Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not certain, but the Preface refers to the Long Vacation and a thin house, suggesting a late summer production. As the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 16-18 Nov. 1697, a first performance in October 1697 is probably the latest date for this play, and September seems more likely. Among the songs are several for whom the composer and singer are named: Happy we who free from love, and How calm Eliza are these groves, the music set by Morgan and both sung by Mrs Lindsey. She comes my goddess comes, set by Morgan and sung by Mrs Cibber. Sleep shepherd sleep, the music set by Morgan and sung by Mrs Cross. All four are in A Collection of New Songs, 1697. Preface, Edition of 1698: To serve the wants of a thin Playhouse, and Long Vacation...This hasty Brat...had the Honor of keeping the Stage for five Days Reign. Animadversions on Mr Congreve's late Answer to Mr Collier (1698), pp. 34-35: The mighty Man of Wit [Congreve]...at the Representation of this Play...was seen very gravely with his Hat over his Eyes among his chief Actors, and Actresses, together with the two She Things, call'd Poetesses, which Write for his House, as 'tis nobly call'd; thus seated in State among those and some other of his Ingenious critical Friends, they fell all together upon a full cry of Damnation, but when they found the malicious Hiss would not take, this very generous, obliging Mr Congreve was heard to say, We'll find out a New way for this Spark, take my word there is a way of clapping of a Play down

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not known. As the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 20-23 Nov. 1697, it was probably first acted not later than October 1697; and, in view of its apparently unsuccessful appearance, may have been a late summer or early fall production. When this play was entered in the Term Catalogues, it had the title, Love's Reward; or, The Unnatural Mother

Event Comment: According to Sir Edward Smith's bill--see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 308--Rich's Company acted 161 days from 6 Oct. 1697 to 19 May 1698, 41 days from that date to 10 July 1698, and the young actors played 24 days from 10 July 1698 to 10 Oct. 1698

Event Comment: Rich's Company. James Brydges, Diary: I went & lookt in at ye Playhouse [dl?], Greenwich park being acted. I staid not an act, but went hence to Tom's Coffeehouse (Huntington MS St 26)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. This performance is known by a playbill in the Folger Shakespeare Library: At the New Theatre, in Little Lincolns-Inn Fields, this present Wensday the 27th of October, will be presented, A Comedy call'd, The Committee, or The Faithful Irishman. No Persons to Stand on the Stage. Nor any Money to be after Return'd [sic] the Curtain is Drawn up. By his Majesties Servants. Vivat Rex. [The playbill is reproduced, opposite page 230, in William VanLennep, Some Early English Playbills, Harvard Library Bulletin, VIII (1954).

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. This performance is known from a playbill in the Folger Shakespeare Library: Not Acted these 16 Years. At the New Theatre, in Little Lincolns-Inn Fields, Tomorrow being Thursday the 28th of October, will be Reviv'd, A Play call'd Troilus and Cressida; or, Truth Found too late. No Person to stand on the Stage. Nor any Money to be after Return'd [sic] the Curtain is Drawn up. By His Majesties Servants. Vivat Rex

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the Dedication to the Edition of 1698 is dated 16 Dec. 1697, suggesting a premiere in November 1697

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. This performance is recorded in A Calendar of the Inner Temple Records, ed. Inderwick, III, 227. Post Boy, 30 Oct.-2 Nov. 1697: There was Yesterday a very great Feast in the Temple, there being present the High Honourable the Lord Chancellor, with Divers of the Judges; after Dinner there was a Play Acted. John Oldmixon, Reflections on the Stage (London, 1699), p. 69: The Bar-Gown has often been play'd with, and shewn in a more despicable Figure, yet the Lawyers don't think it worth their while to cry out against Comedy, as aiming at the ruin of the Courts in Westminster-hall, and the Judges themselves have desir'd Love for Love, with all the faults Mr Collier has laid to its charge, to be presented 'em, and were extreamly well pleas'd with their entertainment, tho' the Lawyer there makes a trivial appearance

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance. Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 377: Lady Morley and two in the Box at Scornefull Lady 12s

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance. Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 377: Lady Morley and one in the Box at Timon 8s

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance. Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 377: Lady Morley and one in the Box at Prophetesse 10s. [See also 18 Dec. 1697.

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance. Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 377: Lady Morley and one in the Box at Esop 8s

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Post Boy, 16-18 Dec. 1697: We hear that the Marquiss of Carmarthen who lately Entertain'd the Great Officer from the Czar of Muscovy, at the Opera call'd the Prophetess, has this day Bespoke the Entertainment of the Indian Queen at the Theatre Royal

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the London Gazette, 17-21 Feb. 1697@8, suggests that it was first given not later than January 1697@8. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 44: Heroick Love, Wrote by Mr George Greenvil, Superlatively Writ; a very good Tragedy, well Acted, and mightly pleas'd the Court and City. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 20: The Language is very correct: But with submission to him [Granville], his Fable is not well chosen; there's too little Business in't for so long a Representation: But if Mr G. had taken the Story at a greater length, and contriv'd the Incidents to surprize, he had made it an admirable Tragedy

Event Comment: Rich's Company. This play was also reprinted in 1698. Lady Morley attended this performance. Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 377: Lady Morley and two in the Pitt at the Relapse 5s

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Post Boy, 13-15 Jan. 1697@8: 'Tis said that this day will be Acted, at the Theatre in Dorset Garden, the Opera called Prophetess or Dioclesian, at the request of a Nobleman; they will not tell us who, but we presume for the Entertainment of a very great Foreigner. Luttrell, A Brief Relation, III, 332: He [the Czar of Muscovy] is this night at the Playhouse incognito to see the Prophetesse acted

Event Comment: Rich's Company. There is no certainly as to whether this performance is the premiere. Because the play was not published until 1715, the cast for the first performance is not known. Lady Morley attended this performance. Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 377: Lady Morley and one in the Box att Country House 8s

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance. Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 377: Lady Morley and two in the Box at King Arthur 18s. [In The Female Wits--see September 1696--in Act I is a reference to the enlivening of King Arthur created by the Pudding and Dumbling Song.

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance. Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 377: Lady Morley and one in the Box att King Arthur 10s

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Flying Post, 29-31 March 1698, suggests that the first performance probably occurred in late February or very early in March. One song, Though over all mankind, the music by Leveridge and sung by Mrs Lindsey, was published in A Second Book of Songs with a Through Bass, 1699

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the Songs were advertised in the Post Boy, 29-31 March 1698, and performance probably occurred in early March. One song, All things seem deaf to my complaints, set by John Eccles and sung by Mrs Bowman, was published in The A'lamode Musician, 1698. According to the Post Boy, 17-19 March 1697@8, another song, Fair Amoret is gone Astray, had its words written by Congreve, and, according to the Post Boy, 29-31 March 1698, the music set by John Eccles. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 20: Damn'd. Gildon, English Dramatick Poets, p. 173: I have little to say to this Play, for 'tis not fair to attack a Man that's down, tho' I do not think (considering what Plays have pleas'd) that this ought to have met with so severe a Fate

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 28-30 April 1698, suggests a first performance in late March. The Songs, published separately, include: Come all ye shepherds, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Freeman. Let every shepherd bring his lass, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Magnus. Life is but a little span, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Young Bowin and Mrs Campion. Fond shepherd, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Pate. To pensive years resign your pining, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Young Bowen. Look down, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Pate. Dedication, edition of 1698: I have no Reason to complain of the Success it had on the Stage. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 20: Damn'd

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance. Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 377: Lady Morley and one in the Box att King Arthur 10s

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the London Gazette, 18-20 June 1698, suggests that its first performance occurred in late April or early May 1698. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 20: Damn'd