Event Comment: Benefit for Wilson. 1st piece [1st time; F 1, author unknown. Larpent MS 944; not published]. 3rd piece: Not acted these 15 years. In Act II a Grand Review of Bayes's Troops, with a Sham Battle of Horse and Foot [for which see dl, 13 Dec. 1777]. 4th piece [1st time; M. INT 1, author unknown. Larpent MS 946; not published]: With a New Overture. Morning Herald, 6 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Wilson, Park-lane, Church-lane, Chelsea

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 5 years [acted 24 Nov. 1791]. "Fawcett is unfortunate in his laugh, which is forced and affected, as if it were more the result of some specific direction acting on his memory, than of any combination of ludicrous images excited in his mind" (Monthly Mirror, Dec. 1795, p. 123). Receipts: #170 12s. (168.8.6; 2.3.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Fawcett. Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. Morning Herald, 16 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Fawcett at his house, No. 9, Tottenham-court-road

Event Comment: No Money to be returned. Boxes 6s. Second Price 3s. Pit 3s. 6d. Second Price 2s. Gallery 2s. Second Price 1s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be had of Brandon (only) at the office in Hart-street. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 27 Nov.]. Receipts: #270 18s. (267.8; 3.10)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Henry James Pye. Prologue by William Sotheby; Epilogue by John Taylor (see text)]: With new Dresses and Decorations. "From the first drawing up of the curtain, till its final fall, we could not discover one single flight of fancy, one solitary scene of woe...It is but justice to add that for a first night the performers, with the exception of Barrymore, were very perfect in their respective parts [and see 27 Jan.]" (Dramatic Censor, I, 175, 181). Receipts: #309 13s. (246.4.6; 61.0.6; 2.8.0)

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: My wife and Willett and I to the King's playhouse, and there saw Henry the Fourth; and contrary to expectation, was pleased in nothing more than in Cartwright's speaking of Falstaffe's speech about "What is Honour?" The house full of Parliamentmen, it being holyday with them: and it was observable how a gentleman of good habit, sitting just before us, eating of some fruit in the midst of the play, did drop down as dead, being choked; but with much ado Orange Moll did thrust her finger down his throat, and brought him to life again

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: And wife and Deb. to the King's house, there to see The Wild-goose Chase, which I never saw, but have long longed to see it, being a famous play, but as it was yesterday I do find that where I expect most I find least satisfaction, for in this play I met with nothing extraordinary at all, but very dull inventions and designs. Knepp come and sat by us, and her talk pleased me a little, she telling me how Mis Davis is for certain going away from the Duke's house, the King being in love with her; and a house is taken for her, and furnishing; and she hath a ring given her already worth #600: that the King did send several times for Nelly, and she was with him, but what he did she knows not; this was a good while ago, and she says that the King first spoiled Mrs Weaver, which is very mean, methinks, in a prince, and I am sorry for it, and can hope for no good to the State from having a Prince so devoted to his pleasure. She told me also of a play shortly coming upon the stage, of Sir Charles Sidly's, which, she thinks, will be called The Wandering Ladys, a comedy that, she thinks, will be more pleasant; and also another play, called The Duke of Lerma; besides Catelin, which she thinks, for want of the clothes which the King promised them, will not be acted for a good while

Event Comment: [The King's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but a letter--see 2 Jan. 1670@1--indicates that the first part had been acted before that date and that Part II was to be shortly staged. The point of the Prologue spoken by Ellen Gwyn seems to have derived from an incident at Dover (see Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 20) in May 1670, when James Nokes attired himself in a ridiculous fashion, including "Broad wast Belts." The speakers of the Epilogue and the Prologue to the Second Part are mentioned in Sir William Haward's MS (Bodl. MS Don. b., pp. 248-49); see The Poems of John Dryden, ed. James Kinsley (Oxford, 1958), IV, 1848-49. In Part I a song Beneath a myrtle shade, with music by John Bannister, is in Choice Songs and Ayres, First Book, 1673. Another, Wherever I am, with music by Alphonso Marsh, is in the same collection, as is also How unhappy a lover am I, the music by Nicholas Staggins. Mrs John Evelyn to Mr Bohun, ca. Jan. 1670@1: Since my last to you I have seen The Siege of Grenada, a play so full of ideas that the most refined romance I ever read is not to compare with it; love is made so pure, and valour so nice, that one would image it designed for an Utopia rather than our stage. I do not quarrel with the poet, but admire one born in the decline of morality should be able to feign such exact virtue; and as poetic fiction has been instructive in former ages, I wish this the same event in ours. As to the strict law of comedy I dare not pretend to judge: some think the division of the story is not so well if it could all have been comprehended in the day's actions (The Diary and Correspondence of John Evelyn, ed. William Bray, IV, 25). According to John Evelyn--see 9 Feb. 1670@1--Robert Streeter did some of the scenes for this play. In the Preface to The Fatal Discovery, ca. February 1697@8, George Powell, in discussing revivals of Dryden's plays, stated: In relation to our reviving his Almanzor...very hard crutching up what Hart and Mohun could not prop

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the play followed The Citizen Turned Gentleman (4 July 1672) and refers to it in the Prologue. Edward Ravenscroft replied in the Preface and Prologue to The Careless Lovers, which appeared in February or March 1672@3. A song, Long betwixt Love and fear Phillis tormented, set by Robert Smith, is in Choice Songs and Ayres, The First Book, 1673. Preface to The Assignation: It succeeded ill in the representation, against the opinion of many of the best Judges of our Age. Langbaine, English Dramatick Poets, p. 154: This Play was Damn'd on the Stage

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. As the play was not printed until 1689, the date of composition is uncertain. In Act I, however, a reference to the death of the Earl of Rochester (26 July 1680) suggests that the play probably followed that even rather closely. On the other hand, the latest likely date for the first production seems set at late 1682 by the fact that Thomas Farmer's music for the play in BM Add. Mss. 19183-19185 is dated December 1682. The play has been placed in September 1680 as the earliest likely date (the presence of an experienced cast makes somewhat unlikely a production in mid-summer 1680). A song, All other blessings are but toys, with music by Thomas Farmer, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Fourth Book, 1683. A song, Lovely Selina, innocent and free, with music by John Blow, is in the same collection; and another, Weep all ye nymphs, with music by John Blow, is in The Theater of Music, The First Book, 1685

Event Comment: The Prince of Orange's company of foreign comedians was apparently expected in England on this evening (HMC, 5th Report, Part I, 1876, p. 186). They were under the management of Francis Duperier and apparently remained in England for some four months. See Lawrence, Early French Players in England, p. 150. See also an order, L. C. 5@145, p. 90 (Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 253n), to prepare the Cockpit for the Prince of Orange's players

Event Comment: The United Company. As 9 Nov. 1692 is known to be the second day, it is assumed that 8 Nov. 1692 represents the first performance. (See entry for 9 Nov. 1692.) The authorship is uncertain; William Mountfort signed tne Dedication, but its authorship is linked with that of Edward III (November 1690), which may have been by Bancroft. Gentleman's Journal, October 1692 (not issued until November): Henry the Second, King of England, A new Play, by the Author of that call'd Edward the Third, which gave such universal satisfaction, hath been acted several times with applause. It is a Tragedy with a mixture of Comedy....Had you seen it acted, you would own that an Evening is pass'd very agreeably, when at a Representation of that pleasing Piece. [Alfred Harbage, Elizabethan-Restoration Palimpsest, Modern Language Review, XXXV (1940), 312-18, argues that this play is the Elizabethan Henry II once in the possession of Moseley. A song, In vain 'gainst Love I strove, composed by Henry Purcell and sung by Mrs Dyer, not in the printed play, is in Comes Amoris, 1693, and Joyful Cuckoldom 1695. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), vii

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 2943, 22-25 Jan. 1693@4: At the consort-room in York-buildings, on this present Thursday, at the usual hour will be perform'd Mr Purcell's Song composed for St Cecilia's Day in the year 1694 [?], together with some other compositions of his, both vocal and instrumental, for the entertainment of his Highness Prince Lewis of Baden. [In the Gentleman's Journal, January@February 1693@4, is: A Song set by Mr Henry Purcell. The Words by the Authour of this Journal, Sung at an Entertainment for Prince Lewis of Barden, Sawney is a bonny, bonny lad."

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the London Gazette, No. 3153, 27-30 Jan. 1695@6, suggests that it was first given in December 1695, certainly no later than early January 1696

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Man, 29 Feb.-2 March 1695@6, and the London Gazette, No. 3165, 9-12 March 1695@6, suggests that its first appearance was not later than early February. One song, The town rakes, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Mr Edward, was separately printed ca. 1696. Epistle Dedicatory, Edition of 1696: The unjust Sentence this Play met with before very partial Judges in the Acting....So that I may reasonable impute its miscarriage to some Faction that was made against it, which indeed was very Evident on the First day, and more on the endeavours employ'd, to render the Profits of the Third, as small as could be...Ch. Gildon

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of this revival is not certain, but Luttrell's copy (Huntington Library) bears his date of 27 Oct. 1696 for his acquisition of a copy; hence, the revival must have occurred not later than October 1696. When this play was revived at the Queen's Theatre in the Haymarket, 8 June 1705, the bill bore the heading: Not Acted by that Company these Nine Years

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. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 18-21 Dec. 1697, suggests that the premiere occurred not later than late November. This play was originally given to the company in Drury Lane, but withdrawn. See G. Thorn-Drury, An Unrecorded Play Title, Review of English Studies, VI (1930), 316-18. Edition of 1698: A Dialogue in the fourth Act, between Mr Bowman and Mrs Bracegirdle; The words by Mr Durfey and set by Mr Eccles: When will Stella kind and tendre. A Dialogue in the fifth Act, between a Boy and a Girl, and an Old Man, Written by Mr Motteux, set to the Musick by Mr J. Eccles. Preface: I look upon those that endeavour'd to discountenance this Play as Enemys to me

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Post Boy, No 494, 2-5 July 1698: This Day is Acted the Tempest, at the Kings Playhouse in Drury-Lane, for the Entertainment of a Foreign Prince, who, we are positively inform'd, is the Prince of Parma in Person

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