Event Comment: These pamphlets were printed in 1661. For further details of the affairs of the day, see Rugg's Diurnal, ed. Sachse, p. 175. See also Pepys

Event Comment: The Te Deum and Jubilate, For Voices and Instrumentals, Made for St Cecilia's Day, 1694, was published in 1697. The music was composed by Henry Purcell. See also 9 Dec. 1694

Event Comment: Being St. Cecilia's Day. Boxes half a guinea. Pit 5s. First Gallery 3s. Upper Gallery 2s. 6 p.m. Particular Care has been taken to have the House well-aired; and the Passage from the Fields to the House will be cover'd for better Conveniency

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. If the run of The Wits occurred as it is outlined above, this would presumably be the first day of Hamlet. Pepys, Diary: To the Opera, and there saw Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, done with scenes very well, but above all, Betterton did the prince's part beyond imagination. Downes (p. 21): The Tragedy of Hamlet: Hamlet being Perform'd by Mr Betterton, Sir William (having seen Mr Taylor of the Black-Fryars Company Act it, who being Instructed by the Author Mr Shakespear) taught Mr Betterton in every Particle of it; which by his exact Performance of it, gain'd him Esteem and Reputation, Superlative to all other Plays...No succeeding Tragedy for several Years got more Reputation, or Money to the Company than this

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary, 20 Oct.: Young Killigrew did so commend The Villaine, a new play made by Tom Porter, and acted only on Saturday at the Duke's house, as if there never had been any such play come upon the stage. The same yesterday was told me by Captain Ferrers; and this morning afterwards by Dr Clerke, who saw it. Downes, p. 23: Written by Major Thomas Porter; this Play by its being well perform'd, had Success extremly beyond the Company's Expectation....It Succeeded 10 Days with a full House, to the last. [Downes especially praises Price. The edition of 1663 has a Prologue but no actors' names and no epilogue.

Event Comment: [The Duke's Company. For Harris' role, see Pepys, 11 May 1668. For Angel as Stephano, see An Elegy Upon...Mr Edward Angell, reprinted in A Little Ark, pp. 38-39: @Who shall play Stephano now? your Tempest's gone@To raise new Storms i' th' hearts of every one.@ For Underhill as Trincalo, note his nickname of Prince Trincalo. (For Mary Davis as Ariel and Mrs Long as Hypolito, see J. H. Wilson, All the King's Ladies, pp. 140, 166.) Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 33): The Tempest...Acted in Lincolns-Inn-Fields...alter'd by Sir William Davenant and Mr Dryden before 'twas made into an Opera. Pepys, Diary: At noon resolved with Sir W. Pen to go see The Tempest, an old play of Shakespeare's, acted, I hear, the first day; and so my wife, and girl, and W. Hewer by themselves, and Sir W. Pen and I afterwards by ourselves; and forced to sit in the side balcone over against the musique-room at the Duke's house, close by my Lady Dorset and a great many great ones. The house mighty full; the King and Court there: and the most innocent play that ever I saw; and a curious piece of musique in an echo of half sentences, the echo repeating the former half, while the man goes on the latter, which is mighty pretty. The play [has] no great wit, but yet good, above ordinary plays. Thence home with Sir W. Pen, and there all mightily pleased with the play

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the entry of this play in the Term Catalogues for November 1680 suggests a first offering in September or October 1680. The music for the play was composed by Henry Purcell, his first (according to Downes composing for the stage. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 38) gives a shortened cast and adds: All the Parts in't being perfectly perform'd, with several Entertainments of Singing; Compos'd by the Famous Master Mr Henry Purcell, (being the first he e'er Compos'd for the Stage) made it a living and Gainful Play to the Company: The Court; especially the Ladies, by their daily charming presence, gave it great Encouragement. Dedication, Edition of 1680: The Reputation that this Play received on the Stage, some few Errors excepted, was more than I could well hope from so Censorious an Age....You [the Duchess of Richmond] brought her Royal Highness just at the exigent Time, whose single Presence on the Poet's day is a Subsistence for him all the Years after. A song, Hail to the myrtle shade, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Third Book (dated 2 Nov. 1680)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but as the play was entered in the Term Catalogues, November 1681, it was probably first given in September, certainly not later than October. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 38-39): Being a kind of Opera, having several Machines of Flyings for the Witches, and other Diverting Contrivances in't: All being well perform'd, it prov'd beyond Expectation; very Beneficial to the Poet and Actors. Edition of 1682, To the Reader: I heard that great opposition was design'd against the Play (a month before it was acted)...The Master of the Revels (who I must confess used me civilly enough) Licenc'd it at first with little alteration: But there came such an Alarm to him...that upon a Review, he expunged all that you see differently Printed, except about a dozen lines which he struck out at the first reading....I had so numerous an assembly of the best sort of men, who stood so generously in my defence, for the first three days, that they quash'd all the vain attempts of my Enemies, the Inconsiderable Party of Hissers yielded, and the Play lived in spight of them

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is uncertain, but the fact that Luttrell dated his separately printed copies of the Prologue and Epilogue 5 April 1682 (Huntington Library) sets a probability that the play first appeared within a week to ten days preceding that date. The Prologue and Epilogue, separately printed, have been reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 89-91. A Prologue Intended for Vertue Bertray'd, by Thomas Shadwell, is reprinted in Welbeck Niscellany 3, A Collection of Poems by Several Hands, ed. Francis Needham, 1934. Some details in it suggest the "Dead Time" preceding Easter, when the Court was gone, the Russian ambassador departed, the Moroccan Ambassador shortly to go. The Russian ambassador left on 15 Feb. 1681@2 OS (see Evelyn, Diary), and the Prologue refers to the execution of Colonel Vratz and his accomplices on 10 March 1681@2 (Evelyn, Diary)

Event Comment: The United Company. Newdigate newsletters, 28 Nov. 1682: This day was Acted a new play called the Duke of Guise by Mr Dryden it was formerly forbidd as reflecting upon the D of Monmouth but by ye supplication of ye Author its now allowed to be acted (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 81). The Prologue and Epilogue, separately printed, bear Luttrell's date of acquisition (Huntington Library) as 4 Dec. 1682, but above this date Luttrell has written: "30 Nov." The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 149-52. Dedication, Edition of 1683: In the Representation itself, it was persecuted with so notorious Malice by one side, that it secur'd us the Partiality of the other. In a report from the Abbe Rouchi, in London, 14 Dec. 1682, it is stated that the Duke of Guise was acted three times (Campana de Cavelli, Les Derniers Stuarts [Paris and London, 1871], I, 398). One song, Tell me Thyrsis all your anguish, with music by Captain Pack, is in the edition of 1683 and also in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Fourth Book, 1683

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: For the Encouragement of the Comedians Acting in the Hay-Market, and to enable them to keep the Diversion of Plays under a separate Interest from the Opera. By Subscription. The Boxes to be open'd to the Pit, and none to be admitted but by the Subscription Tickets. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. [Cibber (II, 4-5) states that each subscriber received three tickets for the first day of each of three plays offered by subscription for a payment of three guineas.

Event Comment: [In Daily Courant, 8 Dec., Virtue Betrayed had been announced for this day.

Event Comment: [In Daily Courant, 4 Sept., The Heir of Morocco had been announced for this day.] The Playhouse in Little-Lincoln's-Inn-Fields is to be Let for a Tennis-Court, or for any other use, (except a Playhouse). Enquire of Mr John Hall next Door to the Sign of the Angel in Little-Russell street

Event Comment: [In Daily Courant, 13 Nov., I Henry IV had been announced for this day.

Event Comment: The Boxes will be laid open to the Pit for this Day. Tickets 3s

Event Comment: Original Weekly Journal, 21 Nov., announces forthcoming plays: Southern's Spartan Dame in a few days, then Steele's The Gentleman, shortly afterwards

Event Comment: Mainpiece: The Tragedy of King Richard the Second is to be had this Day at the Theatre. Afterpiece: With all the Scenes, Machines, Flyings, and other Decorations. Receipts: #86 9s

Event Comment: At the Request of several Persons of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by the late Mr Addison. Receipts: #30 14s. 6d. [In Daily Courant, 5 Oct., The Orphan had been announced for this day.

Event Comment: Written by Shakespear. Receipts: #37 2s. 6d. [In Daily Post, 20 Sept., King Lear had been advertised for this day.

Event Comment: By a Company of Comedians from the Hay-Market. At the Great Theatrical Tyl'd Booth, during the four Days of Black-heath Fair. From 1 P.M. to 10 P.M

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Giffard. At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Afterpiece: A new Entertainment in Grotesque and Scotch Characters. With new Scenes, Machines, Flyings, and Sinkings, and other Decorations. Tickets for King Lear taken this Day

Event Comment: Receipts: #31 16s. London Evening Post, 9 Jan.: Mr Rich...having sprain'd his Foot, is so well recover'd, that its hoped he will be able to perform in a few Days

Event Comment: DDaily Advertiser, 22 Jan.: Mr Giffard...gave a handsome Entertainment and a Concert of Musick to the Company of Comedians [at gf] on occasion of his Royal Highness's Birth-Day; also a Bonfire, and a large Quantity of Liquor to the Populace