Event Comment: James Brydges, Diary: I set Mr Bullock down at ye Playhouse, & came home (Huntington MS St 26). John Dryden wrote to Mrs Steward on 23 Feb. [1699@1700, but possibly 1698@99, as the letter concerns theatrical affairs of the autumn and winter of 1698-99]: The Poem of The Confederates [see The Island Princess, November 1698] some think to be Mr Walsh: the copies are both lik'd. And there are really two factions of ladyes, for the two play-houses. If you do not understand the names of some persons mention'd I can help you to the knowledge of them. You know, Sir Tho. Skipwith is master of the play-house in Drury-Lane; and my Lord Scarsdale is the patron of Betterton's house, being in love with somebody there [presumably Anne Bracegirdle] (The Letters of John Dryden, p. 133)

Event Comment: According to Sir Edward Smith's bill (see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 308) Rich's company acted 218 times between 6 Oct. 1699 and 26 July 1700, and the young actors played 15 times from 26 July 1700 to 12 Oct. 1700

Event Comment: John Vanbrugh to the Earl of Manchester, 25 Dec. 1699: Miss Evans the dancer at the New Playhouse is dead too; a feaver Slew her in eight and forty hours. She's much lamented by the Towne as well as the House, who can't well bare her loss; Matters running very low with 'em this Winter; if Congreve's Play [The Way of the World] don't help 'em they are undone. 'Tis a Comedy and will be play'd about Six weeks hence, nobody has seen it yet. Liveridge is in Ireland, he Owes so much money he dare not come over, so for want of him we han't had one Opera play'd this Winter; tho' Purcell has set one New One and Fingar another. We have got the Woman from the Chesire Cheese upon the Stage, who has the best Voyce for't by much that has been there at any time. We have the Emperors Crooaed Eunuch here, Francisco. They give him a hundred and twenty Guineas for five times. He has sung Once and was well likt. Dogget was here last Week, they gave him thirty pound to act Six times, which he did and fill'd the house every time (The Complete Works of Sir John Vanbrugh [Bloomsbury: Nonesuch Press, 1928], IV, 4)

Event Comment: Villiers Bathurst to Arthur Charlett, 28 Jan. 1699@1700: The Wits of all qualities have lately entertained themselves with a reviv 6: went to ye play. I staid there a quarter of an hour (Huntington MS St 26). The Wits of all qualities have lately entertained themselves with a revived humour of Sir John Falstaff in Henry the Fourth, which has drawn all the town, more than any new play that has bin produced of late; which shews that Shakespeare's wit will always last: and the criticks allow that Mr Betterton has hitt the humour of Falstaff better than any that have aimed at it before (G. Thorn-Drury, More Seventeenth Century Allusions to Shakespeare, [London, 1924], p. 48)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. James Brydges, Diary: About 6: he [Brydges' brother Henry] set me down at y- Playhouse in Lincolns inn fields, where I met Me Coke, Mr Hammond, & Sir Godfrey Coply: about 8: I came home (Huntington MS St 26)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first production is not certain, but tradition states that Dryden died on the third day (1 May 1700); if this report is correct, the first performance occurred on 29 April 1700. In A Collection of New Songs...Compos'd by Mr Daniel Purcel, Perform'd in the Revis'd Comedy call'd the Pilgrim (1700) is a song, Chronos, Chronos, mend thy pace, with Janus sung by Freeman, Momus by Pate, Diana by Mrs Erwin. Gottfried Finger apparently composed the passage sung by Venus, Calms appear when storms are past. William Egerton, Faithful Memoirs of...Mrs Anne Oldfield (1731): The Pilgrim was indeed reviv'd for the Benefit of Mr Dryden, Ann. 1700, but he dying on third Night of its Representation, his Son attended the Run of it, and the Advantages accrued to his Family. Cibber, Apology, I, 269-70: This Epilogue, and the Prologue the same Play [The Pilgrim], written by Dryden, I spoke myself, which not being usually done by the same Person, I have a mind, while I think of it, to let you know on what Occasion they both fell to my Share....Sir John Vanbrugh, who had given some light touches of his Pen to the Pilgrim to assist the Benefit Day of Dryden, had the Disposal of the Parts, and I being then as an Actor in some Favour with him, he read the Play first with me alone, and was pleased to offer me my Choice of what I might like best for myself in it. But as the chief Characters were not (according to my Taste) the most shining, it was no great Self-denial in me that I desir'd he would first take care of those who were more difficult to be pleased; I therefore only chose for myself two short incidental Parts, that of the stuttering Cook and the mad Englishman....Sir John, upon my being contented with so little a Share in the Entertainment, gave me the Epilogue to make up my Mess; which being written so much above the Strain of common Authors, I confess I was not a little pleased with. And Dryden, upon his hearing me repeat it to him, made a farther Compliment of trusting me with the Prologue. Cibber, Apology, I, 305-6: In theYear 1699, Mrs Oldfield was first taken into the House, where she remain'd about a Twelve-month almost a Mute and unheeded, 'till Sir John Vanbrugh, who first recommended her, gave her the Part of Alinda in the Pilgrim revis'd. This gentle Character happily became that want of Confidence which is inseparable from young Beginners, who, without it, seldom arrive to any Excellence: Notwithstanding, I own I was then so far deceiv'd in my Opinion of her, that I thought she had little more than her Person that appear'd necessary to the forming a good Actress; for she set out with so extraordinary a Diffidence, that it kept her too despondingly down to a formal, plain (not to say) flat manner of speaking. Nor could the silver Tone of her Voice 'till after some time incline my Ear to any Hope in he favour. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 27: [After Drury Lane and Lincoln's Inn Fields had revived Shakespeare and Johnson] Nay then, says the whole party at D. Lane, faith we'll e'en put the Pilgrim upon him--ay faith, so we will, says Dryden, and if youll let my Son have the Profits of the Third Night, I'll give you a Secular Mask: Done, says the House, and so the Bargain was struck

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Sir William Davenant; but Originally by the famous French Dramatick Poet Monsieur Moliere. [Genest, II, 352, surmises that the company probably acted Acts I, II, and V of The Playhouse to be Let.] Afterpiece: A Burlesque Farce

Event Comment: Philip Perceval to Sir John Perceval, 1 Feb.: The opera of Camilla has been one of the chief diversions of the town this long time, and business is forgot. Next week we expect a new one, and soon after another. One goes by Mr Addison's name; I think they call it Fair Rosamond, the other is Mr Clayton's undertaking. Great things are expected of them both. (Egmont MS, II, 215.

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Rogers. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Tickets for Sir Fopling Flutter taken at this play

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. As it was altered from Shakespear by Sir Will. D'avenant, and the late Mr Dryden, Poets Laureat. With new Scenes, Machines, and all the Original Decorations proper to the Play

Event Comment: Not Acted these Four Years. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Written by Sir George Etheridge

Event Comment: [By Joseph Addison.] Never Acted before. G. Berkeley to Sir John Percival, 16 April: On Tuesday last...Cato was acted the first time. I am informed the front boxes were all bespoke for nine days, a fortnight before the play was acted. I was present with Mr Addison, and two or three more friends in a side box, where we had a table and two or three flasks of burgundy and champagne, with which the author (who is a very sober man) thought it necessary to support his spirits in the concern he was then under, and indeed it was a pleasant refreshment to us all between the acts....The actors were at the expence of new habits, which were very magnificent. (Rand, p. 113. See also Victor, II, 29-31, and Cibber, I, 122-23, II, 127-33)

Event Comment: G. Berkeley to Sir John Percival: Mr Addison's play has taken wonderfully, they have acted it now almost a month, and would I belive act it a month longer were it not that Mrs Oldfield cannot hold out any longer, having had for several nights past, as I am informed, a midwife behind the scenes (Rand, p. 115)

Event Comment: Written by Sir Richard Steele

Event Comment: Afterpiece: [By John Hughes.] A New Musical Masque, perform'd all in English. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by Sir Richard Steele

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

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Santlow. Pit and Boxes together by Seal'd Tickets at 5s. By His Majesty's Command. Tickets for Mrs Santlow's benefit for The Rehearsal and Sir Courtly Nice taken at this play

Event Comment: Never acted on the British Stage. One of Terence's Comedies. Translated by Mr Echard and Sir Roger L'Estrange

Event Comment: Ndt acted these Eight Years [but see dl 15 July 1712]. Written by the late Mr Crown, Author of Sir Courtly Nice. Receipts: #25 1s

Event Comment: Translated by Mr Echard and Sir Roger L'Estrange

Event Comment: Written by the late Mr Crown, Author of Sir Courtly Nice. Receipts: #16 10s. 6d

Event Comment: [By Thomas Moore.] With Musick Vocal and Instrumental, Dances, and other Decorations proper to the same. Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 144: Three or four Years after the Performance of this famous Tragedy, I had the following account from several of the Actors who performed in it: That Sir Thomas gave them many good Dinners and Suppers during the Rehearsals of the Play, which they all laugh'd at as ridiculous; but as the Company was, at that Time, composed chiefly of young Actors, and got but small Encouragement from the Public; it may be justly said, their Necessities compelled them to perform this strange Tragedy, which stood some chance to divert from its Absurdities