Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: So anon abroad with Creed walked to Bartholomew Fayre, this being the last day, and there saw the best dancing on the ropes that I think I ever saw in my life, and so all say

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: Thence after dinner to a play, to see The Generall; which is so dull and so ill-acted, that I think it is the worst I ever saw or heard in all my days. I happened to sit near to Sir Charles Sidly; who I find a very witty man, and he did at every line take notice of the dullness of the poet and badness of the action, that most pertinently; which I was mightily taken with; and among others where by Altemire's command Clarimont, the Generall, is commanded to rescue his Rivall, whom she loved, Lucidor, he, after a great deal of demurre, broke out, "Well, I'le save my Rivall and make her confess, that I deserve, while he do but possesse." "Why, what, pox," says Sir Charles Sydly, "would he have him have more, or what is there more to be had of a woman than the possessing her?" Thence...vexed at my losing my time and above 20s. in money, and neglecting my business to see so bad a play

Event Comment: The Kings' Company. The play was probably acted through 11 Oct. Pepys, Diary, 4 Oct.: To-morrow they told us should be acted, or the day after, a new play, called The Parson's Dreame, acted all by women

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: Luellin...tells me what a bawdy loose play this Parson's Wedding is, that is acted by nothing but women at the King's house, and I am glad of it

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: My wife not being come home from my Lady Jemimah, with whom she had been at a play and at court to-day

Event Comment: The Lord Mayor's Show. London Intelligencer, 31 Oct.: London, Octob. 29. This day the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of the City of London (Sir John Lawrence) was sworn into the said Office...After which...he return'd into the City, where the Solemnity of the day was perform'd with great Magnificence and in exceldent Order. Evelyn, Diary: Was the most magnificent triumph by Water & Land of the Ld: Major

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Downes' comments (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 33) probably refer to a later production. This play is also on Herbert's list, Dramatic Records, p. 138. Pepys, Diary: With my wife to tne Duke's house to a play, Macbeth, a pretty good play, but admirably acted

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: With my wife and Mercer to the Duke's house, and there saw The Rivalls, which I had seen before; but the play not good, nor anything but the good acting of Betterton and his wife and Harris

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: Alone to the Kings' house, to a play, The Traytor, where, unfortunately, I met with Sir W. Pen, so that I must be forced to confess it to my wife, which troubles me. Thence walked home, being ill-satisfied with the present actings of the House, and prefer the other House before this infinitely

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: With my wife to the King's house, there to see Vulpone, a most excellent play; the best I think I ever saw, and well acted

Event Comment: John Evelyn, writing to Viscount Cornbury this day, protested the frequency of theatrical performances during the Lenten "Indiction" after hearing that there was to be "no Lent indicted this year." He wondered if Fridays and Saturdays could not be spared from the licentiousness of plays. (See Diary and Correspondence, ed. Bray III, 150-52.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: With Creed, my wife, and Mercer to a play at the Duke's, of my Lord Orrery's, called Mustapha, which being not good, made Betterton's part and Ianthe's but ordinary too, so that we were not contented with it at all...All the pleasure of the play was, the King and my Lady Castlemayne wer there; and pretty witty Nell Gwin?, at the King's house, and the younger Rebecca? Marshall sat next us; which pleased me mightily. Downes (p. 26): All the Parts being new Cloath's with new Scenes, Sir William's great Care of having it perfect and exactly perform'd, it produc'd to himself and Company vast Profit

Event Comment: Evelyn, Diary: In the afternoone saw acted Mustapha a Tragedy written by the E. of Orary

Event Comment: See Boswell, Restoration Court Stage, pp. 22-56. Pepys, Diary: This night I am told the first play is played in White Hall noon-hall, which is now turned to a house of playing. I had a great mind, but could not go to see it

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the King's playhouse, all alone, and saw Love's Maistresse. Some pretty things and good variety in it, but no or little fancy in it

Event Comment: [Pepys, Diary: After dinner we walked to the King's play-house, all in dirt, they being altering of the stage to make it wider. But God knows when they will begin to act again; but my business here was to see the inside of the stage and all the tiring-rooms and machines; and, indeed, it was a sight worthy seeing. But to see their clothes, and the various sorts, and what a mixture of things there was; here a wooden-leg, there a ruff, here a hobby-horse, there a crown, would make a man split himself to see with laughing; and particularly Lacy's wardrobe, and Shotrell's. But then again, to think how fine they show on the stage by candlelight, and how poor things they are to look now too near hand, is not pleasant at all. The machines are fine, and the paintings very pretty

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: I with my wife, Knipp, and Mercer, by coach to Moorefields, and there saw Polichinello, which pleases me mightily

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary And so back to Moorfields, and shewed Batelier, with my wife, Polichinello, which I like the more I see it

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: Sir W. Pen and my wife and Mercer and I to Polichinelly, but were there horribly frighted to see Young Killigrew come in with a great many more young sparks; but we hid ourselves, so as we think they did not see us. By and by they went away, and then we were at rest again; and so, the play being done

Event Comment: Rugge's Diurnal, BM Add. Mss. 10117, folio 179: Acted at Whitehall atcourt a play witt wt'out mony before King and nobility. Pepys, Diary, 15 Oct.: But she [Lady Carteret] cries out of the vices of the Court, and how they are going to set up plays already; and how, the next day after the late great fast, the Duchesse of York did give the King and Queene a play. Nay, she told me that they nave heretofore had plays at court the very nights before the fast for the death of the late King [i.e., on the night preceding 30 Jan.]

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: [Mrs Knipp] told us they begin at both houses to act on Monday [29] next. But I fear, after all this sorrow, their pains will be but little. Mrs Williams says, the Duke's house will now be much the better of the two, because of their women; which I am glad to hear

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Boswell (Restoration Court Stage, p. 282) thinks that this play given on the L. C. lists--see Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 346--between 29 Oct. and 6 Nov., may have been acted on this day. See also an order for supplies for the comedians acting at court in Alwin Thaler, Shakespear to Sheridan, p. 290. Pepys, Diary: I to White Hall, where I staid walking up and down till night, and then got almost into the playhouse, having much mind to go and see the play at Court this night; but fearing how I should get nome, because of the bonefires and the lateness of the night to get a coach, I did not stay

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: [Mrs Knipp] tells me how Smith, of the Duke's house, hath killed a man upon a quarrel in play; which makes every body sorry, he being a good actor, and, they say, a good man, however this happens. The ladies of the Court do much bemoan him, she says

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: To church, it being thanksgiving-day for the cessation of the plague; but, Lord! how the towne do say that it is hastened before the plague is quite over, there dying some people still, but only to get ground for plays to be publickly acted, which the bishops would not suffer till the plague was over; and one would thinke so, by the suddenness of the notice given of the day, which was last Sunday, and the little ceremony

Event Comment: Henry Muddiman, 29 Nov. 1666: The Players have upon great proffers of disposing a large share to charitable uses prevailed to have liberty to act at Both Houses, which they begin this day (CSPD, Charles II, clxxcii, 6, in Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 250). A manuscript prologue for the opening of the theatre in Bridges Street is in J. Payne Collier's MS Restoration Stage History, Part I, p. 106, in the Houghton Library, Harvard. The Diary of John Milward, Esq., ed. Caroline Robbins (Cambridge, 1938), p. 49: This day at my coming to the House [of Commons] it moved that plays might be tolerated and acted in the common theatres, and whether any members of the House of Commons should be admitted to go to acts of the playhouses, but it was not resolved