Event Comment: [The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. lists at Harvard. See VanLennep, "Plays on the English Stage", pp. 16-17. This performance may have been the premiere. Shadwell, in his Preface, implies that it was acted six days. As Saturday was a day frequently chosen for a first showing and as the play was certainly given again on 14 Dec. 1670, the sequence of performaces which follow in this Calendar is based on the assumption that Saturday 10 Dec. 1670 was the first day, Wednesday 14 Dec. 1670 the fourth day of acting. The Preface: This Play...came upon the Stage with all the disadvantages imaginable: First, I was forced, after I had finish'd it, to blot out the main design of it; finding, that, contrary to my intention, it had given offence. The second disadvantage was, that notwithstanding I had (to the great prejudice of the Play) given satisfaction to all the exceptions made against it, it met with the clamorous opposition of a numerous party, bandied against it, and resolved, as much as they could, to damn it, right or wrong, before they had heard or seen a word on't. The last, and not the least, was, that the Actors (though since they have done me some right) at first were extreamly imperfect in the Action of it.... This of mine, after all these blows, had fall'n beyond Redemption, had it not been revived, after the second day, by her [Mrs Johnson's (?)] kindness (which I can never enough acknowledge) who, for four days together, beautified it with the most excellent Dancings that ever has been seen upon the Stage. This drew my enemies, as well as friends, till it was something better acted, understood, and liked, than at first

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that it was entered in the Term Catalogues in February 1679@80 suggests a first production in December 1679 or January 1680. A song, Tell my Strephon that I die, with music by John Blow, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Fourth Book, 1683

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not certain, but it was probably this day. A letter dated 26 Jan. 1681@2 speaks of the preceding day's performance as the "poet's day," presumably the third day; it is likely, therefore, that the premiere fell on Monday, 23 Jan. 1681@2. The Prologue and Epilogue, were printed separately in 1682 and reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 50-51. Luttrell's copy (Huntington Library) bears his acquisition date of 14 Feb. 1681@2. A note on the Library of Congress copy indicated that Smith spoke the Prologue. A song, Great Augustus like the glorious sun, with music by John Blow, is in A New Collection of Poems and Songs, 1683. Another, Now the Tones all must droop, sung by Bowman, is in the same collection, but without indication of the composer, and a third, Twa bonny lads were Sawney and Jockey, without singer or composer, is in the same collection

Event Comment: A Second Musical Entertainment Perform'd on St. Cecilia's day, November XXII. 1684. The Words by the late ingenious Mr John Oldham, Author of the Satyrs Against the Jesuits. Set to Music in two, three, four, and five Parts, by Dr John Blow, Master of the Children, and Organist of His Majesty's Chappel-Royal. [This work was published in 1685.

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known. The edition of 1687 states on the title page: This may be printed, April 23. 1686. It was entered in the Stationers' Register, 8 May 1686, under the title: The Disappointed Marriage; or, Ye Generous Mistris. It was probably first given before mid-April 1686, with the publication delayed, a delay accounting for the fact that Mrs Percival, who did not marry Mountfort until 2 July 1686, appears in the cast as Mrs Mountford. A song, O love that stronger art than wine, the music by John Blow, the verse by Ousley, and sung by John Bowman, is in The Theater of Music, The Fourth Book, 1687