Event Comment: The United Company.
There is no certainty as to when
the first performance occurred, but it can hardly be later than 11 Nov. 1690, when it was entered in
the Stationers' Register; it was
then advertised in
the London Gazette, No. 2618, 11-15 Dec. 1690. On
the assumption that
the performance of
Amphitryon on 21 Oct. 1690 followed its premiere,
Distress'd Innocence has been assigned to late October 1690.
The Overture and seven Act Tunes were composed by
Henry Purcell. See
Purcell's Works,
Purcell Society, XVI (1906), xix. Dedication, Edition of 1691: I must still own my self indebted on all Hands, not only to
the kind Audience, but likewise to
the kind Company, who amongst o
ther Favours, were pleased to be at
the Charge of dressing my Play to so much Advantage. But above all I must make my publick Acknowledgments to
Mr Betterton for his several extraordinary Hints to
the heightening of my best Characters, nor am I a little indebted to
Mr Montfort, for
the last Scene of my Play which he was so kind to write for me