Event Comment: The King's Company. For an edition of this play from the MS prompt copy, see The Change of Crownes, ed. F. S. Boas (Oxford University Press, 1949). For the consequences of Lacy's ad libbing, see 16, 20, and 22 April, and 1 May. Pepys, Diary: I to the King's house by chance, where a new play: so full as I never saw it; I forced to stand all the while close to the very till I took cold, and many people went away for want of room. The King and Queene, and Duke of York and Duchesse of York there, and all the Court, and Sir W. Coventry. The play called The Change of Crownes; a play of Ned Howard's the best that ever I saw at that house, being a great play and serious; only Lacy did act the country-gentleman come up to Court, who do abuse the Court with all the imaginable wit and plainness about selling of places, and doing every thing for money. The play took very much.... Gervase Jaquis to the Earl of Huntington, 16 April: Here is another play house erected in Hatton buildings called the Duke of Cambridgs play-house, and yester-day his Matie the Duke & many more were at the King's Playe house to see some new thing Acted (Hastings MSS, HA 7654, Huntington Library)

Event Comment: Evelyn, Diary: We [Mrs Blagge and Evelyn] went to see Paradise, a roome in Hatton Garden furnished with the representations of all sorts of animals, handsomely painted on boards or cloth, & so cut out & made to stand & move, fly, crawll, roare & make their severall cries, as was not unpretty: though in it selfe a meere bauble, whilst the man who shew'd, made us Laugh heartily at his formal poetrie

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is known from a disturbance which occurred on this day; Langbaine states that the play was Macbeth. John Verney to Sir Ralph Verney, 30 Aug. 1675: On Saturday last, at the Duke's playhouse, Sir Tho. Armstrong killed Mr Scrope....Their quarrel is said to [be] about Mrs Uphill, the player, who came into the house maskt, and Scrope would have entertained discourse with her, which Sir T. Armstrong would not suffer, so a ring was made wherein they fought (HMC Verney MSS., 7th Report, 1879, p. 465). See also The Hatton Correspondence, Camden Society, XXII (1878), 121

Event Comment: Sir Charles Lyttleton, 10 Nov. 1677: [The Princess of Orange] is gone to ye play to-night in these and all ye Duchesses jewells (Hatton Correspondence, Camden Society, 1878, XXII, 155). The Prince and Princess had been married on 4 Nov. 1677

Event Comment: Alice Baxter, September 1699: I believe shall be on Munday at a ball at St. James, where, as they tell me, ther is a famose new danser to apere, which is to charme us all, but not make amends for ye loss of Mrs Ibbings (Evans?) who danced at Lincolns Inn Field and is lately dead (Hatton Correspondence, Camden Society, XXIII [1878], 240)

Event Comment: Benefit Kitty Pawlet. Tickets for She Would and She Would Not taken. At 6 p.m. In Cross-street, Hatton Garden

Event Comment: Benefit of a Gentleman who has been reduced by the Fall of Stocks [apparently the actor who plays Castalio]. At the Great Green Gates in Cross-street, Hatton-Garden. At 6 p.m

Event Comment: Benefit the Widow and Four Small Children of the late Henry Carey. Tickets at the stage door, or at the Widow Carey's in Cross St., Hatton-Garden; at Langbourn-Ward Coffee House; and of Mrs Suertt, at the Apple Tree in Cold Bath Fields. N.B. The Unfortunate Widow humbly hopes that the Good Nature and Humanity of her Friends will admit her melancholy circumstances, and the shortness of time, as a sufficient excuse for not waiting on them, and continue the favours, formerly shown to her late Husband, to her and her Distress'd Family, being left entirely destitute of any provision

Event Comment: At the Request of several Scotch Nobility, as benefit for Mr Gibson, who perform'd Donald MacGregor in The Orators 38 Days...will be performed a Concert of Music...after which, &c. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Tickets to be had of Mr Gibson, next Door to the Golden Star in Lower Cross St., near Hatton Gardens...He will make it his chief care to conduct the whole with Regularity. To begin at 6:30 p.m

Event Comment: Benefit for Bernard. 1st piece [1st time; M. PREL 1]: With the Storming of the Fort, and a View of the Fleet and Harbour. In which will be introduced the Grand Ceremony of the Enemy's Surrendering the Colours, and Marching out before the British Troops. The whole (including Dances) got up entirely under the direction of Byrn. Morning Herald, 13 May: Tickets to be had of Bernard at his house, No. 12, Kirby-street, Hatton Garden. Receipts: #249 8s. 6d. (83/9/6; 7/19/6; tickets: 157/19/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bernard. 3rd piece [1st time; MF 2, by John Bernard. Larpent MS 1084; not published]: To conclude with a View of the Town of Portsmouthv on a Rejoicing Night, embellished with Grand Illuminations. [This was included in all subsequent performances.] The Music by Attwood. Morning Chronicle, 27 May: Tickets to be had of Bernard at his house, No. 12, Kirby-street, Hatton-Garden. Receipts: #253 6s. 6d. (70.8.0; 12.4.6; tickets: 170.14.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: The Scenery re-painted, and the Dresses and Decorations entirely new. The Musick composed by Kelly. The Scenes designed and executed by Greenwood, Chalmers, and others. The Machinery, Decorations and Dresses designed and under the direction of Johnston, and executed by him, Underwood and Gay. The Dresses by Johnston, Gay and Miss Rein. Account-Book: Paid Hatton, sword cutler, #5 10s; Chorus #11 16s. 6d. Receipts: #370 2s. (254.6.6; 114.3.0; 1.12.6)