Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the King's playhouse, and there saw The English Monsieur; sitting for privacy sake in an upper box: the play hath much mirth in it as to that particular humour. After the play done, I down to Knipp, and did stay her undressing herself; and there saw the several players, men and women go by; and pretty to see how strange they are all, one to another, after the play is done. Here I saw a wonderful pretty maid of her own, that come to undress her, and one so pretty that she says she intends not to keep her, for fear of her being undone in her service, by coming to the playhouse. Here I hear Sir W. Davenant is just now dead; and so who will succeed him in the mastership of the house is not yet known. The eldest Davenport is, it seems, gone from this house to be kept by somebody; which I am glad of, she being a very bad actor.... [Mrs Knepp] tells me mighty news, that my Lady Castlemayne is mightily in love with Hart of their house; and he is much with her in private, and she goes to him, and do give him many Presents; and that the thing is most certain, and Becke Marshall only privy to it, and the means of bringing them together, which is a very odd thing; and by this means she is even with the King's love to Mrs Davis

Event Comment: The King's Company. This play is on L. C. list, 5@12, p. 17: ye king here. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 344. The play was apparently designed for the opening of the Bridges St playhouse in November 1666 but was not then acted. The edition of 1667 gives a intended cast. Bonhomme-Hart; Ergasto-$W. Winterson [$Wintershall">Cartwright; Valerio-$C. Hart; Ergasto-$W. Winterson [$Wintershall]; Don Buisson-Burt; La Fleur-$E. Keninston [$Kynaston]; Sganarelle-J. Lacy; Mascarillio-$M. Moon [$Mohun]; Jodelet-R. Shatterel; Housekeepers-$Alexander, $Wilbraham; Mary and Anne-$The Two Marshalls; Isabella-$Mrs Rutter; Lysette-$Nel Guin; Prologue Intended for the Overture of the Theatre, 1666; Epilogue. [In this list the names Alexander and Wilbraham are not otherwise known and may represent errors in the printed list.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 32) states: The first new Play Acted there, was King Charles the VIII. of France; it was all new Cloath'd, yet lasted but 6 Days together, but 'twas Acted now and then afterwards. Two songs for this play, Too justly alas, set by James Hart, and O love if e'er thou'lt ease a heart, set by Pelham Humphrey, are in Choice Songs and Ayres, First Book, 1673

Event Comment: Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 8) gives a cast for Julius Caesar [by William Shakespeare] which includes Richard Bell, who died in the Drury Lane fire at the end of this month. It is not known when a performance of this play occurred, but a Prologue to Julius Caesar is in Covent Garden Drollery, 1672. Downes lists: Julius Caesar-$Bell; Cassius-$Major Mohun; Brutus-$Hart; Anthony-$Kynaston; Calphurnia-$Mrs Marshal. [Downes adds Portia-$Mrs Corbet, but this probably refers to a later performance.

Event Comment: It is possible that The Tempest had been acted regularly to this date and that it continued to be presented frequently in the following week. In L. C. 5@15, p. 3 (Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 356) there is an order directing Turner and Hart (and any other members of the His Majesty's Chapel Royal) who sing in The Tempest to remain in London during the week, going to Windsor (when the King was absent from Whitehall) on Saturdays and returning on Mondays

Event Comment: John Dryden wrote a Prologue to the University of Oxford and an Epilogue to the University of Oxford in 1674. The Prologue was apparently spoken by Hart, the Epilogue by Mrs Marshall. See also Sybil Rosenfeld, Some Notes on the Players in Oxford, 1661-1713, Review of English Studies, XIX (1943), 368

Event Comment: According to L. C. 7@1-see Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p.325n--a disagreement within the King's Company resulted in the Lord Chamberlain's directing Michaell Mohun, Charles Hart, Edward Kynnaston, and William Cartwright to manage the company under his supervision

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but as the play was entered in the Term Catalogues in November 1680, it was probably first acted in September or October 1680. The Dedication refers to the ineffectiveness of the company at this time. Dedication, Edition of 1680: A Play so worthless, and so Unfortunate. Nay, to sum up all its Misfortunes, it does not only owe so little to the Composers Hand, but breath'd too in a Season, when Poetry even with its softest and more Curious Aires, to the Ears of this untunable Age, sounds but harsh and unpleasant: nay, and what's yet worst of all, perform'd by the feeble Fragment of a Company.--'Tis true, the Theatre Royal was once all Harmony....But when this hapless Play came forth, its sweetest Pipes were stopt; [Praise of Hart]. But, Alas, the very best of Plays now find but a cold Reception

Event Comment: The hall is in Hart Street

Event Comment: By Gentlemen for their Diversion At the Two Golden Balls in Hart Street, near Covent Garden At 6 p.m

Event Comment: At Lee-Spiller-Harper Booth, in Harts-Horn Inn Yard, Pye Corner

Event Comment: A three Act Comedy. Godwin's Booth, opposite the White Hart, near Cow Lane, West Smithfield. From Noon to 10 p.m. [Notice repeated 26 Aug.

Event Comment: Benefit a Gentlewoman in Distress [Concert formula]. Tickets and Places to be had of Mrs Careless in Hart St., near the Back-Passage of Covent Garden. The Gentlemen and Ladies who intend to honour her with their Company, are desir'd to come as early as possible, she being determin'd to begin punctually at six

Event Comment: Benefit for ye Author (Cross). [Tickets as of 9 Feb., with additional note that they could be obtained of Mrs Payne at the White Hart in Paternoster Lane.] Receipts. #140 (Cross); house charges, #63 (Powel)

Event Comment: LLady Townly a $Miss Hart-Her 1st appearance-Some Applause (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: Paid Messrs Cropley and Hart for men's cloaths, #13 2s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [Kemble Diary notes this as Burton's last performance. He died in May.] Receipts: #220 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; prel i,by Leonard Macnally. MS:Larpent 601; not published; synopsis of plot in Public Advertiser, 24 Sept.]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon (only) at the Stage-door. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. The Doors will open at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 4 Nov.]. The Only Entrance to the Upper Gallery is in the Passage which leads from the Piazza to Hart-street, and the Two Shilling Gallery communicates with the Passage in Bow-street, as well as with that from the Piazza. The Passages to the Pit and Boxes remain as before. Receipts: #314 18s. (313/18; 1/0)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author [of mainpiece, who is named in the Account-Book, but not on the playbill]. The Public are respectfully informed, that on account of the preparation for the New Theatre [i.e. the alterations in cg, for which see 1792-93], the Great Door in Hart-Street is unavoidably obliged to be shut up for the remainder of the Season. Receipts: #289 17s. 6d. (284.1.0; 5.16.6; tickets: none listed) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Among the Instrumental Performers are C. Ashley, Patria, Sarjant, Mahon, Boyce, Mountain, Lavenu, Simpson, Gwilliam, Purney, Munro, Leander, Kaye, Sharp, Wood, &c. &c. Double Drums, Bass Trumpets, &c. The whole under the Direction of Ashley. Boxes 6s. Pit 3s. 6d. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. No Money to be returned. Places to be had of Brandon at the Box-Office in Hart-Street. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same throughout oratorio season]. Books of the Performance, 6d. each, may be had at the Theatre. The Director's Books have these words at the bottom of each Title Page: "Printed by H. Macleish, Recorder Office, Duke's-court, Drury-lane.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: The Music composed by Haydn, Sacchini and Shield. Boxes 6s. 2nd Price 3s. Pit 3s. 6d. 2nd Price 2s. Gallery 2s. 2nd Price 1s. Upper Gallery 1s. No Money to be returned. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon, at the Office, in Hart-street. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 11 Nov.]. Receipts: #276 14s. 6d. (269.15.0; 6.19.6)

Event Comment: Principal Violoncello by C. Ashley. Double Drums by R. Ashley. Trumpets by Sariant, Cantelo, Purney. Among the other Principal Instrumental Performers are Foster, Mahon, Boyce, Flack, Lavenu, John Sharp, Simpson, Gwilliam, Monro, Mich. Sharp, Wood, Warren, Wm. Sharp, Cobham, Cornish, Jenkinson, F. Sharp, Shutze, Lord, Woodham, J. Sharp, Franks, &c. With a Complete Set of Chorus Singers. The Whole under the Direction of Ashley. Boxes 6s. Pit 3s. 6d. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. No Money to be returned. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same throughout oratorio season]. Places to be had of Brandon at the Box Office in Hart-street. Books of the Performance, 6d. each, may be had at the Theatre. The Directors' Books have these words at the bottom of each title-page: "Printed by H. Madeish, Recorder-Office, Duke's-Court, Drury-lane."

Event Comment: Principal Instrumental Performers-C. Ashley, Bridgtower, Archer, Harvey, Sarjant, Mahon, Boyce, Cantelo, Parkinson, Taylor, J. Sharp, Lavenu, Napier, Simpson, the Flacks, Purney, Seutze, Gwilliam, Monro, Wood, Warren, Woodham, Francis, M. Sharp, &c. Organ by J. Ashley. Double Drums by R. Ashley. The Chorusses will be numerous and compleat, and the Orchestra will consist of upwards of Two Hundred Performers. The whole under the Direction of Ashley. Boxes 6s. Pit 3s. 6d. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places to be taken, and Tickets for the Boxes may be had of Brandon at the Office in Hart-street. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same throughout oratorio season]. [This performance was originally advertised to take place at the Pantheon, Oxford-street, but "The routed Host of Harmonists, driven from their new works in Oxford-road, hastily encamped last night [at Covent Garden]. Their performance...went off as might be expected from a scanty band, thus collected, without any previous rehearsal" (Morning Herald, 21 Feb.). The Pantheon had been destroyed by fire in January 1792. Work on its reconstruction had only recently been begun, and Was still not completed. It was reopened with a masquerade on 9 April 1795, the "usual licenses being now fully renewed and established" (Morning Herald, 9 Apr.).