Event Comment: According to Anthony Aston, A Brief Supplement to Colley Cibber (in Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, II, 314-15) Joseph Haynes had a booth at Bartholomew Fair and presented this droll in the first year of James II's reign

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is known from a playbill. See Eleanore Boswell, A Playbill of 1687, Library, 4th Series, XI (1931), 499-502, and Cecil Price, A Playbill, c. 1686, Notes and Queries, Vol. 194 [1949), p. 519. The bill Price saw is in the State Papers James II, 31@3, ff. 215-16, among documents referring to 1686, but the date and day of the week point to 1687. The bill reads: At the Theatre Royall this present Tuesday being the Twenty second day of February will be presented, A Play called, A King, and No King. Beginning Exact...t Four of the Clock....their Majesties Servants. VIVAT REX

Event Comment: The United Company. A somewhat puzzling entry in the Reverend Robert Kirk's description of London in 1689 implies a performance of The Committee undertaken but not completed: At a play in Whitehall King Charles, his trage-comedy, when the actors were come to that part of seducing King Charles II, some Williamites in the pit below hissed at it (as if the play had meant the like of King James in Ireland). At this there sprang such huzzas and holloes above applauding that part of the play, that it was in a confusion, and they durst pursue it no further, lest the two parties made violence one upon another. Two or three noblemen were remarked to be forward in the acclamations of joy, and therefore are looked on as Jacobites. The Play's name is The Committee, November 28, 1689 (Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archeological Society, New Series, VI, 655)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. James Brydges, Diary: To ye playhouse in Lincolns inn fields, where I met Lds Henry Cavendish, Grey of Ruthia, & Abergavenny (Huntington MS St 26)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. James Brydges, Diary: About 4: we went to ye playhouse in Lincolns inn fields, and meeting Sr John Cope here, after having Put ye Ladies in box kept for them, I went with him to Hyde Park, & from thence came again to ye play (Huntington MS St 26)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. James Brydges, Diary: I went & lookt in at ye Playhouse [dl?], Greenwich park being acted. I staid not an act, but went hence to Tom's Coffeehouse (Huntington MS St 26)

Event Comment: According to the Flying Post, 18-20 Oct. 1698: On Tuesday October 18, 1698, the Penny Lottery began at the Theatre Royal in Dorset Garden with the first draw. [On 28 Sept. 1698 James Brydges, Diary reported that he had gone into dg to see the "engine" for the lottery.] The Post Boy, 18-20 Oct. 1698: There is now Acting at the Theatre Royal in Dorset Garden a Tragy-Comedy called The Wheel of Fortune, or The Fools Expectation. And 'tis thought the Author will have a good Sixth Day. According to the Post Boy, 20-22 Oct. 1698: On Monday next will be publish'd, a Comical and Satirical Prologue and Epilogue, intended to be spoken at the Acting of the new Invented Farce, call'd, the Wheel of Fortune, or the Fools Expectation. [The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 305-10.] It seems probable that the lottery was dignified, for satiric purposes, by being given the title of a play, with a satirical Prologue and Epilogue. Post Man, 20-22 Oct. 1698: The Entertainment performed at the Theatre Royal in Dorset Garden, at drawing the Lottery, called the Wheel of Fortune; being the Speeches addrest to the Spectators, as Prologues and Epilogues. During a Symphony of Musick the Curtain rises slowly, and discovers two wheels upon the Stage; then two Figures, representing Fortunev and Astraea the Goddess of Justicev, descend over each Wheel, in two rich Chariots gilt with Gold

Event Comment: Alice Baxter, September 1699: I believe shall be on Munday at a ball at St. James, where, as they tell me, ther is a famose new danser to apere, which is to charme us all, but not make amends for ye loss of Mrs Ibbings (Evans?) who danced at Lincolns Inn Field and is lately dead (Hatton Correspondence, Camden Society, XXIII [1878], 240)

Event Comment: On this day James Brydges attended an unnamed play at this theatre (Huntington MS St 26)

Event Comment: Flying Post, 13-15 June 1700: We are credibly informed, That Yesterday a Trial brought on in the Court of Common-Pleas, against one of the players, for Prophanely using the name of God upon the Stage, contrary to an Act of Parliament made in King James the First's time; and that the Verdict was given against the Player; according to the Tenor of the said Act, &c

Event Comment: Benefit Miss Evans and Miss Mountfort. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. [In Cowper MS, III, 79, James Cragg enclosed in a letter to Thomas Coke "Three small playing cards having on the back of each 'June 26th The Amorous Widow or the Wanton Wife. The Box. For the Benefitt of Miss Mountfort and Miss Evans."

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Originally Acted before King James the First with great Applause at the University of Cambridge. [Layfield performs] at the Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: Benefit James Graves and John Garee. Tickets 2s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit James Graves. Tickets 2s. 6d

Event Comment: Not Acted these 50 Years. Written by Shakespear in the Reign of King James the First. N.B. There will be a Play acted upon every Tuesday and Friday during the Summer-Season

Event Comment: Benefit Spiller. For the Entertainment of Robinson Crusoe. And whereas I James Spiller of Gloucestershire, having receiv'd an Invitation from Hildebrand Bullock of Liquor-Pond-Street, London, to exercise the usual Weapons of the Noble Science of Defence, will not fail to meet this bold Inviter; desiring a full Stage, Blunt Weapons, and from him much Favour

Event Comment: Translated from the Latin, as it was acted before King James the First by the Students at Cambridge

Event Comment: Benefit Spiller. Your Vote and Interest are desired for James Spiller Comedian, being a Persons well affected to the present Establishment of the said Theatre. Receipts: money #45 13s. 6d.; tickets #52 12s

Event Comment: For a long critique of the play, see St. James Journal, 15 Nov

Event Comment: Never Acted before. [By James Ralph.

Event Comment: Receipts: #32 4s. [Universal Spectator, 16 Jan., reports that the subscription for Rich's new playhouse in Covent Garden has reached #6,000 and that James Sheppard, the architect, has completed the plans for the structure.

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Persons of Distinction. By the Lilliputian Company of Comedians. At the Tennis-Court, in James-street, in the Hay-Market. 7 P.M. Boxes 3s. Pit 2s. Gallery 1s. N.B. The Company will continue to Play every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, during the Summer Season. Daily Advertiser, 29 April: I went to see them; upon my entrance I was surpris'd at the Spaciousness and Decencies of the Place; when the Curtain was drawn up, I found the Scenes not inferior to any I had seen, the Stage copious, the Decorations regular, the Actors perfect both in Words and Performance