Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the Prologue to Bonduca refers to She Ventures and He Wins. As Bonduca was advertised in the London Gazette, No. 3126, 24-28 Oct. 1695, the play was certainly not acted later than early October 1695, probably not later than September 1695. The Edition of 1696 includes on the titlepage: With A New Entertainment of Musick, Vocal and Instrumental. [The music was composed by Henry Purcell. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XVI, vii-xiii.] Those songs for which a performer is named are as follows: O lead me to some peaceful gloom, sung by Miss Cross, and Sing ye Druids, all your voices raise, sung by Mrs Ayliff, both in Songs in the Tragedy of Bonduca, ca. 1696. To arms, sung by Freeman and Edwards, is in Thesaurus Musicus, The Fifth Book, 1696

Event Comment: Benefit Roberts and Jones. Afterpiece: A New Ballad Opera of one Act [by Edward Phillips]. [For a puff of the afterpiece, see Daily Advertiser, 25 April, and Daily Post, 2 May.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. As Mr Edward Berry, one of the comedians of Drury Lane, was returning home from Temple Bar, he was stopt at the end of Arundel St. by three Fellows, one with a Horse-Pistol, another with a short pistol, and the other with a hanger, who robb'd him of his watch, some silver, and his Neck-cloth, and then walk'd off with their booty (General Advertiser, 20 Jan.). During the Performance on Saturday Night [11 Jan.] at Drury Lane, a dispute was carried on at great length between Mr V-n and a Gentleman unknown but on the Gentleman's being made sensible of his error, and making publick submission and Gentleman-like reparation, it was amicably terminated (General Advertiser). Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Elizabeth Inchbald. Prologue by Edward Topham (London Chronicle, 26 Aug. 1786)]. Account-Book, 5 June 1786: Paid Mrs Inchbald in full for Appearance is against Them #50. Public Advertiser, 11 Nov. 1785: This Day is published Appearance is against Them (1s.). Receipts: #207 2s. (204/10/6; 2/11/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Frederick Reynolds. Prologue by James Boaden. Epilogue by Edward Topham (see text). For this play Reynolds and the cg manager made a new plan for payments to the author. Benefits for the author on the 3rd, 6th and 9th nights were abandoned; instead he received #33 6s. 8d. for each of the first nine nights and #100 on the 20th night. "This was the foundation of that bargain between manager and author which, I believe, exists to the present period [1826]" (Reynolds, II, 182-83)]. Morning Chronicle, 19 Jan. 1795: This Day is published The Rage! (2s.). Receipts: #259 13s. 6d. (255.17.6; 3.16.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Shade, Cameron, Woollams, Wood, Wilson, Dangerfield, Irish, Edwards, Griffiths, Nix, Wooldridge, Panchaud & Cole [box-keepers]. [This was Dodd's last appearance on the stage.] "Dodd was one of the most perfect actors that I have ever seen. He was the fopling of the drama rather than the age. I mean by this, that his own times rarely shewed us anything so highly charged with the vanity of personal exhibition. He was, to be sure, the prince of pink heels, and the soul of empty eminence. As he tottered rather than walked down the stage, in all the protuberance of endless muslin and lace in his cravats and frills, he reminded you of the jutting motion of the pigeon. He took his snuff, or his bergamot, with a delight so beyond all grosser enjoyments that he left you no doubt whatever of the superior happiness of a coxcomb" (Boaden, Kemble, I, 55). Receipts: #580 17s. 6d. (25.17.0; 37.3.6; 11.0.0; tickets: 503.4.0; odd money: 3.13.0) (charge: #211 17s. 6d.)

Event Comment: [By Theophilus Cibber.] Alter'd from Shakespear. Containing the Marriages of King Edward the Fourth , and young Prince Edward , with Lady Gray , and Lady Anne . The Distresses of Queen Margaret . The Deposing King Henry the Sixth . The Battles Fought at St. Albans, Wakefield, Mortimer's-Cross, and Tewkesbury. The Deaths of Lord Clifford of Cumberland , and his Son, the Duke of York , his Steward. And many other True Historical Passages

Event Comment: Post Boy, 11 May 1699: A Consort of New Vocal and Instrumental Musick, for the Benefit of Mr Edward Keene, who was the first Promoter of the Musical Entertainments in Sommerset House Garden

Event Comment: Post Boy, 16-19 March 1700: In York Buildings, this present Tuesday, being the 19th of this Instant March, will be perform'd a Consort of Vocal and Instrumental Musick, for the Benefit of Mr Edward Keene, beginning at the usual hour. Prices 2s. 6d. Those Persons that have already any of his Tickets dated the 20th are desired to take Notice that the Performance will be this day, and not as the Tickets are dated

Event Comment: LLondon Daily Post and General Advertiser, 16 Sept.: To be Sold. The Lease (having upwards of 50 Years to come) of the late Theatre in Goodman's-Fields. Enquire of Mr Edward Shepherd, at his House in Audley-street, Grosvenor-Square

Event Comment: Benefit Page. 2s. 6d., 1s. 6d., 1s. Tickets at Mr Edward Pinchbeck's@Toyshop in Fleet Street. Places for the Boxes to be taken at the Lancashire Witch opposite the Theatre

Event Comment: [Treasurer's Book lists Devil to Pay as afterpiece. Cross lists The Lying Valet.] Paid to Lewis going to Dr Boyce as per order #2 6s.; Paid to Garrick as per order #197 6s.; Paid to the King's Letter as per Mr Edwards #1 1s. (Treasurer's Book). [The General Advertiser lists Devil to Pay as the afterpiece, by particular desire.] Receipts: #160 (Cross); #124 10s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Bannister Jun. as Edward, but he "was so ill as to be incapable of performing-his part of Lord Edward was read by Bland" (Thespian Magaune, Jan. 1794, p. 30). Afterpiece in place of HARLEQUIN PEASANT, advertised on playbill of 2 Jan.]

Event Comment: [In 2nd piece the playbill assigns Madelon to Mrs Bland, but she, "piqued at the levy of the customary, and very proper fines on account of her non-attendance at rehearsals, stayed away from the theatre on this evening, and Mrs Edwards [sic] was obliged to undertake the part of Madelon" (Monthly Mirror, July 1798, p. 52).

Event Comment: Benefit the Author. Alter'd from Mountfort's Edward III

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these Six years [8 April 1735]. Containing the Distresses and Death of King Henry VIv. The artful acquisition of the Crown by King Richardv. The Murder of Young King Edward Vv and his Brother, in the Tower. The Landing of the Earl of Richmondv, and the Death of King Richard in the memorable Battle of Bosworth Fieldv, being the last that was fought between the Houses of York and Lancaster. [This customary description appears in all subsequent notices.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Containing the Distresses and Death of King Henry VI; the Artful acquisition of the Crown by King Richardv; the Murder of young King Edward V, and his brother in the Tower; The landing of the Earl of Richmond, and the death of King Richard in the memorable Battle of Bosworth Fieldv, being the last that was fought between the Houses of York and Lancaster. With many other Historical passages. [This descriptive passage accompanies all notices of the play this season and will not be recorded here further.