Event Comment: A historical note about the patent for May Fair by Edward Shepherd. Daily Advertiser, 1 May: Whereas a Patent was granted by King Charles the First, and confirm'd by King James II, to the Proprietor of Great and Little Brookfield, then in the Parish of St. Martin in the Fields, now in the Parish of St. George, Hanover Square, to hold a Fair during the Space of fifteen Days, to begin the 1st Day of May next, and every May Day forever: the present Proprietor thinks it proper to apprize the Publick thereof, that it may not be thought that he attempts to do any thing but by Virtue of the said Patent, and no Ways to disturb the Publick Peace, or act in Contradiction to the Laws of the Realm. [Alluded to in 2 May news of the Daily Advertiser, as being proclaimed by Edward Shepherd.

Event Comment: Benefit Ray, Gray [Constable] and Dunbar [Boxkeeper. See note 29 April.] I hope my diligence as a Constable, in preserving Ladies from the Insults of the Pickpockets... may entitle me to some small Indulgence at my Benefit. James Gray.--Daily Advertiser

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Being the most tragical tragedy that ever was tragedized by a company of tragedians. At the Particular Desire of Several Persons of Quality (General Advertiser). [The following unsigned statement of the financial condition of the theatre on 11 April is in the Harvard Collection of Documents dealing with affairs of Drury Lane, folio MS Thr. 12. This itemizes the outstanding liabilities to the amount of #8,808 14s. including #1,275 of arrears in actors' salaries]: I told Mr- the intended purchaser that the whole would not amount to #12,000. He said if it was more it should rest on me, for that was the utmost shilling he would give. But upon strict enquiry I find it will amount to #12,808 14s. This difference is not altogether owing to an error in calculation, but has been likewise heightened by a falling off of business, nor is it possible to ascertain the debt of a theatre for a day, it is of so fluctuating a nature. Q: whether this loss ought to light upon me, who have endeavored to get a purchaser & increased the value of the Estate to the utmost of my power? Errors excepted. [James Lacy or John Powel are the most likely authors of this statement. Whatever the authority, it is clear that settlement had not yet been made for transfer of ownership. For Powel, see G. W. Stone, Jr., The Authorship of Tit for Tat," Theatre Notebook, X (1955), 22-28.

Event Comment: At the Desire of Several Ladies of Quality. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 1s. 6d. [Usual concert formula. See letter to today's Daily Advertiser wherein Foote is threatened with being horsewhipped if he puts on his Diversions. This is part of Foote's publicity program.] Several of Miss Cymber's Friends [at the Play Jane Shore] mistaking the House for the Theatre in James St., are desir'd to observe this is facing the Opera House in the Haymarket.--General Advertiser

Event Comment: Benefit for Cooke. Part of Pit laid into Boxes. Stage form'd into front and side Boxes. Tickets and Places to be had of Cooke at Mr Clark's, an Upholsterer, in James Street, Covent Garden; and of Hobson at the Stage Door. Receipts: #200 (Cross); house charges, #60 (Powel); cash, #55 17s.; tickets,124 3s. (Clay MS)

Event Comment: Play a Tragedy by James Thomson. Brought to the stage by the efforts of Lord Lyttleton and Quin (Baker, Biographia Dramatica). [Genest, IV, 279, notes that Mrs Woffington had painted her beautiful face with wrinkles to suit the character of Venturia.

Event Comment: Tomorrow will be publish'd at 1s. 6d., Coriolanus, a Tragedy; as it is now acting at Covent Garden, by the late James Thompson

Event Comment: Benefit for ye Author (Cross). Places for Boxes to be taken of Hobson at the stage door. Tickets to be had of Mr Miller, in the strand; Mr Dodsley in Pall Mall; at the Half-Moon Tavern, near Holborn Bars, and of Mr Hobson. Just Publish'd Mahomet and Palmira. A Tragedy as it is acted at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, by a Gentleman of Wadham College. [This would seem to be James Miller's Mahomet, with the printer capitalizing on Johnson's production at dl.] Receipts: #175 (Cross); house charges, #63 (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Cibber. Mainpiece. Reviv'd, not acted these 4 years [see 1 March 1746]. Afterpiece: Taken from the French of Dancourt, a Ballad Opera, performed by particular desire. Tomorrow, The Jubilee, for Benefit of Mrs Horton. [Baker, Biographia Dramatica, lists the afterpiece as written by James Wilder, taken from Dancourt. Cibber had announced (General Advertiser, 27 Feb.) for his benefit The Man of Mode, with Pasquin, with Alterations. In which would be performed The Rehearsal of a Comedy call'd The Election; or, Bribes on Both Sides, by the Author of Tom Jones.

Event Comment: Benefit for Sowdon. Tickets to be had of Sowdon at Mr Haymer's in James St., Covent Garden, of Hobson at the Stage Door; at Will's Coffee House, Cornhill, and of Mr Thomas Sowdon, in Blackman St., Southwark. Receipts: #160 (Cross); no house charges. N.B.: A present was made to him of the charge of the House, because he had acted this season and receiv'd no salary (Powel)

Event Comment: Yesterday the celebrated Mr Punch [Edward Pinchbeck] and all his Family quitted his Theatre at the Tennis Court, in James St, near the Haymarket. The same to be sold with or without the Scenes and Properties belonging to it; it is sixty feet long and near forty feet wide (Daily Advertiser)

Event Comment: Benefit for Lowe. Charges #60. Deficiency to Lowe #11 16s. covered by #104 9s. from tickets. [Afterpiece appears under the Shakespearian title in the Account Book. Actually it was James Worsdale's Cure for a Scold taken from Shakespeare's play.] Mainpiece: By particular desire. Tickets to be had of Lowe at his lodgings the corner of Southampton St., Covent Garden, and of Page at the Stage door of the Theatre. Receipts: #48 4s

Event Comment: At the New Theatre, James St. A concert, etc. Benefit for Edward. Prices 3s., 2d., 1s. To begin at six o'clock (Daily Advertiser)

Event Comment: Benefit for Cooke. Charges #60. Deficiency to Cooke #25 10s., covered by #134 7s. from tickets. Tickets of Cooke at Mr Clark's, an Upholsterer in James St., Covent Garden, and at the Stage Door. Died Dennis Delane, Esq. universally regretted (Daily Advertiser, 3 April). Receipts: #34 10s

Event Comment: To the Wonderful Brethren of the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons. For the Benefit of a Brother indisposed. At the New Theatre, James St. The House is newly painted. A Concert, etc. (Daily Advertiser)

Event Comment: Benefit for Berry. Tickets at Popes Perke maker Russell St., and at the Stage Door. Tickets deliver'd out for 26 March will be taken. At Punch's Theatre in James St., near the Haymarket, this, and every Evening this week, the Town will be entertained with Yeates's inimitable dexterity of Hand; likewise by Mr Punch's Company of performers will be exhibited the play of Jane Shore. To conclude with a New Grand Machine, representing the Temple of the Sunv, at Mexico, in North America, which has given universal satisfaction to the Nobility and Gentry (General Advertiser). Receipts: #212 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Ray, W. Vaughan, G. Burton & ye Sub-Treasurer (Cross). Tickets of Ray, at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, St Clement's Church; at the Black Swan Tavern, in Bartholomew Lane; the Old King's Head Tavern, Facing Somerset House; For Vaughan, at the One Ton Coffee House, St. James' Market; for Burton, at Pope's next the Stage Door, Russel St.; and of Hobson at the Stage Door. Tickets deliver'd for the Lady's Last Stake, or the Wife's Resentment will be taken. Receipts: #214 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Harris James dy'd at 8 in ye Morn (Cross). Mainpiece: Acted there but once these 20 years. Receipts: #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Norton Amber, formerly a Patentee, & Banker, now Pit Doorkeeper (Cross), late of the Strand (Winston MS 7). Tickets to be had at Mr Pierce's at the Castle Tavern, Corner of Henrietta Street, in Bedford Street, Covent Garden; Mr Frye's a Hosier, the Corner of James Street, Long Acre; King Street Coffee House, near Guild Hall; Batson's Coffee House, Cornhill; and at the Theatre. Places will be taken at the Stage Door of the theatre. This Day publish'd, Young Scarron, at 2s. 6d. sew'd, 3s. bound. Dedicated to the managers of both theatres. "The Stage reproves the follies of the age. For once we'll laugh at Follies of the Stage." Anon. Printed for T. Tyre, near Gray's Inn Holborn and W. Reeve in Fleet St. (General Advertiser). A comical and satirical account of summer strolling players: "When the time draws near that the Theatres Royal disband their troops, or rather grant their furloses till the next Campaign, each private Man becomes an Officer; and they who for nine months before submitted to Monarchical Government, now form themselves into several republicks for the remaining three. Then each Hero takes the path of his own ambition...The various whimsical disputes that arise from this kind of Emulation, are, in part the subject of the following sheets" (173 pp. Written by Thomas Mozeen, Biographia Dramatica). Receipts: #220 (Cross)

Event Comment: A Morning's Entertainment of Vocal and Instrumental Musick. The Oratory given gratis. Benefit Mr James Lowe. To begin At 12 noon. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Dexter. Last time of performing the Mainpiece this season. Tickets to be had of Dexter at his lodgings at Mr Gibson's in James Street, Covent Garden; at the Grecian Coffee House, in Deveraux Court; and at the Stage Door of the Theatre where Places may be taken. Receipts. #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: On Tuesday last Information was laid before Justice Fielding by a Tradesman in Westminster, that one of his Apprentices had robbed him, in order to equip himself for acting a Play, and that the said Play was to be acted that Evening by several Apprentices, and other idle Persons, at the old Tennis-Court in James St. Upon this the Justice despatched Mr. Welch in the Evening with a Party of Soldiers to apprehend the Persons concerned in the Representation of the Play, which was the Tragedy of Venice Preserved. Jaffier, Pierre, Belvidera, and most of the principal Characters, were taken, and some of them, particularly Belvidera, were brought in their Theatrical attire before the Justice. The Men all appeared to be young Apprentices and the Woman a young Milliner; wherefore the Justice was unwilling to proceed against them as Rogues and Vagabonds, as they are made by the last Vagrant Act; in which case they must have been committed to Bridewell, which might have proved their Ruin; He treated them therefor as guilty of an unlawful assembly, and a common Nuisance; for which they were either bound for their good Behavior, or committed for want of Sureties, and soon after discharged. It was sworn before the Justice that Sunday had been the usual Day of rehearsing their Parts (General Advertiser, 17 Aug.)

Event Comment: On Friday the 22nd a Benefit for Mrs Allen, Daughter of the late Thomas Allen, Barrister at Law, and Niece to the late Col. James Allen, who has for many years lost the use of her limbs by Palsy,--The Suspicious Husband, with entertainment as will be express'd in the Bill of the Day. Tickets to be had at Searle's Coffee House, Lincoln's Inn; at the Rolls, Chancery Lane; at George's Temple Bar; at Grigsby's behind the Change; at the Southsea Coffee House, Bishopsgate St.; and at the stage door, where places may be taken

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Particular Desire. Benefit for Mr Dexter (Cross). No building on Stage. Tickets to be had of Dexter at his lodgings in James St., Covent Garden, at the Grecian Coffee House, and at the stage dobr. Receipts: #170 (Cross)