Event Comment: This Day at Noon, exactly at Twelve o'Clock...Mr Foote begs the favour of his Friends to come and drink a Dish of Chocolate with him; and 'tis hoped there will be a great deal of good company, and some joyous Spirits; he will endeavour to make the Morning as Diverting as possible. (Tickets for the Entertainment to be had at George's Coffee House, Temple Bar, without which no Person will be admitted.--Daily Advertiser, 24 April only.) Any Gentlemen or Lady, with or without Tickets, will be admitted. Sir Dilberry Diddle will be there and Lady Betty Frisk has absolutely promised. [Repeated 27 April.

Event Comment: Benefit for the Colleges of Philadelphia and New York. Mainpiece a Sacred Ode written by Dr Brown set to select Airs, Duets and Choruses from Mr Handel, and other Eminent Composers, with the addition of several new songs. Pit and Boxes to be put together. No Persons to be admitted without tickets, which will be deliver'd at the Office of the theatre at 1!2 a Guinea each; and also at the following Coffee House, viz: the Smyrna, Pall Mall; the Mount, Grosvenor St; George's, Temple Bar; the Rainbow, Cornhill, the New York, Sweetings's Alley; and the Pennsylvania, Birchin Lane. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallerp 3s. 6d. Galleries to be opened at half past Four, Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at 1!2 after Six (playbill). This philanthropic enterprise, of which the theatrical benefit was but a part, seems not to have born much fruit for the respective Colleges. See Letter to the Governors of the Colleges of New York, respecting the Collection that was made in the Kingdom in 1762 and 1763, for the Colleges of Philadelphia and New York, to which are added Explanatory notes and appendix. By Sir James Jay, M. D. (London, 1771). The funds collected seem largely to have been used up in a law suit. The Governor of the College of New York, Rev. Dr Johnson, asked Jay to collect funds, which he did. Alderman Trecothick wrote Dr Johnson that the funds were not safe in Jay's hands. The Governors insulted Jay, and when they found they were wrong refused to apologize. They entered a bill against him in Chancery to gain the funds. It dragged out for four years. When the power of Attorney had been given to Trecothick, he claimed that a sum of #1437 15s. 6d. was unaccounted for by Jay, and was supposed to be in Jay's hands. Jay explained the Governors had not reckoned on reimbursement for his time and expenses for two years.

Event Comment: In L. C. 5@139, p. 373, is a list of plays allowed to the Duke's Company: The Poetaster [by Ben Jonson]. Cupids Reuenge [by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher. See 17 Aug. 1668]. Timon of Athens [by William Shakespeare]. Troyolus and Grisseida [by William Shakespeare]. Three parts of H. ye 6 [by William Shakespeare]. The honest mans fortune [by John Fletcher and others]. Woemen pleas'd [by John Fletcher]. Witt at Seuerall Weapons [by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher]. The Woemen Hater or The hungry Courtier [by Francis Beaumont]. All fooles [by George Chapman]. Birons Conspiracy [by George Chapman]. Broken heart [by John Ford]. Bird in a Cage [by James Shirley]. Chabot Admirall of ffranse [by James Shirley, with George Chapman]. ffaithful Shepherd [possibly Guarini's Il Pastor Fido]. Herod and Antipater [by Gervase Markham with William Sampson]. Humor out of breath [by John Day]. Jealous Louers [by Thomas Randolph]. Loues Melancholy [Lover's Melancholy, by John Ford]. Muliasses the Turke [by John Mason]. Queene of Arragon [by William Habington]. Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois [by George Chapman]. Revenge for Honor [or The Parricide, by Henry Glapthorne]

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Siddons. Part of the Pit [6 rows (Public Advertiser, 6 Mar.)] will be laid into the Boxes. To prevent Confusion Ladies are desired to send their Servants by half past Four o'clock. [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Orestes to Smith, but he "was indisposed . . . Throughout the whole [of his part] Kemble's skill was apparent. In the last scene he displayed as fine a picture of horror as was ever given from the stage" (Morning Chronicle, 6 Mar.).] Morning Herald, 24 Feb.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Siddons, Gower-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #293 11s. (122/17/0; 10/1/6; 1/2/6; tickets: 159/10/0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: The King's company. On 31 Aug. or 1 Sept. 1664 Orrery wrote to Sir Henry Bennett: Ther was noe Play of myne Acted, they are now but Studyinge it; I hope within less then a Fortnight twill be on ye Theater And if you are not surfetted, with what of mine you have already seene [Henry V], I will beg ye honour to wait on you when tis Acted (see The Dramatic Works of Roger Boyle, ed. W. S. Clark@II [Cambridge, Mass., 1937], 1, 102). The play is also on the list of Herbert, Dramatic Records, p. 138. Boswell, Restoration Court Stage, p. 281, lists it among the plays given at court, but Sir Heneage Finch's note (see below) seems to indicate an afternoon performance. Sir Heneage Finch to Sir Edward Dering, 15 Sept. 1664: Yesterday was acted, in the Greatest and noblest presence wch ye Court can make, before ye fullest Theatre, & with the highest applause imaginable, my Lo Orerys new play calld ye Generall formerly acted in Ireland by the name of Altamira, but much altered & improved. From thence the whole Court went to Wallingford house, where the Earl of Arran and the Lady Mary Stuart were that night before Supper marryd in the Gallery (Dramatic Works of Roger Boyle, I, 103, from Stowe MS 744 f. 81)

Event Comment: See 27 Feb. 1668@9. Pepys, Diary: I did meet Sir Jeremy Smith, who did tell me that Sir W. Coventry was just now sent to the Tower, about the business of his challenging the Duke of Buckingham, and so was also Harry Saville to the Gate-house....So, meeting with my Lord Bellassis, he told me the particulars of this matter; that it arises about a quarrel which Sir W. Coventry had with the Duke of Buckingham about a design between the Duke and Sir Robert Howard, to bring him into a play [The Rehearsal] at the King's house, which W. Coventry not enduring, did H. Saville send a letter to the Duke of Buckingham, that he had a desire to speak with him. Upon which, the Duke of Buckingham did bid Holmes, his champion ever since my Lord Shrewsbury's business, go to him to know the business; but H. Saville would not tell it to any but himself, and therefore did go presently to the Duke of Buckingham, and told him that his uncle Coventry was a person of honour, and was sensible of his Grace's liberty taken of abusing him, and that he had a desire of satisfaction, and would fight with him. But that here they were interrupted by my Lord Chamberlain's coming in, who was commanded to go to bid the Duke of Buckingham to come to the King, Holmes having discovered it