Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Oldfield. Post Boy, 5 March: On Thursday Morning the King's Company of Comedians, belonging to the Play-House in Drury-Lane, were sworn at the Lord Chamberlain's Office in Whitehall, pursuant to an Order occasion'd by their Acting in Obedience to his Majesty's Licence, lately granted Exclusive of a Patent formerly obtained by Sir Richard Steele Kt. The Tenor of the Oath was, That as his Majesty's Servants, they should act Subservient to the Lord Chamberlain, Vice-Chamberlain, and Gentleman Usher in Waiting

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This is the third in the series of Court performances in L. C. 5@145, p. 120: Sir Fopling Flutter. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350, and 11 Feb. 1679@80

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Written by Sir George Etheridge

Event Comment: [This is the only occasion in the 18th century when a play was acted in London on this date. "The performance at the Haymarket on the 30th of January has been noticed by his Majesty in a manner which is still a topic of conversation in the higher circles...There will be no more theatrical performances on the 30th of January" (London Chronicle, 28 Feb.). On 3 Feb. the Lord Chamberlain wrote to Sheridan as follows: "Sir--Information has been received at this Office that Theatrical Entertainments were exhibited at the Theatre, under your direction, in St. James's Haymarket on the 30th of Last Month, contrary to all precedent, and repugnant to Decency, being the Anniversary of the Martyrdom of King Charles the First. I do not know by what Authority such a Step was taken but, as Chamberlain of His Majesty's Household, think it my Duty to desire that you will be pleased to Cause the Practice to be discontinued in future. I am, Sir, Your Obedient, Humble Servant, Salisbury" (MS Letters to Sheridan from Various Correspondents,II, 64, in Harvard Theatre Collection). The Morning Chronicle on 31 Jan. offered another opinion: "It gave us infinite pleasure that last night we happily broke through one of the most absurd fasts in the calendar. The Managers of Drury Lane, with proper regard to the public, rescued them from the common dullness of a 30th of January." But the absurd fast remained in force until 1843.] Receipts: #339 18s. (291.4; 40.0; 8.11; ticket not come in: 0.3)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Jordan. [In mainpiece the playbill retains King as Sir Peter Teazle, but "Murray, on account of the indisposition of King, was the Sir Peter to Mrs Jordan's Lady Teazle" (Monthly Mirror, May 1797, p. 311).] Tickets delivered for the 15th [for which day the benefit was first announced] will be admitted. "On the whole, Mrs Jordan's Lady Teazle, if not excellent, was respectable; and at a time when it was thought that it would be impossible to personify her Ladyship [i.e. after the retirement of Miss Farren], Mrs Jordan is commendable in having endeavoured it...[Sir Peter] was a part well suited to Murray, who excels in the still and the pathetic...In the screen scene his mirth in revealing to Charles the story of the French milliner, and his amazement the moment after when Charles, throwing down the screen, presented that milliner in the shape of Lady Teazle, must confirm the reputation of Murray. 'Lady Teazle!' (exclaimed he, turning from her towards the door, and in an accent alarmingly impressive), 'Lady Teazle, by all that is damnable!" (Monthly Visitor, June 1797, pp. 531-32). True Briton, 6 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Jordan, No. 14, Somerset-street, Portman-square. Receipts: #550 3s. (232.4.0; 72.2.0; 7.10.6; tickets: 238.6.6) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Written by the late Sir Richard Steele

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Buchanan. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Written by the late Sir Richard Steele. Receipts: money #24 6s. 6d,; tickets #104 18s

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Alter'd form Shakespear by Sir William Davenant and Mr Dryden

Event Comment: Benefit Johnson. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir Richard Steele

Event Comment: Benefit Castleman, the Treasurer. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir Richard Steele

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by Sir George Etheridge

Event Comment: Alter'd from Shakespear by Sir Wm. Davenant and Mr Dryden. With all the Original Songs and Dances, Serious and Comic, Scenes, Machines, Habits, Flyings, Sinkings, and other Decorations proper to the Play

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir Richard Steele

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir Richard Steele. At Common Prices

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Clive. Mainpiece: Written by Sir Richard Steele

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Walter. Mainpiece: Written by Sir Richard Steele

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by Sir Richard Steele

Event Comment: By Their Majesties' Command. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir Richard Steele. [Their Majesties and all the Royal Family present.]

Event Comment: By Command of His Royal Highness. Benefit Mills. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir Richard Steele

Event Comment: Benefit Mines, Gallant, Mrs Atkins. Mainpiece: Written by Sir J. Vanbrugh. Receipts: money #6 15s.; tickets #125 17s

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir Richard Steele. At Common Prices

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir Richard Steele. Mrs Pendarves to Mrs Ann Granville, 8 Jan.: I was this morning regaled with Mr Handel's new opera called Arminius, it was rehearsed at Covent Garden.--Delany, Autobiography, I, 587

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir Richard Steele