Event Comment: Benefit for Sedgwick. Morning Herald, 20 May: Tickets to be had of Sedgwick at Mr Gibson's, jeweller, Charlotte-street, Rathbone-place. Receipts: #156 17s. (100.16; 54.4; 1.17; tickets: none listed) (charge: #212 16s.)

Event Comment: Benefit Johnson, a Distiller, and Adams. 6 p.m. Which will be perform'd by a set of Gentlemen and Ladies who never performed on any stage before. [Usual formula of the concert.] Prices 2s. 6d., 1s. 6d., 6d

Event Comment: Henry Cromwell to Alexander Pope, 7 Dec.: We have had a poor comedy of Johnson's (not Ben) which held seven nights, and has got him three hundred pounds, for the town is sharpset on new plays (Pope, I, 136)

Event Comment: Benefit for ye Author (Cross). Places for Boxes to be taken of Hobson at the stage door. Tickets to be had of Mr Miller, in the strand; Mr Dodsley in Pall Mall; at the Half-Moon Tavern, near Holborn Bars, and of Mr Hobson. Just Publish'd Mahomet and Palmira. A Tragedy as it is acted at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, by a Gentleman of Wadham College. [This would seem to be James Miller's Mahomet, with the printer capitalizing on Johnson's production at dl.] Receipts: #175 (Cross); house charges, #63 (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit Mr Johnson, the Author

Event Comment: Benefit for Yates. House Charges #65 5s. [Profit to Yates #118 16s. 6d.] Not performed for 20 years. Revived with alterations. Paid B. Johnson's Head Bill #2 5s. 6d. Paid #2 2s. for licensing Dido (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #184 6d. (Treasurer's Book). About 5 went into the Pit at Drury Lane to see the False Friend reviv'd with alterations, for the benefit of Yates. It engages the attention, but was very well performed. Don John by Holland; Don Pedro by Powell; Lopez by Mr Yates, the drinking Servant by Baddeley; Leonora by Mrs Barry (whom I never saw before); Isabella by Miss Plym and Jacintha by Mrs Yates. I think an Abigail an odd character for her, but no doubt she was willing to play anything for her husband's benefit. After the dance of the Vintage, Mr Yates spoke by way of Interlude a new piece on his being in France called the "Modern Traveller," containing some strokes on the affectation of French Fashions, &c. We had the Farce of High Life Below Stairs with minuet by Mrs Yates and a French Valet, which I do not remenber to have seen when I saw this Farce (before) (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Benefit Bridgwater. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Afterpiece: A new Ballad Opera. [By Charles Johnson. Apparently not published.] The Rehearsals of The Ephesian Matron having obliged Mr Bridgwater to a close Attendance, he humbly hopes his Friends will excuse his not being able personally to wait on them

Event Comment: Written by Mr Johnson--went off very well for 4 acts, ye 5th Hiss'd greatly (Cross). 'Tis hop'd no Gentlemen will take it ill they can't be admitted behind the scenes. [Cast from first edition, but listed in order of actors given in General Advertiser, except Caraza -Burton omitted by General Advertiser, and Murza -King omitted from 1st edition.] Receipts: #180 (Cross); #194 11s. (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit Bowman Jr and Mrs Orfeur

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Yates. Paid Miss Collett, a Gratuity, per order #5 5s.; Mr G. Garrick on acct, per Mr Hart #100. Receipts: #280 6s.; Charges: #67 5s.; Profits to Mrs Yates: #212 19s. (Treasurer's Book)

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: Benefit for the Voluntary Contribution now open at the Bank, for the Defence of our Country. Boxes 10s. 6d. Pit 5s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Tickets to be had and Places to be taken of Brandon, at the Stage-Door in Hart-street. Tickets also to be had at the Bar of Lloyd's Coffee-House. [Prologue by William Boscawen (Monthly Mirror, Mar. 1798, p. 178. Author of Address unknown.] "A subscription was set on foot behind the scenes," to which most of the performers contributed #10 apiece (Monthly Mirror, ibid). Account-Book, 12 May: Paid into the Bank of England in aid of the Voluntary Contribution #394 15s. Receipts: #518 8s. (280.9; 12.2; tickets: 225.17) [the difference of #123 13s. appears to have been the house charge]

Event Comment: Benefit Johnson, lately from Ireland. Tickets 5s. At 7 p.m