Event Comment: To the Public: An Impartial Account of Cibber's Impromptu, by a Spectator: @In a frolicsome humour I went t'other day@To see the Diversions collected by THE',@When seen -from Amazement I could not refrain@That such an odd Oglio should come in his brain;@That from Chaos, Confusion and Visible night@He could bring such a queer group of figures to light:@I went-with a critical spleen that disdained@This project -but found myself well entertained.@For the English there's ships; for the Scots a good song;@[what] He sought to provide for Hibernia was Wrong@When this I observ'd to aworthy dear Honey -@He reply'd -"Blurr and Houns? there's enough for your money.@But to state the affair without laughter or fun@All agreed -my shift was superior to none;@With new Scenes, new Machines, Music, Dancing and all,@To risk our Diversions THE' ventured a fall@And if his last trump should unluckily fail,@[Brain?] must lay a scheme to keep out of a jail.@A few trivial errors we ought to forgive@Pay to Merit reward and let Industry live,@For your Candor alone must determine his fate@For the sake of Old Coll', let Theophilus eat.@ His Benefit tomorrow, Wednesday, the 14th Instant, at the Theatre in The Haymarket

Event Comment: Flora's Figarys appears in Herbert, Dramatic Records, p. 148, under this date. As Flora's Vagaries, it had been acted at Christ Church, Oxford, on 8 Jan. 1663. The play was not published before 1670, and the entry in Herbert's list has sometimes been regarded as the date of licensing, sometimes as the date of a performance in London. Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 427, assigned it to ca. January 1662@3 at Vere St, presumably because "Mr Bird" in the cast in the quarto of 1670 referred to Theophilus Bird, who died before 3 Nov. 1663. But the cast in the edition of 1670 is presumably that for 5 Oct. 1667, when Pepys saw the play and referred to Nell Gwyn and Mrs Knepp as acting in it; they, too, are listed in the quarto of 1670 but could hardly have played in it in 1663. If the cast in the 1670 edition is not that for 3 Nov. 1663 and if the "Mr Bird" is Theophilus Bird Jr, then the obstacles to consiuering 3 Nov. 1663 as the date of a performance rather than of licensing are less formidable. [I am indebted to professor John Harold Wilson for much of this argument.

Event Comment: Know all men by these presents, that Colley Cibber, Esq; of the Parish of St/James's in the County of Middlesex, for and in consideration of the sum of Eighty Pounds of lawful Mony of Great Britain to him in hand paid by John Watts of London, Stationer, he the said Colley Cibber, Esq; hath bargained, sold and assigned, and set over, and by these presents doth bargain, sell, assign and set over all that the full and sole right and title, of, in and to the copy of a Tragedy, intitled, Papal Tyranny in the Reign of King John, written by the said Colley Cibber, Esq; to have and to hold the said copy of the said tragedy unto the said John Watts, his heirs and assigns for ever, notwithstanding any act or law to the contrary: In witness whereof the said Colley Cibber, Esq; hath hereunto sett his hand and seal this twentieth day of February, 1744/5. [Signed] C. Cibber. [Witnesses] James Webster, John Mark Bimson. [Original Document in Folger Shakespeare Library, validated by three Sixpence stamps, and Cibber's seal. Case No. 993 among Cibber documents.