Event Comment: The
United Company.
Newdigate newsletters, 20 Jan. 1682@3: Yesterday was acted at the Theatre Royall the first of a new play Entituled
the City Politiques the novelty of wch drew a Confluence of Spectators under both Qualifications of
Whigg and
Tory to hear and behold a
Ld Mayor Sheriffs & some
Aldermen with their wives in yr usuall formalityes buffoond &
Reviled a great Lawyer with his young Lady Jeared and Intreagued
Dr Oates pfectly represented berogued & beslaved the papist plott Egregiously Rediculed the
Irish Testemonyes Contradictiorily disproved & befoold the Whiggs totally vanquished & undon Law & property men oreruld & there wanted nothing of Artifice in behaviour and discourse to render all those obnoxious & dispised in fine such a medly of occurences intervened that twas a question whether more of Loyalty designe or Rhetorique prvailed but there were mighty clappings among the poeple of both partyes in Expressing either their sattisfaction or displeasure (
Wilson,
Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 81). The Prologue and Epilogue, separately Printed, have 20 Jan. 1682@3 as
Luttrell's date of acquisition (
Huntington Library) and are reprinted in
Wiley's
Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 166-69.
John Dennis, To Mr --- In which are some Passages of the Life of
Mr John Crown, Author of
Sir Courtly Nice, June 23, 1719: About that time he writ
The City Politicks, on purpose to Satyrize and expose the
Whigs; a Comedy so agreeable, that it deserv'd to be writ in a much better Cause: But after he had writ he met with very great Difficulties in the getting it acted.
Bennet Lord Arlington, who was then
Lord Chamberlain of the King's Houshold, and who had secretly espous'd the Whigs, who were at that time powerful in
Parliament, in order to support himself against the Favour and Power of the
Lord Treasurer Danby, who was his declared Enemy, us'd all his Authority to suppress it. One While it was prohibited on the account of its being Dangerous, another while it was laid aside on the pretence of its being Falt and Insipid; till
Mr Crown at last was forc'd to have Recourse to the king himself, and to engage him to give his absolute Command to the Lord Chamberlain for the acting of it; which Command the
King was Pleas'd to give in his own Person (I, 49-50).
Morrice Entry Book, Vol.1 1682@3: Mr Crowne [was cudgled on Wednesday last in
St Martin's Lane and] hee that beat him said hee did it at the suite of the
Earle of Rochester some time since deceased who greatly abused in the play for his penetency &c. (p. 353. I owe this note to the courtesy of
Professor David M. Vieth of the
University of Kansas and
Professor G. H. Jones of
Kansas State University)