Event Comment: [Young Gentleman identified by Hopkins MS Notes. See also 28 Oct.

Event Comment: [The Gentleman in the mainpiece under the pseudonym of Melmoth was the voluminous writer Samuel Jackson Pratt. Identification by Hopkins MS Notes. He had acted first in Dublin, 1772-73.

Event Comment: [Mrs Vernon is identified in Oracle, 31 Jan. Author of Address unknown.] Receipts: #227 2s. (222.9; 4.13)

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer. The Absent Man published at 1s. [During the Easter Week holidays the text of the afterpiece had been changed. The advance bill in the Public Advertiser (31 March) notes "With Additions" and omits Mrs Hopkins from the list of characters.

Event Comment: "When Brabantio speaks to Iago and Roderigo from the Window, Aickin should not show to the audience that he stands upon a Ladder, which he manifestly does, by getting down first, and pulling the Window down after him ... Mrs Ward and Mrs Hopkins seemed to have forgot their Engagement on the Stage, and dressed themselves for a Card Party ... frizzed, hooped and fly-capp'd" (Public Advertiser, 4 Oct.). [Afterpiece: Prologue by George Colman, the elder.] Receipts: #152 0s. 6d. (107/7/0; 44/11/0; 0/2/6)

Event Comment: The United Company. There is uncertainty concerning this date; it appears on Luttrell's copy (Huntington Library) of the separately printed Prologue and Epilogue, and the date may represent the time of his purchase rather than a date of performance. The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 141-45. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 39-40): All the preceding Plays, being the chief that were Acted in Dorset-Garden, from November 1671, to the Year 1682; at which time the Patentees of each Company United Patents; and by so Incorporating the Duke's Company were made the King's Company, and immediately remov'd to the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane. Upon this Union, Mr Hart being the Heart of the Company under Mr Killigrew's Patent never Acted more, by reason of his Malady; being Afflicted with the Stone and Gravel, of which he Dy'd some time after: Having a Sallary of 40 Shillings a Week to the Day of his Death. But the Remnant of that Company; as, Major Mohun, Mr Cartwright, Mr Kynaston, Mr Griffin, Mr Goodman, Mr Duke Watson, Mr Powel, Sr, Mr Wiltshire, Mrs Corey, Mrs Bowtell, Mrs Cook, Mrs Montfort. [Joined the new company]. Note, now Mr Monfort and Mr Carlile, were grown to the Maturity of good Actors. The mixt Company then Reviv'd the several old and Modern Plays, that were the Propriety of Mr Killigrew, as Rule a Wife, and have a Wife: Mr Betterton Acting Michael Perez; Don Leon, Mr Smith, Cacofogo, Mr Cartwright: Margaretta, Mrs Barry: Estiphania, Mrs Cook. Next, @The Scornful Lady.@The Plain Dealer.@The Mock Astrologer.@The Jovial Crew.@The Beggars Bush.@Bartholomew-Fair.@The Moor of Venice.@Rollo.@The Humorous Lieutenant.@The Double Marriage.@ With divers others. George Powell, Preface to The Treacherous Brothers (1690): The Time was, upon the uniting of the Two Theatres, that the Reviveing of the old stock of Plays, so ingrost the study of the House, that the Poets lay dorment; and a new Play cou'd hardly get admittance, amongst the more precious pieces of Antiquity, that then waited to walk the Stage. Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, I, 95-96): I shall content myself with telling you that Mohun and Hart now growing old [for, above thirty Years before this Time, they had severally born the King's Commission of Major and Captain in the Civil Wars), and the younger Actors, as Goodman, Clark, and others, being impatient to get into their Parts, and growing intractable, the Audiences too of both Houses then falling off, the Patentees of each, by the King's Advice, which perhaps amounted to a Command, united their Interests and both Companies into one, exclusive of all others in the Year 1682. This Union was, however, so much in favour of the Duke's Company, that Hart left the Stage upon it, and Mohun survived not long after

Event Comment: The United Company. Newdigate newsletters, 20 Jan. 1682@3: Yesterday was acted at the Theatre Royall the first of a new play Entituled the City Politiques the novelty of wch drew a Confluence of Spectators under both Qualifications of Whigg and Tory to hear and behold a Ld Mayor Sheriffs & some Aldermen with their wives in yr usuall formalityes buffoond & Reviled a great Lawyer with his young Lady Jeared and Intreagued Dr Oates pfectly represented berogued & beslaved the papist plott Egregiously Rediculed the Irish Testemonyes Contradictiorily disproved & befoold the Whiggs totally vanquished & undon Law & property men oreruld & there wanted nothing of Artifice in behaviour and discourse to render all those obnoxious & dispised in fine such a medly of occurences intervened that twas a question whether more of Loyalty designe or Rhetorique prvailed but there were mighty clappings among the poeple of both partyes in Expressing either their sattisfaction or displeasure (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 81). The Prologue and Epilogue, separately Printed, have 20 Jan. 1682@3 as Luttrell's date of acquisition (Huntington Library) and are reprinted in Wiley's Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 166-69. John Dennis, To Mr --- In which are some Passages of the Life of Mr John Crown, Author of Sir Courtly Nice, June 23, 1719: About that time he writ The City Politicks, on purpose to Satyrize and expose the Whigs; a Comedy so agreeable, that it deserv'd to be writ in a much better Cause: But after he had writ he met with very great Difficulties in the getting it acted. Bennet Lord Arlington, who was then Lord Chamberlain of the King's Houshold, and who had secretly espous'd the Whigs, who were at that time powerful in Parliament, in order to support himself against the Favour and Power of the Lord Treasurer Danby, who was his declared Enemy, us'd all his Authority to suppress it. One While it was prohibited on the account of its being Dangerous, another while it was laid aside on the pretence of its being Falt and Insipid; till Mr Crown at last was forc'd to have Recourse to the king himself, and to engage him to give his absolute Command to the Lord Chamberlain for the acting of it; which Command the King was Pleas'd to give in his own Person (I, 49-50). Morrice Entry Book, Vol.1 1682@3: Mr Crowne [was cudgled on Wednesday last in St Martin's Lane and] hee that beat him said hee did it at the suite of the Earle of Rochester some time since deceased who greatly abused in the play for his penetency &c. (p. 353. I owe this note to the courtesy of Professor David M. Vieth of the University of Kansas and Professor G. H. Jones of Kansas State University)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. That this day was the premiere is implied by the Post Boy, 6-9 July 1700: This Day at the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane, will be presented a New Comedy, never Acted before, called Courtship Alamode. Preface, Edition of 1700: This Play was so long expected e're it came into the World, that I'm oblig'd in Justice to my self, to excuse its appearance at at time when there were scarce Witnesses in Town of its Birth. It was enter'd in the other House [lif], where Mr Betterton did me all the Justice I cou'd indeed reasonably hope for. But that Example he gave, was not it seems to be follow'd by the whole Company, since 'tis known that Mr Bowman (I mention his Name to keep the reflection from other sharers) kept the first Character of my Play six weeks, and then cou'd hardly read six lines on't. How far that Way of management makes of late for the Interest and Honour of that House, is easie to be judg'd. Some who valu'd their reputations more, were indeed rarely or never absent. To these I gave my thanks; but finding that six or seven people cou'd not perform what was design'd for fifteen, I was oblig'd to remove it after so many sham Rehearsals, and in two days it got footing upon the other Stage [dl]. Where twas immediately cast to the best Advantage, and Plaid in less than twenty days. [In the Dedication Penkethman states that he saw the play into print after its being received well by the town.] A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1700), pp. 104-5: Ramble: Courtship Alamode, the Author, one Crawford, a Caledonian. Sullen: I remember it, and its Adventures; it was enter'd into the New-House, at the Recommendation of a certain Scotch Lord, and sojourning there six Months to no purpose, it travell'd afterwards to the Old-House, where it was with much ado Acted. Ramble: And Damn'd-there I was in with you

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, p. 68: The King and Queene & a Box for ye Maydes of Honor at the Opera. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350, and 1 Jan. 1684@5. The opera was certainly given on 3 June, probably on 10 June, and probably on 13 June, the day that the news of the Duke of Monmouth's landing reached London; as Downes states that it was acted six times, there were three additional performances between 3 and 13 June 1685. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 40): In Anno 1685. The Opera of Albion and Albanius was perform'd; wrote by Mr Dryden, and Compos'd by Monsieur Grabue: This being perform'd on a very Unlucky Day, being the Day the Duke of Monmouth, Landed in the West: The Nation being in a great Consternation, it was perform'd but Six times, which not Answering half the Charge they were at, Involv'd the Company very much in Debt. Roger North: The first full opera that was made and prepared for the stage, was the Albanio of Mr Grabue, in English, but of a French genius. It is printed in full score, but proved the ruin of the poor man, for the King's death supplanted all his hopes, and so it dyed (Roger North on Music, ed. John Wilson [London, 1959], p. 311). The Prologue and Epilogue, published separately, are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 244-46. The score and the libretto were published in 1687 (licensing date of 15 March 1686@7): Albion and Albanius; An Opera; Or, Representation in Musick. Set by Lewis Grabu, Esq; Master of His late Majesty's Musick

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but it very probably occurred not later than May 1691, as the play was advertised in the London Gazette, 4-8 June 1691. For discussions of it, see E. W. White, Early Performances of Purcell's Operas, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1958-59), 44-45, and R. E. Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theatre, Chapter III. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 42: King Arthur an Opera, wrote by Mr Dryden: it was Excellently Adorn'd with Scenes and Machines: The Musical Part set by Famous Mr Henry Purcel; and Dances made by Mr Jo. Priest: The Play and Musick pleas'd the Court and City, and being well perform'd, twas very Gainful to the Company. Roger North: I remember in Purcell's excellent opera of King Arthur, when Mrs Butler, in the person of Cupid, was to call up Genius, she had the liberty to turne her face to the scean, and ner back to the theater. She was in no concerne for her face, but sang a recitativo of calling towards the place where Genius was to rise, and performed it admirably, even beyond any thing I ever heard upon the English stage....And I could ascribe it to nothing so much as the liberty she had of concealing her face, which she could not endure should be so contorted as is necessary to sound well, before her gallants, or at least her envious sex. There was so much of admirable musick in that opera, that it's no wonder it's lost; for the English have no care of what's good, and therefore deserve it not (Roger North on Music, ed. John Wilson [London, 1959], p. 217-18)