Event Comment: Benefit for Fosbrook, box-book and housekeeper. Mainpiece: Not acted these 10 years. Receipts: #185 19s. 6d. (17/19/0; 5/12/6; 0/6/0; tickets: 162/2/0) (charge: #106 3s. 6d.)

Event Comment: London Chronicle, 17 Oct.: In Act IV Macklin 'very properly declined the orator, but pleaded from his feelings and the predetermined purpose of his heart.' [Mrs Barry, as Mrs Dancer, had 1st acted Portia at Crow Street Theatre, Dublin, 9 Dec. 1761, and at dl, 24 Mar. 1768.] Receipts: #205 8s. (204.19.6; 0.8.6)

Event Comment: The Prologue, extant in a broadside in the Worcester College Library, appears to represent a performance occuring before the end of 1660. It has been reprinted by Noyes, Ben Jonson, pp. 105-6, and by Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 16-17. The King's Company

Event Comment: Possibly this was acted by the King's Company, which had given it on 16 Nov. 1660 and 8 Jan. 1661. Evelyn, Diary: This Night was acted before his Majestie the Widow, a lewd play

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of performance is uncertain. The play was entered in the Stationers' Register, 15 Feb. 1663@4, and its publication noted in The Newes, 3 March 1663@4. Katherine Philips, writing from Cardigan, Wales to Lady Temple in London, 24 Jan. 1663@4: I beleive er'e this you have seen the new Pompey either acted or written & then will repent your partiallity to ye other, but I wonder much what preparations for it could prejudice Will Davenant when I heare they acted in English habits, & yt so aprope yt Caesar was sent in with his feather & Muff, till he was hiss'd off ye Stage & for ye Scenes I see not where they could place any yt are very extra-ordinary, but if this play hath not diverted ye Cittizens wives enough Sr W: D: will make amends, for they say Harry ye 8th & some later ones are little better then Puppett-plays. I understand ye confederate-translators are now upon Heraclius, & I am contented yt Sr Tho. Clarges (who hath done that last yeare) should adorn their triumph in it, as I have done in Pompey (Harvard Theatre Collection)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The Prologue to the Queen of Arragon Acted before the Duke of York, Upon his Birthday, and Epilogue to the Same To the Duchess, by Samuel Butler, are in The Poetical Works of Samuel Butler, ed. R. B. Johnson (London, 1893), II, 175-77. Newsletter, 12 Oct. 1668: The Duke of York's birthday will be celebrated with the usual solemnities, a play being prepared for the entertainment of the ladies. The piece chosen is The Queen of Arragon. It will be acted in the Guard Chamber at St James's (HMC, Fleming MSS., 12th Report, Appendix, Part VII, p. 59). Pepys, Diary: But the Duke of York being gone out, and to-night being a play there, and a great festival, we would not stay

Event Comment: Newdigate newsletters (Folger Shakespeare Library), 23 Feb. 1674@5: Last night ye mask at Court was publiquely acted in ye presence of their Maties, R:11 Hsess & ye whole Court & will be once more acted before his Matie goes to Newmarket (Wilson, Theatre Notes, pp. 79-80). [Wilson points out that this performance is nowhere else mentioned.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but as the play was entered in the Term Catalogues, November 1681, it was probably first given in September, certainly not later than October. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 38-39): Being a kind of Opera, having several Machines of Flyings for the Witches, and other Diverting Contrivances in't: All being well perform'd, it prov'd beyond Expectation; very Beneficial to the Poet and Actors. Edition of 1682, To the Reader: I heard that great opposition was design'd against the Play (a month before it was acted)...The Master of the Revels (who I must confess used me civilly enough) Licenc'd it at first with little alteration: But there came such an Alarm to him...that upon a Review, he expunged all that you see differently Printed, except about a dozen lines which he struck out at the first reading....I had so numerous an assembly of the best sort of men, who stood so generously in my defence, for the first three days, that they quash'd all the vain attempts of my Enemies, the Inconsiderable Party of Hissers yielded, and the Play lived in spight of them

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but Lucyle Hook, James Brydges Drops in at the Theatre, Huntington Library Bulletin, VIII (1945), 309, speculates that James Brydges' attendance at lif this day may have been prompted by his seeing this new play, as he stayed longer than he often did at a theatrical performance. The comedy was certainly acted before 12 March 1699@1700. James Brydges, Diary: I went to ye play in Lincolns inn fields, where I met Sr G. Coply, who set me down after it was ended (Huntington MS St 26). Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 45: The Way of the World, a Comdey wrote by Mr Congreve, twas curiously Acted; Madam Bracegirdle performance her Part so exactly and just, gain'd the Applause of Court and City; but being too Keen a Satyr, had not the Success the Company Expected

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pritchard. Part of pit laid into boxes. House charges #61 4s. [Profit to Mrs Pritchard #68 8s.] Lent to Mr Johnston, Prompter, by order #2 2s.; Paid to James Aickin on his note #40; Paid Poor's rate (1!2 year for St Martin's) #20 4s.; Salary list #294 2s. 8d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #129 12s. (Treasurer's Book). Went to see Macbeth for Mrs Pritchard's Benefit. Got a good seat in the Pit, which was not full for half an hour after I went, tho part of it was laid into the boxes. Read the Public Advertiser of Today' and part of London Chronicle before the play began...Dance of the Furies in the 4th Act, and end of the Play (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Frederick Reynolds. Prologue by William Thomas Fitzgerald. Epilogue by Miles Peter Andrews (see text)]: With new Scenes and Dresses. [In mainpiece the playbill lists Mrs Esten, but "Previous to the play an apology was made in behalf of Mrs Davis, who had undertaken Mrs Esten's character in consequence of the indisposition of the latter lady. [After considerable objection] Mrs Davis was well received in the part" (Thespian Magazine, June 1793, p. 4).] Public Advertiser, 3 May 1793: This Day is published How to Grow Rich (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #257 17s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit for Barry. Mainpiece: A Tragedy never acted there, Taken from Southern's Oroonoko [by Francis Gentleman]. Tickets deliver'd for Alexander will be admitted. Ladies send servants by 4 o'clock

Event Comment: By Particular Desire. Paid Miss Robins in full of salary to 16th inst. incl. (now on the pay list) #9 6s. 8d. (Treasurer's Book). Benefit for Miss Younge. Tickets deliver'd for Zenobia will be taken. Mainpiece: Never performed there. Receipts: #259 15s. 6d. Charges #68 14s. Profits to Miss Younge: #191 1s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dickinson, 1st gallery office-keeper. Afterpiece [F 2, by Edward Thompson, 1st acted at Richmond, 1 Aug. 1776; not published; Prologue probably by the author]: Never performed there. Public Advertiser, 17 May: Tickets to be had of Dickinson, No. 5, Wild-court, Wild-street, near Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #276 17s. (21.14; 7.10; 0.0; tickets: 247.13) (charge: #84)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 10 years [not acted since 7 Dec. 1768]. With new Dresses and Decorations. [Miss Phillips is identified in Public Advertiser, 18 Nov. Afterpiece in place of The Lyar, announced in Public Advertiser, 10 Nov.] Receipts: #187 15s. (155.9; 32.6; 0.0)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Mrs Lefevre. [Author ofPrologue unknown.] Afterpiece: Never performed here [acted 5 Apr. 1734]. Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15. Tickets and places to be had of Mrs Lefevre, No. 25, Frith Street, Soho, and of Rice at the Theatre. Tickets delivered by Holland will be taken

Event Comment: Benefit for Sedgwick. 3rd piece: Not acted these 20 years [never previously acted at this theatre]. Written and composed by Harry Carey, with Alterations and new Accompaniments to the original Music, and several new Airs composed by Shield, Reeve and Stevens. Receipts: #123 2s. 6d. (31.3.0; 11.13.0; 0.14.6; tickets: 76.12.0) (charge: #106 18s. 5d.)

Event Comment: 2nd piece: Never [previously] acted in this Kingdom [by Robert Jephson, altered by the author from his The Hotel; or, The Servant with Two Masters, which was based on Il Servitore di due Padroni, by Carlo Goldoni, and on Arlequin Valet de deux Maitres, by Jean Pierre de Ours de Mandajors, and 1st acted at Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, 8 May 1783]. Oracle, 18 Mar. 1791: This Day is published Two Strings to Your Bow (1s). Receipts: #210 3s. 6d. (205.17.0; 4.6.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Martyr. 1st piece: Not acted these 20 years [never previously acted at this theatre]. Morning Herald, 4 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Martyr, No. 16, Martlet-court, Bow-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #349 16s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit for Holman. Mainpiece: Never [previously] acted here. In Act V the Funeral Procession of a Roman Commanderv. Morning Chronicle, 11 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Holman, No. 14, John-street, Adelphi. Receipts: #263 3s. (130.16; 22.17; tickets: 109.10)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 20 years [never previously acted at this theatre]. Receipts: #462 8s. 6d. (340.18.0; 118.12.6; 2.18.0)