Event Comment: Luttrell, A Brief Relation: The 18th, upon the water before Whitehall, in a great barge, was performed an exercise of musick, vocall and instrumental, by the kings musick (I, 445). B. M. Sloane MS 3929, newsletter, 23 June 1688: on Monday night a great performance was upon the water of Vocal and Instrumental Musique in a Barge borrowed from one of the Companies of London stuck around with lighted fflambeaux, and many of the Nobility and Gentry invited thereto (transcribed by Professor John Harold Wilson). J. Pulver, A Biographical Dictionary of Old English Music (London, 1927), under John Abell: The Barge was decorated and illuminated by numerous torches....The performers, vocal and instrumental, amounted to one hundred and thirty....Nobility and company that was upon the water gave three shouts to express their joy and satisfaction; and all the gentlemen of the musick went to Mr Abell's house, which was nobly illuminated and honoured with the presence of a great Company of the nobility

Event Comment: The United Company. Rowland Davies, 13 June 1689: After dinner I went with Mr N. Lysaght and W. Jephson to see Circe acted at the Queen's Theatre, which was done to admiration, with better scenes than I could imagine (The Journal of the Very Rev. Rowland Davies, Camden Society, Vol. 68 [1856], 24)

Event Comment: The data in Langhans, New Restoration Theatre Accounts, pp. 130-31, leave the acting days uncertain. Between 13 May 1689 and 7 Dec. 1689 the company acted on 91 days. It then played regularly through 8 Feb. 1689@90, and acted on 83 days (out of a possible 84) between 10 Feb. and 7 June, on 8 days from 13 June through 4 July 1690. In Poems on Affairs of State= (Fifth Edition, 1703), I, ii, 238, is A Prologue spoken by Mr Mountfort, after he came from the Army, and Acted on the Stage (see also A. S. Borgman, The Life and Death of William Mountfort [Cambridge, Mass., 1935], p. 55). The date at which Mountfort spoke this Prologue is not certain, but he was certainly in London ca. Tuesday 15 Oct. 1689 when he was involved in a disagreement within the United Company. See L. C. 5@192, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 334n

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 2520, 2-6 Jan. 1689@90: These are to give notice, That the Consort of Musick (at Mr Hughs's, in Freemans Court in Cornhill near the Royal-Exchange) will be perform'd on Wednesday next, being the 8th instant, and so continue every Wednesday for the future, beginning between 7 and 8 of the Clock in the Evening

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 2542, 20-24 March 1689@90: The Annual Yorkshire Feast will be held the 27th instant at Merchant-Taylor's-Hall in Threadneedle-street; with a very splendid Entertainment of all sorts of Vocal and Instrumental Musick. D'Urfey (Wit and Mirth, I, 114-16): An Ode on the Assembly of the Nobility and Gentry of the City and County of York, at the Anniversary-Feast, March the 27th 1690. Set to Musick by Mr Henry Purcell, One of the finest Compositions he ever made, and cost 100l. the performing

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@151, p. 369. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 352. This appears to be a substitution for a previously scheduled performance of Amphitryon (Nicoll, p. 352). In L. C. 5@150, p. 74 (Nicoll, p. 357) is an order for a large looking glass to be provided for Sir Courtly Nice at this performance. In addition, there appears to have been a concert in honor of the Queen's birthday. See D'Urfey, Wit and Mirth, I, 62-64: An Ode on the Anniversary of the Queens-Birth. Set to Musick by Mr Henry Purcel, April 30th, 1690

Event Comment: London Gazette, No. 2599, 6-9 Oct. 1690: Mr Franck's Consort of Vocal and Instrumental Musick will be performed tomorrow, being Friday the 10th instant, at the Two Golden-Balls at the upper-end of Bow-Street, Covent-Garden, at 7 in the Evening, and next Wednesday at the Outropers-Office on the Royal Exchange, and will be continued all the ensuing Winter

Event Comment: A prologue entitled Haynes His Reformation Prologue, Spoke in Black (beginning Thus Cloath'd with shame, which is one step to Grace) was printed in 1692. Luttrell's date of acquisition is dated 2 Jan. 1691@2. This copy is in the possession of Mr. Louis Silver of Wilmette, Illinois, who has graciously permitted me to list it and the date

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@151, p. 369: ye Q a Box & a Box for ye Maids Honr K Arthur. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 352. Luttrell, A Brief Relation, II, 331: The queen and queen dowager went this evening to the play of Mr Dryden s opera. [See also the reference to this play under January 1691@2 above.

Event Comment: Gentleman's Journal, March 1691@2 (licensed 9 March 1691@2): And after Easter we are to have a New Opera; and Mr Dryden's Cleomenes very shortly

Event Comment: Gentleman's Journal, April 1692 (licensed 13 April): Mr Banks hath writ a Tragedy call'd the Innocent Usurper....However, there being some reasons which hinder it from appearing on the Stage, he designs to submit it to the Judgment of every Impartial Reader, and it will very speedily appear in print

Event Comment: Gentleman's Journal, October 1692: We are promised a Comedy by Mr Shadwell in a short time, and two or three new Plays after that

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is known from testimony in the trial of Charles Lord Mohun for the attack on William Mountfort on 9 Dec. 1692. The evidence given by Brereton at the trial stated: I had not seen my Lord Mohun for two or three days before this Fact was committed;...but the Friday before, the Play of Alexander the Great was Acted, and my Lord Mohun and I were talking of the Play, and he said it was a good Play, and he commended Mr Mountford's Acting extreamly (The Tryal of Charles Lord Mohun [London, 1693], p. 26)

Event Comment: The United Company. Writing on 3 Jan. 1692@3, Anthony Wood states: A new comedie composed by Mr Tate, poet laureat, was acted before their majesties, M. 2 Jan. (Andrew Clark, The Life and Times of Anthony Wood [Oxford, 1894], III, 413). Since no new play by Tate is known to have been acted at this time, and since A Duke and No Duke was reprinted in 1693 (Term Catalogues, May 1693), and acted several times (Gentleman's Journal, January 1692@2, issued in March):A Duke and no Duke being often acted now, and scarce, is reprinted, with the addition of a curious Preface, by our Laureat, concerning Farce. [Possibly Wood was mistaken in thinking that A Duke and no Duke was a new play. It seems the one most likely to fit the circumstances of this period.

Event Comment: Luttrell, A Brief Relation, III, 88, 2 May 1693: The queen went lately on board of Mr Shores pleasure boat against Whitehall, and heard a consort of musick, vocall and instrumental; it was built for entertainment, having 24 sash windows, and 4 banquetting houses on top

Event Comment: Newdigate newsletters, 2 Sept. 1693: On Thursday a person acting ye Jack pudding on a stage in Bartholomew fair Bantering upon ye Straits Expedition & return of the ffleet was taken into Custody (Folger Shakespeare Library, transcribed by Professor John Harold Wilson). Luttrell, A Brief Relation, III, 176, 2 Sept. 1693: A merry andrew in Bartholomew fair is committed for telling the mobb news that our fleet was come into Torbay, being forced in by some French privateers, and other words reflecting on the conduct of great ministers of state. Newdigate newsletters, 12 Sept. 1693: On Sunday [10 Sept.] Mr Percivall who kept a Booth during St Barthollomew fair was siezed near Charing cross upon ye acct of clipping being discovered by a young man (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 82). [See also Luttrell, A Brief Relation, III, 183, 205, 207, 212.

Event Comment: The United Company. According to the Gentleman's Journal, November 1693, this play was revived in the autumn: Mr Durfey's Richmond Heiress has been Revis'd, and Acted several times, with Alterations and Amendments. We are to have this Winter a Play by him call'd Don Quixote

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 2925, 20-23 Nov. 1693: In York-Buildings on Monday next being the 27th Instant, will begin Mr Fingers Consort of Musick, and so continue every Monday night, beginning exactly at 8 of the Clock

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 2926, 23-27 Nov. 1693: In Charles-street in Covent-Garden, on Thursday next the 30th Instant, will begin Mr Frank's Consort of Musick, and so continue every Thursday night, beginning exactly at Eight of the Clock

Event Comment: London Gazette, No. 2951, 19-22 Feb. 1693@4: In York-Buildings on Monday next, (being the 26th Instant) will be perform'd a new Consort of Vocal and Instrumental Musick, Composed by Mr Finger. Beginning at the usual Hour

Event Comment: London Gazette, No. 3134, 18-21 Nov. 1694: Mr Finger's Consort of Vocal and Instrumental Musick, will begin on Monday next, the 25th Instant, in York-Buildings, at the usual hour

Event Comment: Flying Post, 26-28 Dec. 1695: Mr William Smith, a Gentleman, belonging to the Theatre Royal, who had acquired a considerable Estate, and thereupon desisted from Acting, was prevailed upon by the New Play house to remount the Stage; but upon shifting his cloathes in the last New Play, took cold and died thereof this week. [See Cyrus the Great, 15 December.

Event Comment: Robert Shirley to Thomas Coke, Chartly, 21 Jan. 1695@6: I must agree with you that Wit and Sense seem this winter to have suffered an eclipse, and the dramatic writers more especially have showed how little they consulted either. I do assure you, I have not of late met with more of both than in your ingenious diverting letter to me, so that I am satisfied Wit is not retired out of town, but has only forsaken the stage. We that live in these northern parts are forced to range over fields and woods to find subjects of diversion, for in the frozen season of the year, there is nothing that is more so in the country than conversation. In my last ramble, either my own innate fancy, or the aversion I had to see such plays wrote in English as would hardly bear the reading, made me imagine I met with one of the Muses that had left the town, and by her discourse seemed to be Patroness of Dramatic Poetry. You know, Sir, to meet with a Nymph in the desert was no rarity in some countries heretofore, but yet I vow and swear between us, I asked her the occasion of her leaving the town, to which she made this sudden answer: @Neglected Wit is silent at a time@When puns, or bombast, stuff each doggrill rhyme.@In comic strain when they'd describe a fool,@The author proves the only ridicule.@In tragic verse while others fain would boast,@Landing some thousand Romans on the coast,@In what they would express themselves are lost,@Make Romans cowards, and make English great,@And make Bonduca valiant, to be beat.@Would Congreve or would Blackmoor now engage,@They might with manly thoughts reform the stage:@ ... As for Mr Southern's play, I have not yet seen it, so that I cannot at present give you my thoughts on it (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Part II, Cowper MSS., II, 359-60)