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 great powers of Mrs Jordan cannot be better displayed than in the wonderful contrast of her Country Girl and Viola. In one all archness and vivacity; in the other serious, gentle, tender and sentimental" (Public Advertiser, 16 Nov.). [In afterpiece the playbill retains Parsons as Sir Anthony Halfwit, but on the Kemble playbill his name is deleted and a MS annotation substitutes Wilson's. "Parsons was taken suddenly ill & J. Wilson read his part" (MS annotation on British Museum playbill, in Harris, 11).] Receipts: #108 12s. (79/11/0; 28/13/6; 0/7/6)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not certain, but the evidence points to this day as a strong Possibility. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus (p. 44) states that it was given thirteen days consecutively, and John Coke (see 16 March 1696@7) states that it was acted "till Saturday" (16 March 1696@7). If the tragedy was acted on Wednesdays but not Fridays, as was often the practice in Lent, and if the farce alluded to for Saturday, 16 March 1696@7, comprised the entire program, this day was probably the premiere. The following sequence of performances is based on these premises. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 44: The Mourning Bride...had such Success, that it continu'd Acting Uninterrupted 13 Days together. Gildon, English Dramatick Poets, p. 23: This Play had the greatest Success, not only of all Mr Congreve's, but indeed of all the Plays that ever I can remember on the English Stage, excepting some of the incomparable Otway's. Aston, A Brief Supplement (in Cibber, Apology, II, 302): His [Betterton's] Favourite, Mrs Barry, claims the next in Estimation. They were both never better pleas'd, than in Playing together.--Mrs Barry outshin'd Mrs Bracegirdle in the Character of Zara in the Mourning Bride, altho' Mr Congreve design'd Almeria for that Favour

Event Comment: Benefit Morgan and Miss Bincks. Tickets for Aston, Dukes, Delagarde, Miss Horsington taken

Event Comment: A playbill [PRO, State Papers 29, Vol. 317, No. 187): At the Booth at Charing-Cross, every day in the Week will be presented variety of Farces Drolls, and Comical Entertainments by Mr Anthony Devo, His Majesties Servant. And this present Monday being the Eleventh of November, will be presented the Dutch cruelties at Amboyna, with the humours of the Valiant Welch-Man. Acted by Men and Women. Beginning exactly at Two of the Clock in the Afternoon, and at Four. Vivat Rex. [This playbill is reproduced in Theatre Notebook, VI (1952), opposite page 36.] L. C. 5@140, p. 129 (Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 250): That Antonio diVoto Doe sett forth Exercise & Play all Drolls and Interludes, He not receiuing into his Company any person belonging to his Mates or Royal Highnesse Theatres Nor Act any Play usually acted at any of ye said Theatres Nor takes peeces or Sceenes out of ye Playes Acted at ye said Theatres

Event Comment: Benefit Aston's Family. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. @'Tis a pitifull Age@And Puppet-shew Stage,@True Humour and Comedy've lost us;@Yet by Fools some still thrive@There's Punch all Alive,@A windmill, the Devil and Faustus@

Event Comment: TTony Aston from Bath. At the George Tavern at Charing-Cross...exhibits his most Learned, Serious, Comical and Whimcal Extra-Rhapsodical Declamation. 7 p.m. 1s