Event Comment: The
Duke's Company. The date of the first production is uncertain. The fact that the Epilogue suggests that it followed
Settle's
The Female Prelate is not a factor in the dating, as the
Newdigate newsletters--see
Wilson,
Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 80--show that Settle's play was first acted on 31 May 1680, whereas
Caesar Borgia was entered in the
Term Catalogues, November 1679. Although the reference in the
Epilogue to burning the
Pope's Effigies" has been argued as referring to the Pope-burning procession of 17 Nov. 1679, the references in the Epilogue to
Father Lewis, who was tried and convicted at
York, 28 March 1679, suggest that it was written before his execution, 27 Aug. 1679. Hence the play may have been acted first some time in the late spring or the summer. A song,
Blush not redder than the Morning, with music by
Thomas Farmer, is in
Choice Ayres and Songs, The Third Book, 1681
Performances
Mainpiece Title: Caesar Borgia, Son Of Pope Alexander The Sixth
Performance Comment: Edition of 1680: Prologue by Mr Dryden-; Caesar Borgia-Betterton; Palante-Williams; Machiavel-Smith; Paul Orsino-Gillow; Ascanio Sforza-Lee; Vitellozzo-Peircifull; Bellamira-Mrs Lee; Adorna-Mrs Price; Epilogue-.