Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 28-30 April 1698, suggests a first performance in late March. The Songs, published separately, include: Come all ye shepherds, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Freeman. Let every shepherd bring his lass, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Magnus. Life is but a little span, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Young Bowin and Mrs Campion. Fond shepherd, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Pate. To pensive years resign your pining, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Young Bowen. Look down, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Pate. Dedication, edition of 1698: I have no Reason to complain of the Success it had on the Stage. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 20: Damn'd

Event Comment: Benefit Pullen and Mrs Pullen. Afterpiece: a Ballad Opera of Three Acts. [Author unknown.] This Opera, relating to the Affair of Father Girard with Miss Cadiere, &c. is entirely new, being a faithful Translation from the French Original, as it was forbid in Paris

Event Comment: GGarrick's performance was capital, the scenes where he particularly excelled were those with Cherry when he delivered Lady Howd'ye's message, and the picture scene with Mrs Sullen. Genest, IV, 33

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Elmy. Ladies are desired to send Servants to keep Places at 3 o'clock. Tickets and places to be had of Mrs Elmy at the corner of Tavistock St., in Southampton St., and of Hobson at the stage door. Cash receipts #63 6s., plus #74 6s. from tickets. Total #137 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Mr Delane dy'd Sun: ye 1st of Ap. (Cross). The Masque of Comus, design'd to be perform'd at Drury Lane Wednesday next, the 4th of Apl, for the Benefit of Mrs Foster, Granddaughter of Milton, and his only surviving descendant, is, by particular desire of several persons of Quality, on account of Handel's Oratorio deferr'd till Thursday the 5th instant (General Advertiser). Receipts. #150 (Cross); charges #63 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: At ye end of ye play, a voice call'd out to Shuter; Perriwinkle --which he answer'd--what do you want? this set ye Audience in such a roar, that they insisted upon his giving out ye play, wch he did with great Applause, this wch wou'd have been call'd Impudence in another was look'd upon, in him, as Humour; so rising he is in opinion (Cross). Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benfit for Master Moor, Berrisford, Palmer, Broad (Cross). Mainpiece: Not acted this season. Receipts: #260 (Cross)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 12-16 Dec. 1695, suggests that it was probably first acted not later than November 1695. The edition of 1696 mentions two songs and their performers: A lass there lives upon the green, the words by an unknown hand, set by Courteville, and sung by the Boy to Miss Cross; and Bright Cynthia's pow'r divinely great, words by Mr Cheek, set by Courtevill, sung by Leveridge. These two songs are also in Deliciae Musicae, The Fourth Book, 1696, as is a third, Celemene, pray tell me, set by Henry Purcell and sung by the Boy and Girl. The words were written by D'Urfey; and the Boy presumably was Bowen, and the Girl, Miss Cross. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XXI (1917), v-vi. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 19: Sullen: Oronooko. Ramble: Oh! the Favourite of the Ladies. Sullen: It had indeed uncommon Success, and the Quality of both Sexes were very kind to the Play, and to the Poet: No doubt it has Merit, particularly the last Scene; but 'tis as certain, that the Comick Part is below that Author's usual Genius. Ramble: I have a particular regard for Mr Southern's Stile and agreeable Manner; there's a Spirit of Conversation in every thing he writes. Sullen: I think very few exceed him in the Dialogue; his Gallantry is natural, and after the real manner of the Town; his acquaintance with the best Company entered him into the secrets of their Intrigues, and no Man knew better the Way and Disposition of Mankind. But yet I must say, his Diction is commonly the best part of him, especially in Comedy; but in Tragedy he has once in this, and in one other, Drawn the Passions very well

Event Comment: Benefit Mr and Mrs Davenport. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality and Distinction

Event Comment: By particular Desire. Receipts: #101 14s. 6d. (Account Book); #100 (Rylands MS.). [Mrs Porter again received #20 for her performance.

Event Comment: fterpiece]: A Masque by Mr Dodsley. Went off Toll (Cross). New Dresses, Scenes, Decorations, &c. Music compos'd by Mr Arne. Nothing under Full prices will be taken. [Customary note for all subsequent performances this season. Will not be repeated.] Receipts: #170 (Cross); #161 19s. (Powel)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: As written by Shakespeare. Mossop did Macbeth-diff-much hissing when given out again (Cross). [+Taste published at 1s., by Foote, with Prologue by Garrick.] Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMrs Cowper did Sylvia, for her first appearance here (she came from Bath, Richmond &c.)-Toll. Afterpiece as originally perform'd (Cross) [i.e., without the burlesque scenes of The Fair (see 6 Nov. 1752).] This piece [Harlequin Ranger] was now acted as originally written. It is surprising that Mr Garrick should be the first to introduce Pantomime Entertainments (this season) especially as his own universal talents are seconded by a good company of performers. We suppose he does it to gratify the taste of the town; but such Smithfield exhibitions should certainly be banish'd from all regular theatres; and as Mr Woodward is an excellent comedian, it would be more eligible in him if he chuses to wear the motley dress any more to appear in the character of a speaking Harlequin, after the manner of the Italian Comedy; and indeed it is not a little surprising that nothing of this kind has yet been admitted upon our stage (Gentleman's Magazine, Oct., p. 493, from Grays' Inn Journal, 13 Oct. 1753.). Receipts: #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: Written by Mr Whitehead, author of the Roman Father. (Great applause) (Cross). Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Tickets deliver'd by Mrs James will be taken. For ye Benefit of Mrs James, tho' her name was not put up, who is going to leave the Stage, and retire as said to a Nunnery. Mr Macklin's Oratory open'd at his house in ye Piazza (Cross). Public Advertiser 22 Nov.: At Macklin's Great Room in Hart St. Covent Garden this day...will be opened The British Inquisition. This Inquisition is upon the plan of the ancient Greek, Roman and modern French, Italian Societies@of@liberal@investigation...&c. First lecture to be on Hamlet. [See Mackliniana (2 Vols. Folger Shakespeare Library) MS notes by Isaac Reed, from the Public Advertiser, 22 Nov. Macklin's lecture series was repeated on 23, 28 Nov., 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 26, 28 Dec.] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMrs Macklin dy'd (Cross). The Rout deferred by indisposition of a principal performer. Receipts: #140 (Cross); #132 15s. 6d. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: Benefit for Scrase, Mozeen, Ackman, Harrison. Afterpiece: A new farce written by Mr Mozeen (Indiff) (Cross). Ellis Ackman, Henry Scrase, Harrison, Thomas Mozeen advertised the above new piece for their benefit performance being founded on fact (Winston MS 8). Receipts: #170 Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted in 25 years (playbill); went off very well (Cross). Receipts: #160 (Cross). High Life Below Stairs published (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: By Particular Desire. Mrs Stephens 1st appearance at dl. For King of Denmark

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Barry. Part of Pit laid together with Boxes. Send servants at half past Four

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Watts. Mainpiece: Written by Mrs Centlivre; Not acted these 40 years [not acted since 27 Apr. 1731, at Goodman's Fields]. Prologue written by a Gentleman [unidentified; printed in Town and Country Magazine, Apr. 1784, p. 214. The playbill for this performance is as printed in Morning Chronicle, 8 Mar. Gazetteer, 8 Mar., assigns Captain Constant to Reynolds, Laura to Miss Beaufield, Maria to Mrs Green, Belinda to Miss Johnson]. The Doors to be opened at 5:00. To begin at 6:30. Tickets to be had of Connolly, at the King's Head Tavern, Fenchurch-street; of Watts, No. 2, Upper James-street, Golden-square

Event Comment: By Permission of the Right Hon. the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Mrs Pinto, formerly Miss Brett [recte Brent]. Afterpiece: With an additional scene, written by the author of the farce [Isaac Jackman], never performed in London. The Doors to be opened at 5:00. To begin precisely at 6:30. Tickets to be had of Mrs Pinto at Mrs Golden's, milliner, Blackmoor-street, Clare-market

Event Comment: Christopher Rich's Company. The date of this revival is not certain. Apparently the revival was in preparation before the division of the company, but the publication of the Songs in 1695 confines the production to the period between mid-April and the late autumn. For the opera, see The Works of John Dryden, Vol. VIII: The Plays, edited by John Harrington Smith and Dougald MacMillan (Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1692), pp. 325-30; Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theatre, Chapter VI;and Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, Vol. XIX. The Songs (1695), the music by Henry Purcell, lists the following pieces and singers: I, Wake, wake, Quivera, sung by Freeman. I, Why shou'd men quarrel, sung by The Boy, with Flutes. Their looks are such that mercy flows, sung by Freeman. II, I come to sing, sung by Freeman. Scorn'd Envy here's nothing, sung by Freeman. Begone, curst Feinds of Hell, sung by Freeman. III, Ah, how happy we are, sung by Freeman and Church. I attempt from Love's sickness to fly, sung by Mrs Cross. IV, They tell us that you mighty powers above, sung by Mrs Cross. In addition, other parts of the opera appeared elsewhere: Act V, a Masque, set by Daniel Purcell, O Bless the Genial Bed with chast delights, in Deliciae Musicae, First Book of the Second Volume, 1696. [The others, since they do not name the performers, are omitted here.

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Flying Post, 29-31 March 1698, suggests that the first performance probably occurred in late February or very early in March. One song, Though over all mankind, the music by Leveridge and sung by Mrs Lindsey, was published in A Second Book of Songs with a Through Bass, 1699