Event Comment: The program was published in 1684: A Musical Entertainment Perform'd on November XXII. 1683, It Being the Festival of St Cecilia, a great Patroness of Music; Whose Memory is Annually Honour'd by a public Feast made on that Day by the Masters and Lovers of Music, as well in England as in Foreign Parts. [Henry Purcell signed the Preface: To the Gentlemen of the Musical Society, and particularly the Stewards.] An advertisement in Vinculum Societatis, 1691, states that Christopher Fishburn composed the verse

Event Comment: The Ode is in D'Urfey, Wit and Mirth, I, 70-71. Gentleman's Journal, January 1691-2, pp. 4-5: On that day [22 Nov.] or the next when it falls on a Sunday, as it did last time, most of the Lovers of Music, whereof many are persons of the first Rank, meet at Stationers-Hall in London, not thro' a Principle of Superstition, but to propagate the advancement of that divine Science. A splendid Entertainment is provided, and before it is always a performance of Music by the best Voices and Hands in Town; the Words, which are always in the Patronesses praise, are set by some of the greatest Masters in Town. This year Dr John Blow, that famous Musician, composed tne Music, and Mr Durfey, whose skill in things of that nature is well enough known, made the Words....Whilst the Company is at Table, the Hautboys and Trumpets play successively. Mr Showers hath taught the latter of late years to sound with all the softness imaginable, they plaid us some flat Tunes, made by Mr Finger, with a general applause, it being a thing formerly though impossible upon the Instrument design'd for a sharp Key

Event Comment: The Lord Mayor's Shoew. By Elkanah Settle. The cost of the pageants: Masters' Accounts, #479 14s. 2d.; Wardens' Accounts, #43 1s. 2d. See R. T. D. Sayle, Lord Mayors' Pageants (London, 1931), p. 145

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@151, p. 369: ye Q a Box & a Box for ye Maids of Honr double dealer. [See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 352.] Cibber relates an incident which may pertain to this performance, Apology, I, 185-86: Queen Mary having commanded the Double Dealer to be acted, Kynaston happen'd to be so ill that he could not hope to be able next Day to perform his Part of the Lord Touchwood. In this Exigence, the Author, Mr Congreve, advis'd that it might be given to me, if at so short a Warning I would undertake it. The Flattery of being thus distinguish'd by so celebrated an Author, and the Honour to act before a Queen, you may be sure made me blind to whatever Difficulties might attend it. I accepted the Part, and was ready in it before I slept; next Day the Queen was presented at the Play, and was received with a new Prologue from the Author, spoken by Mrs Barry, humbly acknowledging the great Honour done to the Stage....After the Play, Mr Congreve made me the Compliment of saying, That I had not only answer'd, but had exceeded his Expectations, and that he would shew me he was sincere in his saying more of me to the Masters.--He was as good as his Word, and the next Pay-day I found my Sallary of fifteen was then advanced to twenty Shillings a Week

Event Comment: Newsletter, 1 Sept. 1694: Indictments are found against severall of the Masters of Booths in Bartholomew fair for presuming to keep the same without the Lord Mayor's permission (Huntington Library, EL 9986, Vol. 142)

Event Comment: London Gazette, No. 3378, 24-28 March 1698: Next Monday, being the 28th Instant, will be performed in York Buildings, a new Consort of Musick by the chiefest Masters in England, where Signior Rampany, an Italian Musician belonging to the prince of Vaudemont, at the Request of several Persons of Quality, will for once sing in the same in Italian and French. Half a Guinea Entrance

Event Comment: Post Boy, No 482, 4-7 June 1698: At York Buildings this Day, being the 7th of June, will be performed an Entertainment of New Musick, Vocal and Instrumental, Mr Pate, Mr Leveridge, Mr Freeman, Mr Bowen, and all the best Masters perform their Parts. Composed by Mr Daniel Purcell for his Benefit

Event Comment: Being a choice Collection of Musick composed by Scarlatti, Bononcini, Albinoni, Caesarini, Gasperini, and several other the most celebrated Italian Masters. Boxes 8s. Pit 5s. Gallery 2s. 6d. Boxes on the Stage half a guinea. At 6 p.m

Event Comment: Afterpiece: [By Christopher Bullock.] A Farce of one Act, taken out of a Play written by Mr Shirley, call'd, A Mad World, my Masters. Receipts: #40 9s

Event Comment: Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 23 Sept.: Last Wednesday died the Celebrated Comedian, Mr Tho Dogget, formerly one of the Masters of the Play-House in Drury-Lane