Event Comment: Benefit for the Relief of the Widows and Orphans of the brave Men who fell in the late Glorious Actions [on 1 June 1794], under Earl Howe. The Whole Receipt of the Night to be applied to the above Fund. Under the Patronage of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence. The Tickets for the Boxes at Half-a-Guinea each, are issued under the Direction of a Committee consisting of the following Noblemen and Gentlemen, who have obligingly undertaken to attend to the arrangements of the Evening: The Duke of Leeds, The Duke of Bedford, The Earl of Lauderdale, Lord Mulgrave, Lord William Russel, The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor [Paul Le Mesurier], Mr Alderman Coombe, Hon. Thos. Erskine, J. Nesbit Esq., I. B. Church Esq., W. Devaynes Esq., J. Taylor Vaughan Esq., J. J. Angerstein Esq., R. B. Sheridan Esq. Tickets and Places for the Boxes, not disposed of by the Committee, to be had of Fosbrook, at the Box-Office, Little Russel-Street. Tickets also to be had at the Bar of Lloyd's Coffee House. Afterpiece [1st time; ENT 2, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan and James Cobb; with songs written by the Duke of Leeds, the Earl of Mulgrave, Mary Robinson, Joseph Richardson, &c. In 1797 altered as CAPE ST. VINCENT. Prologue by Joseph Richardson (London Chronicle, 4 July). Epilogue by Richard Brinsley Sheridan]: The Music composed and selected by Storace [with one song each by Reeve. Linley Sen., Michael Kelly]. The Dresses, Scenery and Machinery entirely New. "This piece is a sort of continuation of No Song No Supper...hastily put together for the occasion" (European Magazine, July 1794, p. 60). "The Theatre this Evening was crowded in every Part, the receipt amounting to something better than 1300 Guineas" (Powell). Powell, 1 July: Country Girl rehearsed at 10; Glorious First at 12 and at night. 2 July: Glorious First rehearsed at 10. Receipts: #1,526 11s. (450/6/0; 41/13/0; 0/12/6; tickets in boxes: 954/0/0; tickets in pit: 80/0/0) (charge: free)

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 date of the first performance is stated in Luttrell, A Brief Relation, II, 435, 28 April 1692: On Monday will be acted a new opera, call the Fairy Queen: exceeds former playes: the clothes, scenes, and musick cost 3000#. [According to Some Select Songs As they are Sung in the Fairy Queen (1692) tne singers were Mrs Ayliff, Mrs Dyer, Freeman, Mrs Butler, and Pate. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XII (1903), ii; E. W. White, Early Performances of Purcell's Operas, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1958-59 ), 45; and R. E. Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theatre, Chapter IV.] Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 42-43: The Fairy Queen, made into an Opera, from a Comedy of Mr Shakespeare s: This in Ornaments was Superior to the other Two [King Arthur and The Prophetess]; especially in Cloaths, for all the Singers and Dancers, Scenes, Machines and Decorations, all most profusely set off; and excellently perform'd, chiedly the Instrumental and Vocal part Compos'd by the said Mr Purcel, and Dances by Mr Priest. The Court and Town were wonderfully satisfy'd with it; but the Expences in setting it out being so great, the Company got very little by it. Gentleman's Journal, May 1692: The Opera of which I have spoke to you in my former hath at last appear'd, and continues to be represented daily: it is call'd, The Fairy Queen. The Drama is originally Shakespears, the Music and Decorations are extraordinary. I have heard the Dances commended, and without doubt the whole is very entertaining. [As the May issue of the Gentleman's Journal was licensed on 14 May, the statement that The Fairy Queen continued to be acted daily may indicate consecutive performances from 2 May to at le ast 14 May 1692.

Event Comment: Benefit Butler and Pendrell. Tickets for Thursday 26 for The Squire of Alsatia taken

Event Comment: DDaily Advertiser, 30 May: We hear that Mr Cibber, Jun. one of the present Directors of his Majesty's Company of Comedians together with Mr Mills, Sen Mr Johnson, Mr Miller, Mr Harper, Mr Griffin, Mr Mills, jun. Mr Shepard, Mr Hallam, jun. Mrs Horton, Mrs Heron, Mrs Butler, and others of the Company, waited Yesterday on his Grace the Duke of Grafton...to deliver...an humble Petition, and they met with gracious Reception

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Butler. Written by the late Mr Congreve. [Prince of Orange expected to attend.]

Event Comment: Benefit Mlle Auguste. Tickets of Page at stage door and of Mlle Auguste at Mrs Butler's over against the Golden Fan in Hanover St., Long Acre

Event Comment: CCross: Mrs Butler died

Event Comment: At the New Wells, Shepherd's Market, May Fair. Benefit for Butler. [No concert formula.

Event Comment: Mainpiece [by Oliver Goldsmith]: Never Perform'd Before. [Quick, mentioned by Genest, does not appear on the playbill. The Edition of 1768 casts Mrs White as Landlady, and Cushing as Butler. It does not include Morris or Morgan, but adds Post@Boy-Quick; Bailiff-R. Smith; Dubardieu-Holtom. (See 1 Feb.) The Theatrical Monitor, No XI (6 Feb.), reviews the mainpiece in a lukewarm, judicial manner.] Receipts: #227 4s. 6d. (Account Book)