Event Comment: Edition of 1662: Being a True Relation of the Honourable the City of Londons Entertaining Their Sacred Majesties Upon the River of Thames, and Welcoming them from Hampton-Court to White-Hall. Expressed and set forth in several Shews and Pageants, the 23 day of August 1662. According to the printed version, the management of the pageant was under the care of Peter Mills, Surveyor; Malin, Water Bayliff; Thomas Whiting, Joyner; Richard Cleere, Carver. The songs were set by John Gamble, one of His Majesty's Servants. Evelyn, Diary: I this day was spectator of the most magnificent Triumph that certainly ever floted on the thames, considering the innumerable number of boates & Vessels, dressed and adorned with all imaginable Pomp: but above all, the Thrones, Arches, Pageants, & other representations, stately barges of the Lord Major, & Companies, with various Inventions, musique, & Peales of Ordnance both from the vessels & shore, going to meete & Conduct the new Queene from Hampton Court to White-hall, at the first time of her Coming to Towne.... his Majestie & the Queene, came in an antique-shaped open Vessell, convered with a State or Canopy of Cloth of Gold, made in forme of a Cupola, supported with high Corinthian Pillars, wreathd with flowers, festoones & Gyrlands: Pepys, Diary: We got into White Hall garden, and so to the Bowling-green, and up to the top of the new Banqueting House there, over the thames, which was a most pleasant place as any I could have got; and all the show consisted chiefly in the number of boats and barges; and two pageants, one of a King, and another of a Queen, with her Maydes of Honour sitting at her feet very prettily; and they tell me the Queen is Sir Richard Ford's daughter. Anon come the King and Queen in a barge under a canopy with 10,000 barges and boats, I think, for we could see no water for them, nor discern the King nor Queen. And so they landed at White Hall Bridge, and the great guns on the other side went off

Event Comment: The Duke's Company, the receipts for #20 being signed by Richard Baddeley (A Calendar of the Middle Temple Records, ed. Hopwood, p. 170). W. J. Lawrence (Review of English Studies, IX (1933), 221) suggests The Adventures of Five Hours as a possibility. Pepys, Diary: I met Madam Turner...she and her daughter having been at the play to-day at the Temple, it being a revelling time with them

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: All alone to the King's playhouse, and there did happen to sit just before Mrs Pierce, Mrs Knepp, who pulled me by the hair; and so I addressed myself to them, and talked to them all the intervals of the play, and did give them fruit. The play is Brenoralt, which I do find but little in, for my part. Here was many fine ladies--among others, the German Baron, with his lady, who is envoye from the Emperour, and their fine daughter, which hath travelled all Europe over with them, it seems; and is accordingly accomplished, and indeed, is a wonderful pretty woman. Here Sir Philip Frowde, who sat next to me, did tell me how Sir H. Belasses is dead, and that the quarrel between him and Tom Porter, who is fled, did arise in the ridiculous fashion that I was first told it, which is a strange thing between two so good friends. The play being done, I took the women, and Mrs Corbett, who was with them, by coach, it raining, to Mrs Manuel's, the Jew's wife, formerly a player, who we heard sing with one of the Italians that was there; and, indeed, she sings mightily well, and just after the Italian manner, but yet do not please me like one of Mrs Knepp's songs, to a good English tune, the manner their ayre not pleasing me so well as the fashion of our own, nor so natural

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: So we to the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw She Would if She Could,... This day, going to the play, The. Turner met us, and carried us to her mother, at my Lady Mordaunt's; and I did carry both mother and daughter with us to the Duke of York's playhouse

Event Comment: Newsletter, 7 April: Last evening their Majesties were diverted with a comedy acted at St James's by the little young ladies of the Court, who appeared extraordinarily glorious and covered with jewels (HMC, Fleming MSS. 12th Report, VII, 70). This may have been a performance of The Faithful Shepherdess which was entered by Richard Boyle, Earl of Burlington, in his diary, 2 April 1670 [error for 6 April (?)]: I saw Lady Mary, daughter of the Duke of York, and many young ladies act the Faithful Shepherdess very finely (Diary, Volume V, in Chatsworth. I owe this entry to Professor Kathleen Lynch). In Covent Garden Drollery, 1672 (ed. G. Thorn-Drury), p. 68, is an Epilogue spoken by the Lady Mary Mordaunt, before the King and Queen at court, to the Faithful Shepherdess. As Lady Mary was then about twelve, this Epilogue seems to confirm the possibility that the play was The Faithful Shepherdess acted by amateurs

Event Comment: Evelyn, Diary: Saw a Comedie at night, at court, acted by the Ladys onely, viz: The Lady Mary & Ann his R. Highnesses two Daughters, & my deare friend Mrs Blagg, who having the principal part, perform'd it to admiration: They were all covered with Jewels. [It seems likely that Evelyn saw a rehearsal or was in error concerning the date of performance.] Newdigate newsletters (Folger Shakespeare Library): On Twelfe day the principallest abt ye Court divert their Matys with a Play & Opera where in ye Splendor & Grandeur of the English Monarchy will be seen (Wilson, Theatre Notes, p. 79). See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, pp. 357-58, for an order of this date, L. C. 5@141, p. 83, concerning habits for the opera

Event Comment: Elizabeth Barry to the Right Hon. Lady Lisburne, 5 Jan. 1698@9: As for the little affairs of our house I never knew a worse Winter only we have had pretty good success in the Opera of Rinaldo and Armida where the poet made me command the Sea the earth and Air but had I really that Authority I cou'd with joy forsake it all to wait on your Ladyship....Eliz: Barry. Lon: jan: ye 5th this monent Alexander is bespoke to entertain ye Bride I mentioned [the daughter of Lord Litchfield married to Lord Baltimore's son] & all their guest to-morrow (See M. A. Shaaber, A Letter from Mrs Barry, The Library Chronicle, The University of Pennsylvania, XVI [1950], 46)

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Hall, Daughter to William Hall, who formerly had the Consort of Musick at his House in Norfolk-street. At 7 p.m. Tickets 5s

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Willis and her Daughter

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Willis and her Daughter. At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Written by Beaumont and Fletcher

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Willis and her Daughter

Event Comment: Mrs Lee, daughter of Mrs Minns, at the Great Booth on Bowling Green. With all the Scenes and Machines, with Additions. Mrs Lee had spared no Cost, but used her utmost Care, and most elaborate Industry in this Droll, to surpass even her Mother, the Booth coming as near the Perfection of the Theatre as possible, being adorned by the most ingenious Workmen: Her Head Characters are all Dress'd in real Gold and Silver, beyond what was ever worn at the Fair before, but by her own People

Event Comment: Benefit a Gentlewoman [Mrs Steed] and her Daughter. At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by Shakespear. Receipts: money #20 16s.; tickets #104 8s

Event Comment: Benefit the Daughter of a Decay's Merchant. Receipts: money #36 10s., 6d.; tickets #42 7s

Event Comment: Benefit Miss Jones, the Mayor's Daughter, who has so furiously espoused the Court-Interest

Event Comment: Benefit the Daughter of General Nugent, who was kill'd in the Defence of Gibraltar. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: Benefit the Daughter of an Office, deceas'd. By Command of His Royal Highness the Duke

Event Comment: By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Duke, and the Princesses Amelia, Caroline, and Louisa. Rylands MS.: Garrick Play'd, Duke Attended. Died 31 July, aged 77, Ben Johnson (Winston MS. from Burney's Actors MSS). [See benefit for his daughter 15 Dec.] Receipts: #171

Event Comment: By Permission Benefit Miss Jenny Cibber. Tickets deliver'd out for the 12th will be taken. By particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. [T. Cibber says: It was hinted to me, I might, unmolested, take a Benefit for myself, or Daughter, or both.-Serio-Comic Apology, p. 18.

Event Comment: By His Majesty's Command (General Advertiser). King & Daughters? (Cross). Receipts: #170 (Cross); #169 13s. (Powel)

Event Comment: MMasque with a Prologue, for ye Benefit of Mrs Foster, Grand Daughter to Milton & his only surviving Descendant (Cross). [For Prologue, see Gentleman's Magazine April 1750.] Rec'd cash #76 6s., plus #71 4s. from tickets. Total #147 4s. 6d. Paid for 1!2 year New River Water #1; Paid 1!2 year's scavanger's tax to Lady Day #3 14s. 6d.; Norton 4 Chorus #1 (Treasurer's Book). Tickets deliver'd for the 4th will be taken. Receipts: #150 (Cross); charges, #63 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Pit and boxes to be put together, and no person to be admitted without Tickets, which will be deliver'd this day, at the Office in Covent Garden Theatre, at Half a Guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. 6d. Galleries to be open'd at Half an Hour after Four c'oclock. Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at Half an Hour after Six [repeated]. This day is publish'd Compos'd by Handel, at 10s. 6d., The Oratorio Joshua, in Score...Printed for J. Walsh, in Catherine St. in the Strand