Event Comment: Mainpiece: In I a Masquerade Scene incident to the Play. [This was included in all subsequent performances.] No Money to be returned. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon at the Theatre. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 2 Nov.]. [No playbill this season lists the various prices of admission; they were probably, as usual: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s.] Receipts: #255 6s. (253.11.6; 1.14.6)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Waddy, Simmons, Mrs Watts, Atkins, Miss Leserve, Simpson will be admitted. Afterpiece: In the course of the Pantomime a Rural Nuptial Procession (Taken from The Village Fete [see 18 May]). Receipts: #248 15s. 6d. (62.5.6; 9.10.0; tickets: 177.0.0)

Event Comment: [This Pastoral Serenata first appeared 21 March 1744 at the Crown and Anchor in the Strand, qv. At that time Beard, Savage, Mrs Clive and Miss Edwards sang in it.] By Subscription for three nights will be performed an English Pastoral Serenata, set to Music by Mr DeFesch. Pit and Boxes laid together at 5s. First Gallery 2s. 6d. Upper Gallery 1s. 6d. On the 20th of March and 3rd of April will be performed a New Oratorio call'd Joseph, also set to Music by Mr DeFesch. For the encouragement of such persons as shall please to favour Mr Defesch by subscribing one Guinea, they shall be entitled to six tickets, each of which will admit one into the boxes, or Two into the Gallery. Nobody to be admitted into the boxes without printed tickets, which will be deliver'd at the theatre. Subscriptions to be taken till the 5th of March, at Mr DeFesch's at the sign of the Angel and Trumpet, in St. Martin's Lane, at the Bedford Coffee House, Covent Garden; and at Mr Page's Stage Door-keeper. To begin at half an hour after six. This day is publish'd Papal Tyranny in the Reign of King John. [No price given, but the 1st edition lists it as 1s. 6d. Watts would have had to sell about two thousand copies to cover his investment in copyright and printing costs.

Event Comment: Benefit for H. Johnston. Mainpiece: 1st time at this Theatre; by Permission of Mr Colman. Morning Chronicle, 9 Apr.: Tickets to be had of H. Johnston, No. 47, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #334 3s. 6d. (174.7.6; 1.14.0; tickets: 158.2.0)

Event Comment: Benefit the Author. Tickets as before. Regulus publish'd. As it is acted by his Majesties Servants at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, by Mr Havard, Author of King Charles the First. Inter omnes suos laudabiles & Virtutum insignibus illustres Viros, non preferunt Romani meliorem; quem neque Felicitas corruperit, nam in tanta Victoria, mansit pauperrimus; Nec Infelicitas fregerit, nam ad tanta Exitia revertit intrepidus. (St. Aust. de Regulo. Lib I. de Civitat. Dei.) Printed for H. Woodfall, Jr. in Little Britain, by Paul Vaillant facing Southampton Street in the Strand. J. Watts and B. Dodd also advertised King Charles the First, an Historical Tragedy, written in imitation of Shakespear, and Scanderbeg, a Tragedy. Both written by Mr Havard, author of Regulus

Event Comment: Author's Night. The Author labouring under a severe and dangerous illness, hopes his friends will excuse his personal Application, and send for tickets to Mr Watts, at the Printing Office in Wild Court; or to Hobson at the Stage door of the theatre at Drury Lane Mahomet translated from the French of Voltaire; but I have no great opinion of the subject, or the original author as a poet; and my diffidence is rather improved by the testimony of those who have seen it.-Letters of William Shenstone, p. 89

Event Comment: This day is publish'd written by Henry Fielding, Esq. the 4th edn. of An Old Man taught Wisdom; or the Virgin Unmask'd, a Farce, as it is now acting at Drury Lane. With the Music prefix'd to each song. Printed for I. Watts. Receipts: #170 (Cross); #171 12s. (Powel)

Event Comment: This day is publish'd Judas Macchabaeus: a Sacred Drama as it is performed at Covent Garden. Set by Mr Handel. Printed for J. Watts. This day Publish'd The Oracle, a Comedy of one act as it is perform'd at Covent Garden, at 1s. By Mrs Cibber printed for R. Dosdley in Pall Mall, &c

Event Comment: [E+Esther] With New Additions. Pit and Boxes to be put together .No persons to be admitted without tickets, which will be deliver'd this day at the office in the Theatre at Half a Guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. 6d. Galleries to be open'd at Half an Hour after Four o'clock. Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at Half an Hour after Six o'Clock. This day publish'd Esther. An Oratorio, composed by Handel, as is to be performed this day at Covent Garden. Printed for J. Watts

Event Comment: This day is publish'd Judas Maccabaeus: a Sacred Drama. Set to Music by Mr Handel, as it is Performed at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. Printed for J. Watts and sold by B. Dod at the Bible and Key

Event Comment: This Day Publish'd. Price 1s. As acted tonight at Covent Garden, Judas Maccabaeus, a Sacred Drama. With Alterations. Printed for the Administrator of J. Watts

Event Comment: Benefit for Price and Watts. [The above is an advance notice on playbill of 19 July.]