Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance: Lady Morley and three in the Box at Marryage hater. 16s. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 378. John Dryden to Mrs Steward, 14 Dec. 1699: Both the Iphigenias have been played with bad Success; & being both acted, one against the other, in the same week, clashed together, like two rotten ships, which cou'd not endure the shock; & sunk to rights (The Letters of John Dryden, p. 131)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance: Lady Morley in the Box at Earle of Essex. 4s. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 378

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. This performance was probably the first day of this revival, for Matthew Prior wrote to Abraham Stanyan, 8 Jan. 1699@1700: To-morrow night Betterton acts Falstaff, and to encourage that poor house the Kit Katters have taken one side-box and the Knights of the Toast have taken the other (HMC, Bath MSS. [London, 1908], III, 394). See also 28 Jan. 1699@1700. The play was advertised in the London Gazette, No. 3601, 13-16 May 1700, and the title page states: Reviv'd, with Alterations. Written Originally by Mr Shakespear

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the Prologue refers to "this Winter," suggesting a date before March 1700. A song, Ah Belinda I am pressed, in this play, appeared in Orpheus Britannica, 1698, the music by Henry Purcell, who had died some years before its appearance in this collection. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), pp. 26-27, referring to the rivalry between lif and dl in reviving Shakespeare and Jonson: The Battel continued a long time doubtful, and Victory hovering over both Camps, Batterton Sollicts for some Auxiliaries from the same Author, and then he flanks his Enemy with Measure for Measure

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 19 March 1699@1700, makes it likely that the first performance occurred not later than February 1700. The Prologue also suggests a Lenten performance: Methinks in Lent

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. See A Calendar of the Inner Temple Records, III, 357

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance: Lady Morley and two in the Box at Venice preserved. 12s. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 378

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance: Lady Morley and one in the Box at ye Relapse. 8s. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 378

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance: Lady Morley and two in the Box at Constant Couple.12s. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Drama, p. 378

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance: Lady Morley and one in the Box at the Grove an Opera. 10s. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Drama, p. 378. It is not known whether this performance was the premiere, but the publication of this work on 16 March 1699@1700 (Post Man, 14-16 March 1699@1700) suggests that if the usual month between premiere and publication intervened for this work, the premiere may have been in mid-February. On the other hand, a letter-see 20 Jan. 1699@1700-may refer to this work. The music was composed by Daniel Purcell. In Songs in the New Opera Called The Grove or Love's Paradice (1700) the following singers are listed: Mrs Irwin, Freeman, The Boy, Hughes, Mrs Lindsey, Pate, and Mrs Shaw. The Preface implies that the opera was a failure: As for the Persons who were not so generous...who thought the Catastrophe was not enough prepar'd, and that the discovery in the last Act was huddled and in confusion, they will now see if what he had writ had been spoken, every thing would have appear's clear and natural, which, to shorten the Entertainment had been before broken and disorder'd

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. This performance is known from a playbill apparently no longer extant: W. R. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. At the New Theatre in Little Lincoln's-Inn Fields, this present Tuesday, being the 27th of February, will be presented, a Tragedy call'd The Mourning Bride. The Moorish? Entry perform'd by The Little? Boy. Vivant Rex. (W. J. Lawrence, The Elizabethan Playhouse and Other Studies (Stratford, 1913). See also R. W. Lowe, Thomas Betterton (London, 1891), and Fitzgerald, A New History, I, 389

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the second edition (1700) states: The first appearance of this Play was on a Wednesday in Lent; for then (it seems) the Town look for a bad Entertainment. [As the play was advertised in the Flying Post, 2 April 1700, the first performance probably occurred in early March.] A Prologue by Sir Charles Sedley which may have been intended for this play is in Sedley's Works, ed. V. de Sola Pinto (London, 1928), I, 46-47, 288-89. A song in this play, separately printed ca. 1700, indicates that the music was composed by Daniel Purcell and that the song was sung by Mrs Erwin

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 16-18 April 1700, suggests that the first production came before Easter, March 31. A song, Delia tired Strephon with her flame, with music by John Eccles and sung by Bowman, is in Wit and Mirth, 1706

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. James Brydges, Diary: About 8: Sr G; [Coply] & I...going by ye playhouse in Lincolns inn fields, met Mr Edwin (Huntington MS St 26)

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. Lady Marow to Arthur Kay, 12 March 1699@1700: I have been at a play. The Island Princess which is mighty fine (HMC, 15th Report, Appendix, Dartmouth MSS., Part I, 1896, p. 145)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but Dryden's letter (see 11 April 1700) places its expected presentation between 11 and 25 April. The fact that the play was advertised in the London Gazette, 29 April 1700, suggests a premiere early in April

Event Comment: John Dryden to Mrs Steward, 11 April 1700: Within this Moneth there will be played for my Profit, an old play of Fletcher s, called the Pilgrim, corrected by my good friend Mr Vanbrook; to which I have added A New Masque, & am to write a New Prologue & Epilogue. Southern s tragedy, called the Revolt of Capoua, will be played At Bettertons House within this fortnight. I am out with that Company, & therefore if I can help it, will not read it before tis Acted; though the Authour much disires I shou'd (The Letters of John Dryden, p. 136)

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: Rich's Company. If the tradition (see 29 April 1700) is correct, this, the day of Dryden's death, was the third performance of this revived play

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance: Lady Morley and three in the Box at the ffox. 16s. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 378

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Post Boy, 28-30 May 1700: This Day at the King's Play-house, will be Acted the Tempest, or the Enchanted Island, with some Additional Entertainments, at the Request of several Seafaring Men

Event Comment: Rich's Company. This play was apparently never published, and the performance is known only by an advance announcement: Post Boy, 30 May-1 June 1700: The History of Hengist, the Saxon King of Kent, which before was designed to be Acted this day [1 June 1700], for the benefit of Mr Johnson, is therefore deferr'd till Monday. London Post, 7-10 June 1700: This Week the Morocco Ambassador diverted himself thrice at the Play-house

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance: Lady Morley and two in the Box at Constant Couple 12s. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 378. This play was reprinted in 1700

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance: Lady Morley and three in the Box at the Pilgrim. 16s. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 378. According to the Post Man, 15-18 June 1700, the play was published on this day