Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the King's playhouse, where two acts were almost done when I come in; and there I sat with my cloak about my face, and saw the remainder of The Mayd's Tragedy; a good play, and well acted, especially by the younger Marshall, who is become a pretty good actor, and is the first play I have seen in either of the houses since before the great plague, they having acted now about fourteen days publickly. But I was in Mighty pain lest I should be seen by any body to be at a play. Elegy on that Worthy and Famous Actor, Mr Charles Hart, who departed this Life Thursday August the 18th., 1683: @Such Pow'r He had o'r the Spectators gain'd,@As forc'd a Real passion from a Feign'd.@For when they saw Amintor bleed, straight all@The House, for every Drop, a Tear let fall;@And when Arbaces wept by sympathy,@A glowing Tide of Wo gush'd from each Eye.@ [Reprinted in Thorn-Drury, A Little Ark, pp. 47ff; Sprague, Beaumont and Fletcher, p.38.

Event Comment: [In Daily Courant, 6 Jan., Love for Love had been announced for this day.

Event Comment: [In Daily Courant, 9 Dec., The British Enchanters had been announced for this day.

Event Comment: Benefit Betterton. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. To which will be added Three Designsv, Representing the Three Principal Actions of the Play, in Imitation of so many great Pieces of History Painting, where all the real Persons concern'd in those Actions will be plac'd at proper distances, in different Postures peculiar to the Passion of each Character. In his Apology (I, 117-18) Cibber said that Betterton...when being suddenly seiz'd by the Gout,...submitted, by extraordinary Applications, to have his Foot so far reliev'd that he might be able to walk on the Stage in a Slipper, rather than wholly disappoint his Audience. He was observ'd that Day to have exerted a more than ordinary Spirit, and met with suitable Applause

Event Comment: [In Daily Courant, 15 April, a new play, The Force of Friendship, had been announced for this day.

Event Comment: For the Entertainment of Esquire Bickerstaff, who will honour Mr Penkethman with his Presence. These Performances will be done between the 1st and 4th Act, by reason Esquire Bickerstaff is oblig'd to be gone when the 3d Act is over. Altho' Mr Penkethman is at an Extraordinary Charge for these Entertainments, besides the Play, yet to oblige his Friends he lets 'em in at Common Prices [as 7 Aug.]. Note, No Subscribers Tickets will pass this Day

Event Comment: [In Daily Courant, 23 March, The Recruiting Officer had been advertised for this day.

Event Comment: In Daily Post, 4 Nov., The Fair Quaker had been advertised for this day

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Alter'd from Shakespear by the late Mr Betterton. [In Daily Post, 8 Sept., The Spanish Fryar had been announced for this day.

Event Comment: Benefit Boman and Rogers. [Barton Booth died on this day.

Event Comment: Benefit the Author. Afterpiece: From L'Amour Medicin of Moliere. A new Comedy in one Act. [Apparently not published. Author unknown.] Author's tickets for DL, 2 April, taken this day at LIF

Event Comment: Benefit Poet Trapwit. By his own particular Desire. N.B. The Spectators are desir'd to take no Notice of the Tragedy, but attend very closely to the Comedy, there being several fresh Jokes new cloath'd at Second Hand for the Use of that Night. As there is little Hope of a great Demand of Tickets, or Places for that Evening, the Doors will be open'd by Six o'Clock in the Morning, and constant Attendance the whole Day given, for fear any Application shou'd be made for either. [The Daily Advertiser also carries a notice to the effect that "Copper-Plate Tickets representing the Murder of Common Sense" will be available.]

Event Comment: At Lee-Phillips Booth. 10 a.m. This performance is advertized in the London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 27 Aug., only, the last day of the Fair

Event Comment: 7 p. p.m. 5s. The Eighth Day. [Music by J. C. Smith Jr.

Event Comment: By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and the Princesses Amelia, Caroline, and Louisa. Rylands MS.: Duke &c attended. [Winston MS. lists Merchant of Venice, which had been advertised on the previous day's bill, but which was supplanted by this command performance.] Receipts: #80

Event Comment: Never acted there before [i.e., by this company]. Written by George, Duke of Buckingham. Mr Bayes' Troops have been on their March for some Days past from their last Encampment in Goodman's Fields; they march'd in good Order through the City without Beat of Drum, and were received at Lincoln's Inn Fields, where they have now pitch'd their Tents with great Acclamations of Joy by the Populace. We hear they will be re-enforced by some Auxiliaries from Covent-Garden; and we can assure the Publick, there will certainly be a Battle of Monday next, so the Report of their going quietly into Winter Quarters without coming to Action, proves a groundless Tale, and was merely calculated to serve some private Ends. Daily Advertiser, 4 Dec

Event Comment: Benefit Maclelan, Boromeo and Sga Costanza. Mainpiece By Particular Desire. Tickets deliver'd by Baker, and for Comus will be taken. Lowe from this day sang Mornings in the Grand Concerts of Vocal and Instrumental Music at Ruckholt House, near Low-Layton, Essex.--Advertisement in London Daily Post and General Advertiser

Event Comment: Benefit W. Giffard. Mainpiece: Never acted there. From a New Edition, with many additions and Alterations by the Author. Tickets deliver'd for Saturday the 08th will be taken this day

Event Comment: The First Night. By Subscription. An Oratorio [Sung in English (Dean p. 238)]...with a Concerto on the Organ. Pit and Boxes to be put together and no Persons admitted without Tickets, which will be delivered this Day, at the Opera House in the Haymarket, at Half a Guinea each. Gallery 5s. The Gallery will be open'd at Four o'Clock, Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at 6 p.m. Tickets are delivered to Subscribers at Mr Handel's House in Brooke St., near Hanover Square; at Mr Walsh's in Catherine St., in the Strand; and at White's Chocolate House in St. James St. [Repeated substantially in each ensuing bill.

Event Comment: The Proprietor of Drury Lane Theatre having receiv'd letters from several Gentlemen pressing him to revive the Tragedy of King John; to comply with this request (as he shall always make it his business to oblige the Publick) he immediately put the play in rehearsal; but upon information that the author of a Play on the same subject, had insinuated that this was calculated only to prejudice him, the Revival was intended to be deferr'd till the run of his play should be over; but upon perusal of the Bills he finds this is no Alteration, as was thought, but a new Tragedy founded only upon that plan; therefore in compliance with the above request, and at the same time to take off all imputation of an injury to this author, the Proprietor has deferr'd the bringing it on till Tuesday next, the day after the author's benefit, when will be exhibited the Historical Play of King John, as written by Shakespear

Event Comment: Benefit Berry and Havard. Afterpiece: By Desire. The Anatomist appeared in the advance notice as afterpiece for this day

Event Comment: PPhillips and Hussey's Company. 2s. 6d., 1s. 6d., 6d. [Concert formula used.] To begin at 12 and end at 10 p.m. Mainpiece: [first announced on 26th and 29th as The Careful Father; or, The Extravagant Son. Notice of performance repeated 2,3,6 (but Cushing as Drunken Peasant), 6,7 (but Phillips as Drunken Peasant), 12, 13, 14, and 15 May. Probably acted every day of May Fair.

Event Comment: [The first payroll of the season, covering three days of acting, amounted to #69 8s. 6d (30 men--#35 14s.; 24 women--#26 10s; 10 servants' accounts including an unspecified number of dressers and charwomen--#7 4s. 6d.).] Receipts: #42. 18s. 6d.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Being the most tragical tragedy that ever was tragedized by a company of tragedians. At the Particular Desire of Several Persons of Quality (General Advertiser). [The following unsigned statement of the financial condition of the theatre on 11 April is in the Harvard Collection of Documents dealing with affairs of Drury Lane, folio MS Thr. 12. This itemizes the outstanding liabilities to the amount of #8,808 14s. including #1,275 of arrears in actors' salaries]: I told Mr- the intended purchaser that the whole would not amount to #12,000. He said if it was more it should rest on me, for that was the utmost shilling he would give. But upon strict enquiry I find it will amount to #12,808 14s. This difference is not altogether owing to an error in calculation, but has been likewise heightened by a falling off of business, nor is it possible to ascertain the debt of a theatre for a day, it is of so fluctuating a nature. Q: whether this loss ought to light upon me, who have endeavored to get a purchaser & increased the value of the Estate to the utmost of my power? Errors excepted. [James Lacy or John Powel are the most likely authors of this statement. Whatever the authority, it is clear that settlement had not yet been made for transfer of ownership. For Powel, see G. W. Stone, Jr., The Authorship of Tit for Tat," Theatre Notebook, X (1955), 22-28.