was composed by Henry Purcell. See Purcell, Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), xvii. Two songs--Bonny lad prithee lay thy pipe down, with music by Tollet; Great Jove once made love like a bull, with music by Mountfort--are in The Banquet of Musick, The Sixth and Last Book, 1692. Dedication, Edition of 1692: Having at last so well acquitted it self on the Stage (tho' the thronging, imperfect Action, and worse than all, the faulty length, which I will never be guilty of again, render'd it little Diversion the first day). A Letter to Mr D'Urfey [by Charles Gildon], Edition of 1692: If there be any fault in this Play, 'tis that which few are guilty of; that is, there are too many good Characters, too full of Humour, a very Pardonable failing, which only proceeds from Variety, the life of Pleasure and Wit, tho' that gave it the disadvantage of seeming too long the first days Acting, tho' the Stage's being throng'd with Spectators, did not a little contribute to the imperfect Acting of it, which accidental Misfortunes concurring with the Endeavours of an opposite Faction, must needs have damn'd it, had it not by the Force and Vigour of its own Worthy, rais'd it self the second day with the general Applause of all that saw it....But the Marriage-hater went further, and in spight of all the disadvantages it labour'd under of Action and Audience, pleas'd on, after several times Repetition. See also Poeta Infamis; or, A Poet not worth Hanging (1692) for a variety of comments upon this play. London Mercury, 26 Feb. 1691@2: Query 4. Whether in Justice he [D'Urfey] is not obliged to present Mr Dogget (who acted Solon to so much Advantage) with half the Profit of his Third Day, since in the Opinions of most Persons, the good Success of his Comedy was half owing to that admirable Actor? Query 5. Whether, if there be any Wit in bringing a Person upon the Stage with an extravagantly broad-brimmed Hat, and a Muff of the same Size, so it will not be a very easy Matter for the next Poet that writes a Play, to Out-hat and Out-muff his Predecessors, and consequently to Out-wit him? Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 42: Mr Dogget perform'd the part of Solon Inimitably. Gentleman's Journal, p. 454, February 1691@2 (licensed 12 Feb. 1691@2): I send you the Marriage-hater match'd, a new Comedy by Mr Durfey; it hath met with very good success, having been plaid six days together, and is a diverting Play. Gentleman's Journal, January 1691@2: Now I speak of Music I must tell you that we shall have speedily a new Opera, wherein something very surprising is promised us; Mr Purcel who joyns to the Delicacy and Beauty of the Italian way, the Graces and Gayety of the French, composes the Music, as he hath done for the Prophetess, and the last Opera called King Arthur, which hath been plaid several times the last Month [presumably December 1691]

Event Comment: Gentleman's Journal, February 1691@2 (licensed 12 Feb. 1691@2): Mr Dryden has compleated a new Tragedy, intended shortly for the Stage, wherein he hath done a great unfortunate Spartan no less justice than Roman Anthony met with in his All for Love. You who give Plutarch a daily reading, can never forget with what magninimity (under all his tedious misfortunes) Cleomenes behaved himself, in the Aegyptian Court. This Hero, and the last Scene of his Life, has our best Tragic Poet chose for his fruitful Subject....Mr Dryden makes his Spartans, in this, speak as manly heroic Lacedaemonians, those more than Romans ought to speak, and since I am certain of your assent, at least, to my faith, I shall be bold to add, That tho I cannot but grant that Cleomenes alone could be author of his own glorious performances, yet I am most confident that their intire lustre will be fully maintained by Dryden's lively description, and Mr Betterton's natural imitation