Event Comment: Play, By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales

Event Comment: The Play of Othello, which was performed last night at Drury Lane theatre, by some gentlemen and ladies to the most numerous and polite Audience that could be assembled, went off throughout with great approbation and applause (General Advertiser). [See A Satirical Dialogue between a Sea Captain and his friend in Town: Humble submitted to the Gentlemen who deformed the Play of Othello on Th-rs-y M- the 7th....To which is added a Prologue and Epilogue much more suitable to the occasion than their own. (London [n.d.], BM 11,795, K 31, 8pp): @'Good manners oblig'd them sometimes to applaud@Tho' they little deserv'd it...'@ The author laments the fact that the expenditure (#1,500) was not put out to charitable purposes, rather than for such entertainment.] This day is publish'd at 1s. 6d., beautifully printed, Alfred, a Masque, acting at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, by Mr Mallet. Printed for A. Miller, opposite Catherine St in the Strand, where may be had Alfred, a Masque, represented before their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales at Cliefden, on the first of August 1740. Written by Mr Thomson and Mr Mallet

Event Comment: Newdigate newsletters (Folger Shakespeare Library), 22 Oct. 1687: There are to be 5 Pageants on the Ld Mayors day one representing Liberty by a Beautifull young Lady attended with Riches Plenty and ffreedom &c. (transcribed by Professor John Harold Wilson). Luttrell (A Brief Relation, I, 418): The 29th was the anniversary of the lord mayors show, the new one, sir John Shorter, now entring on his office; the shew was splendid and the entertainment great, according to custome: his majestie, with the prince of Denmark, did the citty the honour to dine with them at Guildhall, as also the nobility, foreign ministers, amongst which was the popes nuncio (who was invited particularly by some of the aldermen): the streets were new gravell'd all that morning on one side of the way, from Charing-crosse to the citty, for his majesties passage. His majestie was well satisfied with the whole entertainment. The Duke of Beaufort to the Duchess, 29 Oct. 1687 [a summary, apparently]: Has just come from the greatest entertainment he ever saw at a Lord Mayor's feast in the city, and the best ordered, though there was the greatest concourse there and in the streets that was ever known, and the greatest acclamations, all through the city as the King passed. The Queen did not dare venture, remembering that the Bristol entertainment had put her out of order, but all the nobility in town, and the foreign ministers were there. The Pope's Nuncio in particular was invited by the Lord Mayor and nobly entertained (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Beaufort MSS., Part IX, pp. 90-91)

Event Comment: Benefit Rosco, Vallois. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality and Distinction

Event Comment: Benefit Richardson, Miss Jones, Miss Roberts, Biggs, and Master Nansan. Afterpiece: By Capt Gulliver's Company of Lilliputians

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties

Event Comment: Prince and Princess present

Event Comment: [Prince and Princess of Orange present.]

Event Comment: Prince and Princess of Orange expected to attend

Event Comment: Written by Shakespear. [Prince of Wales and the Princesses Amelia and Caroline expected to attend.

Event Comment: 3rd piece [1st time; MD 2, by John Rose; music by Thomas Attwood]: Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Salary List (Enthoven Collection): Paid Rose for Caernarvon Castle #18 6s. Morning Herald, 16 Sept. 1793: This Day is published Caernarvon Castle (1s.). [This piece had reference to the birthday of the Prince of Wales, which was 12 Aug.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. As the play was not printed until 1689, the date of composition is uncertain. In Act I, however, a reference to the death of the Earl of Rochester (26 July 1680) suggests that the play probably followed that even rather closely. On the other hand, the latest likely date for the first production seems set at late 1682 by the fact that Thomas Farmer's music for the play in BM Add. Mss. 19183-19185 is dated December 1682. The play has been placed in September 1680 as the earliest likely date (the presence of an experienced cast makes somewhat unlikely a production in mid-summer 1680). A song, All other blessings are but toys, with music by Thomas Farmer, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Fourth Book, 1683. A song, Lovely Selina, innocent and free, with music by John Blow, is in the same collection; and another, Weep all ye nymphs, with music by John Blow, is in The Theater of Music, The First Book, 1685

Event Comment: By Command of His Royal Highness. [The Prince and Duke present.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by Mr Dryden, and Composed by Mr Henry Purcell

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Afterpiece: With an Additional Scene painted by Cipriani, Representing the taking of the Bohemian Standard at the Battle of Cressyv. In memory of which, the Princes of Wales have ever since borne three Ostrich Feathers (the Bohemian Standard) as their crest, with the original motto Ich Dien. This scene is pleasingly executed and has a very good effect, and is the work of that celebrated artist Cipriani (Theatrical Review, II, p. 36). Paid Whitefield a Bill for making cloaths #30 8s. 7d. (Account Book). Receipts: #184 8s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: The King's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 215. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 345. Marquis of Worcester to the Marchioness, 8 June 1675: I sate up last night at the play in Court--which was to entertaine the Prince of Newbough--till one of the clock in the morning (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Beaufort MSS., IX, 65)

Event Comment: By Command of His Royal Highness. [The Prince present.] Receipts: #98 19s. Probable attendance: boxes, 87 paid; stage, 1 paid; pit, 278 paid; slips, 22 paid; first gallery, 254 paid; second gallery, 137 paid

Event Comment: Benefit the Orphan Children of the late Mr Farquhar the Author. By Command. For the Entertainment of the Young Princesses

Event Comment: By Command of Their Royal Highnesses the Duke, and Princesses Amelia, Caroline, Louise. Mainpiece: Written by Shakespear,

Event Comment: MMr Neale (a good Actor) Dy'd--buried at Brumpton (Cross). Gave a Xmas Box to Princess Amelia's servts #1 1s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #140 (Cross); #127 15s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Gave Princess Dowager's footmen by Mayne #1 1s.; her Chairmen, by Clive, #1 1s.; Gave Duke of Gloucester's Footmen by Berkley #2 2s. (Account Book). Receipts: #164 8s. 6d. (Account Book)