Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first production is not certain, particularly since an entry in L. C. 5@145, p. 120 (see also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 349) lists this play for 8 March, the year uncertain. Since the entry follows one for The Souldier's Fortune which followed the premiere of The Female Prelate, 31 May 1680, the L. C. entry probably is one for 8 March 1680@1. That the premiere occurred near 1 Nov. 1680 is suggested by a letter of Anne Montague to Lady Hatton, 1 Nov. 1680: For I never see the towne fuller, for I was to see the new play, The Spanish Frier, and there was all the world, but the Court is a letell dull yet; the Queen being sick, there is noe drawing room (Hatton Correspondence, Camden Society, XXII [1878], 240). A song, Farewell ungratefull Traytor, with music by Captain Pack and sung by Mrs Crofts, is in Act V. For Leigh's and Nokes' acting, see Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, I, 143, 145-46. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 37): 'Twas Admirably Acted, and produc'd vast Profit to the Company

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not certain, but the Dedication speaks of its being acted two days and an order, L. C. 5@144, p. 29 (Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p.1 on), dated 14 Dec. 1680, banning it suggest that it was performed on 11 and 13 Dec. 1680. It is possible, however, that Tate's statements may refer to performances on 18 and 19 Jan. 1680@1. Dedication, Edition of 1681: For the two Days in which it was Acted, the Change of the Scene, Names of Persons, &c. was a great Disadvantage: many things were by this means render'd obscure and incoherent that in their native Dress had appear'd not only proper but gracefull. I call'd my Persons Sicilians but might as well have made 'em Inhabitants of the Isle of Pines. Henry Purcell composed the music for a song, "Retir'd from any mortal's sight." See Purcell, Works, The Purcell Society, XX (1916), ix-x

Event Comment: The United Company. An order, 9 Feb. 1683@4, in L. C. 5@145, p. 14 (Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 356), and another, L. C. I, specify requirements for a play to be acted at Whitehall on 11 Feb. 1683@4, and name Valentinian as the drama. The first Prologue and the Epilogue Written by a Person of Quality were printed separately; Luttrell's copy (Bindley Collection, William Andrews Clark@Jr@Library) is dated 20 Feb. 1683@4. They are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 249-51. It is not certain on what date the first performance occurred, for premieres at court are quite rare in the Restoration period. In Nahum Tate's Poems by Several Hands (1685): Sir Francis Fane: A Masque Made at the Request of the Earl of Rochester, for the Tragedy of Vadentinian. Downes (p. 40): The well performance, and the vast Interest the Author made in Town, Crown'd the Play, with great Gain of Reputation; and Profit to the Actors. For an intended cast of Rochester's alteration of the play by John Fletcher, see the introductory note to the season of 1675-76. In A Pastoral in French by Lewis Grabu (published in 1684; advertised in the London Gazette, No. 1947, 17 July 1684) are two songs for this play for which Grabu apparently composed the music: Injurious charmer of my vanquished heart and Kindness hath resistless charms. In Choice Ayres and Songs, The Fourth Book, 1684, is: A new Song in the late reviv'd Play, call'd Valentinian: Where would coy Aminta run [the composer of the music not being indicated]

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, p. 69: ye Moore of Venice at Whitehall. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. See also an L. C. notice, 5@147, p. 24 (in Boswell, Restoration Court Stage, p. 85) concerning Preparations for plays to be acted at court every week

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of this Performance is stated as 16 Feb. (L. C. records) or 17 Feb. (Peregrine Bertie), but as Lent began on Wednesday 17 Feb., the performance probably occurred on Shrove Tuesday. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, P. 125. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. Peregrine Bertie to the Countess of Rutland, 17 Feb. 1685@6: To night will be the last play at court, they tell mee 'tis the Mocke Astrologer (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Rutland MSS., Part V, p. 105). John Povey to Sir Robert Southwell, 18 Feb. 1685@6: Sir, the enclosed had been sent last post, had it not been detained late by a play at Court which ended our Carnival. The night before the King and Queen were entertained by the Lord President at a ball or masque in Lady Portsmouth's lodgings. The Masquers were twelve couples whose habits were of several nations' and prescribed by a picture sent to each of them from the Queen, and the least habit cost !bove a hundred Pounds, and some above three hundred pounds, besides jewels of which Mrs Fox and some others had above thirty thousand pounds value each (Savile-Finch Correspondence, Add. Mss. 28,569; I owe this quotation to Professor John Harold Wilson)

Event Comment: A riot caused the acting of Cato to cease in Act IV. See The Weekly Packet 1 March, The Evening Post 22-25 Feb., The Post Boy 22-25 Feb. The most complete account appeared in Read's Original Weekly Journal, 1 March: The Night before had been the Third Night of a New Comedy, written by a young Gentleman of good Interest, and well respected, and the Boxes were bespoke for Monday Night, but a certain Ruler of that House, remarkable for Ill-Nature and Immorality, stop'd the Run of the Play, and caus'd the Tragedy of Cato to be given out...and tho' he was earnestly expostulated with on the Injustice of such a Proceeding, yet he obstinately persisted in his Resolution, which the Friends of the Author of the New Play very much resented: But this was not all, for when Cato came to be play'd, Mr Wilks, Mrs Oldfield, and Mrs Porter, who have principal Parts had given them to some of the inferior Players, which was look'd on as Riding the Audience, who would no longer Brook what they look'd on as an Insult, but with their hisses, Catcalls, &c. deafen'd the House, and drown'd the Shrill Pipes of the Actors; insomuch that the loudest Rant in Lee or Shakespear had been no more to be prefer'd to it, than the Noise of a Flagelot to the whistling of a Tempest; till the End the Players were obliged to retreat to their Fastnesses, unable any longer to Stand their Assaults; for they were storm'd with Orange-Peals, &c. as well as bombarded with Hisses Huzzas and Catcalls. Nor wou'd the Audience suffer them to Capitulate or receive any Offers of Submission, but calling for a Dance, put an End to the Play, in the middle of the 4th Act

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Newly Revis'd and AlterM N.B. The Reviser begs leave to observe, that tho' he thinks the Chief Characters in this Play, are drawn with a great deal of Life and Spirit; Yet that even in this very sprightly Play there are several very obvious Faults. That as the Character of the French Count, and that of the Irish Priest, are in no sort conducive to the Plot of the Play; they may therefore be look'd upon as superfluous: That the Parting of Sullen and his Wife, is extreamly unnatural; and that the Ending of the Play (with respect to Archer) is abrupt to a Degree, &c. &c. In order therefore to amend these Errors [he has revised the play]