Event Comment: James Brydges, Diary: I went to Tom's Coffee house, where I met Mr Marshall, he told me of Capt. Hill being kill'd by Ld Mohun, from hence I went to Wills, where I met Dr Davenant, I staid here almost half an hour, & coming home by ye way stopt & just lookt in at ye Playhouse being about seven a clock (Huntington MS St 26)

Event Comment: Flying Post, 7 March 1698@9: A Consort of all new Vocal and Instrumental Music; for the Benefit of Mr William Hall, who formerly had the Consort of Musick at his House in Norfolk-street

Event Comment: Post Man, 28 March 1699: For the Benefit of Mr Robert Roades...a Consort, all new Music, both Vocal and Instrumental: There being no Play at either House

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: John Dryden to Mrs Steward, 26 Nov. 1699: If you come up next Week, you will be entertaind with a New Tragedy; which the Author of it, one Mr Dennis, cryes up at an Excessive rate, & Colonel Codrington, who has seen it, prepares the world to give it loud Applauses. Tis calld Iphigenia, & Imitated from Eurypides, an old Greek poet. This is to be Acted at Betterton's House, & another play of the same name, is very shortly to come on the stage in Drury Lane (The Letters of John Dryden, p. 129)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. This performance was probably the first day of this revival, for Matthew Prior wrote to Abraham Stanyan, 8 Jan. 1699@1700: To-morrow night Betterton acts Falstaff, and to encourage that poor house the Kit Katters have taken one side-box and the Knights of the Toast have taken the other (HMC, Bath MSS. [London, 1908], III, 394). See also 28 Jan. 1699@1700. The play was advertised in the London Gazette, No. 3601, 13-16 May 1700, and the title page states: Reviv'd, with Alterations. Written Originally by Mr Shakespear

Event Comment: A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), commenting upon Betterton's success with I Henry IV (see 9 Jan. 1699@1700) pictures Betterton entering his Closet and praying to Shakespeare for further assistance (p. 25), with the result that "tho' some of those Plays that Batterton Acted were Historical, and consequently highly irregular, yet they never fail'd to please" (p. 26). Sullen adds: Well, this lucky hit of Batterton's put D. Lane in a non-plus! Shakespear's Ghost was rais'd at the New-house, and he seem'd to inhabit it for ever: What's to be done then? Oh, says Rich I'll pray as well as he-What? Shall a Heathen Player have more Religion than a Lawyer? No, it shall never be said--with that Mr R@@ goes up to the Garret (a pair of Stairs higher than his own Apartment) and taking Ben Johnson's Picture with him, he implores. This work implies that Betterton presented Henry VIII in addition to I Henry IV and that Rich revived Volpone, The Alchymist, and The Silent Woman, which had, according to the author of this work, lain unacted for twenty years (p. 26)

Event Comment: John Dryden to Mrs Steward, 11 April 1700: Within this Moneth there will be played for my Profit, an old play of Fletcher s, called the Pilgrim, corrected by my good friend Mr Vanbrook; to which I have added A New Masque, & am to write a New Prologue & Epilogue. Southern s tragedy, called the Revolt of Capoua, will be played At Bettertons House within this fortnight. I am out with that Company, & therefore if I can help it, will not read it before tis Acted; though the Authour much disires I shou'd (The Letters of John Dryden, p. 136)

Event Comment: Post Man, 20-23 April 1700: On Saturday last two Gentlemen [according to the Post Boy, 23-25 April 1700, they were Captain Francis and Mr Squibb, of the Exchequer] quarrelled at the Play-house, and one of them was mortally wounded

Event Comment: Rich's Company. This play was apparently never published, and the performance is known only by an advance announcement: Post Boy, 30 May-1 June 1700: The History of Hengist, the Saxon King of Kent, which before was designed to be Acted this day [1 June 1700], for the benefit of Mr Johnson, is therefore deferr'd till Monday. London Post, 7-10 June 1700: This Week the Morocco Ambassador diverted himself thrice at the Play-house

Event Comment: Benefit for Widow of the late Mr William Hall, who formerly had the Consort of Musick at his House in Norfolk-street. At 8 p.m

Event Comment: For the entire Benefit of Mr Penkethman. Note, The Subscribers Tickets have free Admittance in any part of the House that Day' and during the whole Season. To begin exactly at half an Hour after 5, by reason the Gentlemen and Ladies that come from London may have time to return again the same Night. Boxes 2s. 6d. Pit 1s. 6d. Gallery 1s. [The opening, originally advertised for Monday 12, was deferred to this day.

Event Comment: In the same House, on a small Stage, will likewise be presented by Mr Maddox, The Droll of Bateman

Event Comment: Written by Mr Wycherley, Carefully Revis'd. [In Daily Courant, 6 Oct., dl had announced its opening had been delayed to finish the New Decorations of the House.

Event Comment: Original Weekly Journal, 21 Dec.: 'Tis Said Mr Cibber hath clear'd already by this Play near one thousand Pounds....Its observable the Play House has not been so Crowded for many Years, as since the Performance of this Play

Event Comment: Evening Post, 30 Aug.: Yesterday Mr Bullock, Master of the Play-House in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, was commanded to attend his Majesty at Hampton-Court, where he receiv'd Orders for his Company to perform several Plays for the Entertainment of His Majesty during his Stay there, in the Winter Season, and there is a magnificent Theatre erecting for that Purpose

Event Comment: Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 23 Sept.: Last Wednesday died the Celebrated Comedian, Mr Tho Dogget, formerly one of the Masters of the Play-House in Drury-Lane

Event Comment: Rich's Register: Dismiss'd at a very full House by reason Mrs Seymour wou'd not Act for the Benefit fo Mr Ch. M. Rich. Abt #200 in Money and Tickets. British Journal, 23 March: As they were performing...Mariamne...before a Crowded Audience, the Celebrated Mrs Seymour was suddenly taken ill, and the Money return'd to the Value of 150 Pounds

Event Comment: Benefit Boheme. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Receipts: money #63 16s. 6d.; tickets #81 4s. Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 6 April: The Report of Mr Boheme of the New Play-House leaving that Theatre to go to Drury-Lane is entirely groundless

Event Comment: By Their Royal Highnesses' Command. At Penkethman's Theatre. Mainpiece: Written by Shakespear. Afterpiece: a diverting Droll. Box Tickets at Penkethman's House in Richmond. Daily Post, 5 Sept.: Mr Penkethman...had the Honour to divert their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, with Entertainments of Acting and Tumbling perform'd to Admiration; Likewise with his Picture of the Royal Family, down from the King of Bohemia to the young Princesses, in which is seen the Nine Muses playing on their several Instruments, in Honour of that August Family. There were present Nobility, Gentry and Ladies upwards of 200

Event Comment: TThe King, Prince and Princess of Wales present. Universal Mercury, February 1726: Mr Handel had the Satisfaction of seeing an old Opera of his not only fill the House, which had not been done for a considerable time before, but People crowding so fast to it, that above 300 were turn'd away for want of room

Event Comment: Benefit Leveridge. Receipts: money #33 17s.; tickets #58 7s. Probable attendance: boxes, 66 by moeny and 106 by tickets; P1t, 69 by money and 167 by tickets; slips, 6 by money; first gallery, 33 by money and 68 by tickets; second gallery 13 by money. Weekly Journal or British Gazetteer, 15 April: Wednesday died Mr Diggs, a noted Actor at the New Play-House

Event Comment: [By Samuel Madden.] Receipts: #114 2s. 6d. Probable attendance: boxes, 146 paid and 16 orders; stage, 2 paid; pit, 287 paid and 1 order; slips, 62 paid; first gallery, 209 paid and 3 orders; second gallery, 170 paid. Preface to 1729 edition: Yet, with all its Faults, I did not think this Piece deserv'd so severe Treatment, as to be peremptorily refused, after the most earnest and early Sollicitations, at the Old House for two Winters together; which however, I have the less Reason to complain of, since Mr Rich's great Civility, and the agreeable Action of most of his Company, have prevailed on all the unprejudiced Part of the Town, to have every Day a better Opinion of this Piece

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not Acted these Nine Years. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. With the Original Songs set to Musick by Mr H. Purcell, and Scenes, Habits, and other Decorations proper to the Play. Afterpiece: [By Charles Coffey.] An Opera of one Act. N.B. By Reason of the Length of the Days, the Doors will be open'd till four o'Clock; the Play will begin exactly at Seven, and particular Care is taken to keep the House Cool. Printed Books of the Opera will be sold at the Theatre

Event Comment: By a Company under the Direction of Mr Aston. At the Front Long Room, next to the Opera-House in the Hay-Market. Price 2s. 6d. At 6 P.M. N.B. We perform henceforward on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays only