Event Comment: A little hissing during the farce, & at the End ye Audience call'd, no more &c.--& insisted upon another farce being given out wch Mr Blakes did--farewell Taste (Cross). The Book of the Entertainment will be sold in the theatre, and at R. Francklin's in Russel Street, Covent Garden (playbill). [The publication of Taste was dedicated to Francis Delaval, and includes in prefatory remarks Foote's distinction between Comedy and Farce: As the follies and absurdities of men are the sole objects of Comedy, so the powers of Imagination (Plot and Incident expected) are in this kind of writing greatly restrainded. No unnatural assemblages, no creatures of the fancy can procure the protection of the Comic Muse; men and things must appear as they are. To Farce greater liberties are permitted. I look upon Farce to hold the same rank in drama that Burlesque does in other poetry. It is employed either in debasing lofty subjects, or in raising humble ones.'] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: By Particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Benefit for Francis Callaway Citizen of London, under Misfortunes, being unavoidably involved in a most litigious Chancery Suit. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s

Event Comment: By Command of the King (Cross). This day a new tragedy, entitiled Constantine the Great was read here to the actors for the first time. This piece is written by the reverend Mr Francis, from whose valuable translation of Horace it may be inferred that he is such a judge of all the graces of Language and every beautiful turn in writing, that it is not to be doubted but he will give the public a production abounding in elegancies. [See 23 Feb.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bellamy. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Tickets delivered for The Humorous Lieutenant will be taken. Receipts: #113 5s. Charges #63. Income from Tickets #152 5s. (boxes 339; pit 364; gallery 129). Profit to Mrs Bellamy #202 10s. [Her daily salary was #2 2s.; on this night she cleared more than 4 months' wages at 24 acting days per month.] Two New Renters came in: Solomon Paul Juliot and Francis Wilson at 1 share each. Rec'd of Benj. Read for 6 Box tickets for the 2nd inst. #1 10s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Rawlings, Mas. Besford, Wild, Francis, Miss Cokayne. Mainpiece By Particular Desire. Acted but once these 20 years. Afterpiece, for the last time this season. Tickets delivered by Bassan, Mrs Griffiths, Mrs Gould, Mrs Paddick, the Widow Trott, &c. will be taken. N.B. Tickets for Macbeth will be taken

Event Comment: Paid Francis Currey as per bill for feathers 16s. 3d.; Paid Wm Scott for the use of nine Ostrich feathers for 2 seasons 18s. (Account Book). Receipts: #202 10s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid Binger (peruke maker) as per bill #1 5s.; Paid Wm Francis for writing parts #5 3d. Paid Farrinton & Scarr for ribbons in They Fairy Favour 11s. 6d. (Account Book). Receipts: #234 14s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Parsons, Real, Miss Cokayne, Mas. Besford, Francis. Both pieces By Particular Desire. Tickets deliver'd by Wild, Bassan, Pullin, Mrs Griffiths, Mrs Paddick, Mrs Walters, and Widow Trott will be taken. [House took half value of tickets in addition to ready money.] @Tickets Box Pit Gallery Value Half Value@Parsons 17 76 73 #22 19s. #11 9s. 6d.@Real 19 9 12 #7 6s. #3 13s.@Miss Cokayne 10 25 42 #10 9s. #5 4s. 6d.@Mas. Besford 1 32 49 #9 19s. #4 19s. 6d.@Francis - 41 18 #7 19s. #3 19s. 6d.@Wylde 5 18 29 #6 17s. #3 8s. 6d.@Bassan 14 53 56 #17 1s. #18 10s. 6d.@Pullin - 34 83 #13 8s. #6 14s.@Mrs Griffiths - 32 46 #9 8s. #4 14s.@Mrs Paddick 6 26 26 #8 #4@Mrs Walters 2 13 31 #5 11s. #2 15s. 6d.@Widow Trott 28 4 17 #9 6s. #4 13s.@Total 102 363 482 #128 3s. #64 1s. 6d.@ Receipts: #80 17s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for T. Smith, Parsons, Arnauld, Miss Madden, Miss Cockayne, and others. Tickets deliver'd by Wild, Mrs Hitchcock, Francis, Widow Trott, Mrs Paddick, and for the fourteenth will be taken. [The Mourning Bride and Orpheus had been planned for the 14th. See foot of playbill 13 May.] @Tickets Pit Box Gallery Value 1!2 Value@T. Smith 67 61 #16 3s. #8 1s. 6d.@ Maddan 10 30 49 #11 18s. #5 19s.@19 183 58 38 19@Cockayne 7 23 48 #10 5@Wilde 2 27 33 #7 17s. #3 18s. 6d.@Francis 4 25 31 #7 17s. #3 18s. 6d.@Arnd Fishar 14 8 #2 18s. #1 9s.@Hitchcock 31 41 14 #15 6s. #7 3s.@ Trott 16 8 4 #5 12s. #2 16s.@Paddick 16 7 #3 2s. #1 11s.@Total #118 13s. #59 6s. 6d. (Account Book).@ [No charges were listed. The house took, instead one-half value of the tickets, leaving the other half as profit to the ten beneficiaries. House also took the cash receipts.] Receipts: #27 19s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: The Last time of the company's performing this season. [Following deficiencies for this season paid up: Richard Smith, Lewes, Dumay, Condell, Potter, Thomas Smith, Quick, Furkins, Wilkinson, Abbott, Simmonds, Pullen, Stephenson, Asbury, Wilde, Francis, Mrs Griffiths, Claridge, and Sharratt (Account Book). This includes payment of half value of tickets for those who were granted partial benefits on that basis.] Music forfeits at end of season #17 6s. 11d. Neville MS Diary: Went...to see Cymbeline...chiefly to hear Powell speak an occasional prologue. Would not have gone had I known it was only a stale piece of flattery to George. [See The Gentleman's Magazine, 9 July p. 346: "On shutting up the playhouse in Covent Garden at the end of the season, admission into the theatre having been denied to Mr H and R through any other passage but Mr Powell's House, those gentlemen at the head of a large posse on the 17th of last month, [June] made a forcible entry by breaking open a window near the playhouse door in Hart street; after which they expelled by violence Mr Sargeant the Housekeeper, all his family and others; but the acting managers not being inclined to submit to the arbitrary proceedings of their colleagues, immediately applied for redress, where redress was effectually to be had, and this day they were formally expelled by virtue of a warrant from under the hand and seal of the high sherrifs of London and Middlesex, and the old housekeeper, Mr Sargeant, restored to his office of trust, to the great mortification of one of the champions who had been heard to say: That he had now got possession and d--n him if he would not keep it while he had a drop of blood in his body, and while there was one brick upon another belonging to the house."

Event Comment: Benefit for Sarjant and son (Book and Box-keeper). Charges #87 6s. Deficit to Sarjant #14 19s. covered by #175 16s. from tickets (Box 477; Pit 293; Galley 126) (Account Book). Deficits and 1!2 values of tickets received from Barrington; Francis; Abbot; Miss Garman; Holtom; and Miss Besford. Receipts: #72 7s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Madden, Mr Thompson, Mrs Hartle, Symmonds, Walters. Tickets deliver'd by Francis, Abbot, Widow Trott, Wilkinson, Mrs Griffiths, Mrs Hitchcock, and Mr T. Ansell will be taken

Event Comment: By Particular Desire. Benefit for Symonds, Norbury, Francis. Tickets deliver'd by Perry, Roberts, Wooley, Stevenson, Singleton, Shuter, Miller, Walker, and Real as well as those deliver'd for The Recruiting Officer will be Taken. [No charges. House rec'd the ready money receipts plus half-value of the tickets deliver'd:] @Tickets Box Pit Gallery Value Half Value@Symonds 27 50 107 #27 16s. #13 18s.@Norbury 23 33 31 #13 14s. #6 17s.@Francis 13 36 17 #9 8s. #4 14s.@Perry 4 14 25 #6 3s. #3 1s. 6d.@Roberts 9 80 191 #38 18s. #19 9s.@Wooley 3 24 3 #3 12s. #1 16s.@Stephenson 14 107 64 #23 16s. #11 18s.@Singleton 3 48 10 #7 1s. #3 10s. 6d.@Shuter 11 39 86 #19 11s. #9 15s. 6d.@Miller 8 74 49 #16 #8@Walker .. 95 19 #12 7s. #6 3s. 6d.@Read 7 65 21 #11 8s. #5 14s.@Total 122 665 618 #189 14s. #94 13s.@ Paid Symonds for performing 5 nights in The Fair to 13 Nov. last 5s., and for 25 nights in The Sylphs to the 4th of April #1 5s. Receipts: #57 15s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for T. Ansell, Pilfold, and Symonds. The Last time but one of performing this season. Tickets deliver'd by Wooley, Wells, Claridge, Doe, Furkins, Layley, Robson, Francis, W. Ansell, Stephenson, Fowlis, Mrs Hitchcock & Mrs Trott will be admitted. Doors open half past 5. To begin half past 6 o'clock

Event Comment: Benefit for Brereton. Mainpiece: Not acted these 9 years. [See 26 Nov. 1766. MacMillan's note from Kemble: "A Young Gentleman (Francis Rundell) appeared in Alcanor.-A tall aukward figure-spoke sensibly-and came off with applause," does not appear in Hopkins Diary.] Receipts: #63 6d. Charges: #69 13s. Deficit to Brereton: #6 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for T. Ansell, Pilford, Wooley, Marks, Symonds, Furkins, Tickets deliver'd by Flight, Roberts, Claridge, Doe, Wells, Francis, Brandon, Budd, Miller, Constable will be taken this night

Event Comment: Benefit for Thomas Ansell, Pilfold, Woolley, Symmonds Furkins & Roberts. Tickets delivered by Clarridge, Doe, Wells, Longley, Francis, Brandon, Walker, Varley will be taken this Night. Receipts: #278 11s. 6d. (21.8.6; 0.6.0; tickets: 256.17.0) (charge: none listed)

Event Comment: Benefit for T. Ansell, Pilfold, Woolley & Marks. Tickets delivered by Furkins, Roberts, Clarridge, Doe, Wells, Francis, Walker, Brandon, Shuter and Abbot will be received. Tickets delivered for The Busy Body will be taken. Receipts: #243 13s. 6d. (137.12.6; 0.13.0; tickets: 105.8.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for T. Ansell, Pilfold, Woolley, Marks & Furkins. Tickets delivered by Clarridge, Doe, Wells, Roberts, Francis, Walker, Whittington, Abbot, Haliburton, Ledger Jun. will be admitted

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by J. Wilson, Jackson, Prosser, Eves, Rowson, S. Besford, Mrs Lampe, Miss Francis, Mrs Wise, Mrs Dalrymple, Miss Ellington, Mrs Hamilton will be admitted. Receipts: #260 (81/17; 5/9; tickets: 172/14)