*p1696 03 00 lif The City Bride; or, The Merry Cuckold. Edition of 1696: Prologue-Mr Thurmond; Bonvile-Boman; Friendly-Thurmond; Justice Merryman-Bright; Summerfield-Scudemore; Mr Ventre-Arnold; Mr Spruce-Bayly; Compasse-Freeman; A Councellor-Davis; Pettifog-Trefusis; Dodge-Eldred; Arabella-Mrs Boman; Clara-Mrs Boutell; Mrs Ventre-Mrs Lacy; Peg-Mrs Perin; Nurse-Mrs Lawson; Lucy-Miss Prince; Epilogue-the City-Bride.*c1696 03 00 lif <i>Betterton's Company</i>. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the <i>Post Boy</i>, 25-28 April 1696, suggests that it was acted not later than the period preceding <i>Passion Week</i> (6-11 April 1696). In addition, the large number of minor performers in the cast suggests a <i>Lenten performance</i> by the young actors. In Act I, Scene i, there is an Entertainment of Instrumental Musick, Compos'd by $Signior Finger=: Then a Song, set by $Mr John Eccles=, and Sung by $Young La Roche=. In III, iii: A Dialogue set by $Seignior Baptist=. The play is an adaptation of $John Webster='s <i>Cure for a Cuckold</i>. <i>A Comparison Between the Two Stages</i> (1702): <i>The City Bride</i>, by another Player, Damn'd.