Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347. There is no certainty that this performance is the premiere, but it may well be. Two songs, Ah false Amyntas, and Amyntas led me to a grove, both set by Robert Smith, are in Choice Songs and Ayres, 1673. Preface to the edition of 1673: Good, Sweet, Honey, Sugar-candied Reader, ...Indeed that day 'twas Acted first, there comes into the Pit a long, lither, plegmatick, white, ill-favour'd, wretched Fop, an Officer in Masquerade newly transported with a Scarfe & Feather out of France, a sorry Animal that has nought else to shield it from the uttermost contempt of all mankind, but that respect which we afford to Rats and Toads, which though we do not well allow to live, yet when considered as a part of God's Creation, we make honourable mention of them. A thing, Reader--but no more of such a Smelt: This thing, I tell ye, opening that which serves it for a mouth, out issued such a noise as this to those that state about it, that they were to expect a woful Play, God damn him, for it was a womans.... Reader, I have a complaint or two to make to you, and I have done; Know then that this Play was hugely injur'd in the Acting, for 'twas done so imperfectly as never any was before, which did more harm to this than it could have done to any of another sort; the Plot being busie (though I think not intricate) and so requiring a continual attention, which being interrupted by the intolerable negligence of some that acted in it, must needs much spoil the beauty on't. My Dutch Lover spoke but little of what I intended for him, but supplied it with a great deal of idle stuff, which I was wholly unacquainted with until I heard it first from him. According to the Preface, the Prologue was lost

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347. The same cast is listed in the Yale MS. See Davenant's Macbeth from the Yale Manuscript, ed. Christopher Spencer (New Haven, 1961), p. 78. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 34: Mr Nat. Lee, had the same Fate [as Otway in undertaking the King in Behn's The Jealous Bridgeroom] in Acting Duncan in Macbeth, ruin'd him for an Actor too

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347. This performance may well be the premiere. In the Preface the author states that the play was asked for on Shrove Tuesday and he wrote it within a week; a premiere, then, before this date would allow very little time for rehearsal. This play is certainly a "Lenten" performance, for it was acted on a Wednesday in Lent and was referred to in the Prologue as a "Lenten Play." See the discussion under The Spanish Rogue (March 1673) and Gray, pp. 785-86. See also J. G. McManaway, The Copy for The Careless Lovers," MLN, XLVI (1931), 406-9. Preface to the edition of 1673: [This play] was written at the Desire of the Young Men of the Stage, and given them for a Lenten-Play, they ask't it not above a Week before Shrove-Tuesday

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This date of the premiere is not known, but the presence of Cademan (who was injured in August 1673) in the cast suggests a late spring or early summer production. In addition, two songs, in the play, Beauty no more shall suffer eclipse, and Full round the health good natured and free, both set by Robert Smith, are in Choice Ayres and Songs, 1673 (which was entered in the Stationers' Register, June 1673). It is possible, then, that the play was first given early as May 1673. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 33: A Comedy call'd The Reformation, Written by a Master of Arts in Cambridge; the Reformation in the Play, being the Reverse to the Laws of Morality and Virtue; it quickly made its Exit, to make way for a Moral one

Event Comment: The Diary of Robert Hooke, 1672-1678: at Scaramuches at york house. present: the King, Duke of York, Lord Ormond &c. (ed. H. W. Robinson and Walter Adams [London, 1935], p. 42). See slso Boswell, Restoration Court Stage, pp. 118-19, and John Harold Wilson, A Theatre in York House, Theatre Notebook, XVI (1962), 75-78

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 216. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348. There is considerable uncertainty as to when the first performance occurred, but it appears to have been acted first at court. See Boswell, Restoration Court Stage, pp. 131-34. The first Prologue, written by Lord Mulgrove, and the second, written by Lord Rochester, are in A Collection of Poems Written upon several Occasions by several Persons (1673). Roger North: And now we turne to the Publik theatres. It had bin strange if they had not observed this promiscuous tendency to musick, and not have taken it into their scenes and profited by it. The first proffer of theirs, as I take it, was in a play of the thick-sculd-poetaster Elkanah Settle, called The Empress of Morocco; which had a sort of masque poem of Orfeus and Euridice, set by Mr M. Lock, but scandalously performed. It begins The Groans of Ghosts, &c. and may be had in print (Roger North on Music, ed. John Wilson [London, 1959], p. 306)

Event Comment: Robert Hooke was at the Duke's Theatre but did not name the play (The Diary of Robert Hooke. p. 54)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This play is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 216. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348. The date on the list seems to be "3," but as this is a Sunday, it is more likely "9." This performance may well be the one to which Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 31) refers: Note, Mr Cademan in this Play [The Man's the Master], not long after our Company began in Dorset-Garden; his Part being to Fight with Mr Harris, was Unfortunately, with a sharp Foil pierc'd near the Eye, which so Maim'd both the Hand and his Speech, that he can make little use of either; for which Mischance, he has receiv'd a Pension ever since 1673, being 35 Years a goe. [For a discussion of this accident, see William VanLennep, Henry Harris, Actor, Friend of Pepys, Studies in English Theatre History (London, 1952), p. 16, and the entry under 20 Aug. 1673.

Event Comment: Robert Hooke attended the Duke's Theatre, but again did not name the play (The Diary of Robert Hooke, 21 Aug. 1673)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. lists at Harvard. See VanLennep, Plays on the English Stage, p. 12

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This play is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 216, and a copy of the list at Harvard: Sr Martin Marall. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This play is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 216, the original at Harvard. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348; William S. Clark, Pordage's Herod and Mariamne, RES, V (1929), 61-64

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 216, the original being in the Harvard Theatre Collection. See VanLennep, Plays on the English Stage, p. 12, and Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 216. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348

Event Comment: A disturbance occurred at this theatre on this day. Newdigate newsletters (Folger Shakespeare Library), 21 March 1673@4: His Maty has also been pleased to Order ye Recorder of London to examine ye Disorders & disturbances on Tuesday last at ye Dukes Theatre by some persons in drink (John Harold Wilson, Theatre Notes, p. 79). See also CSPD, 1673-1675, p. 231

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This play is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 216. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348. Nothing further is known concerning this play

Event Comment: This date of performance is not a certainty; for the evidence, see Spencer, Shakespeare Improved, p. 94. Neither is Shadwell's authorship of the alterations a certainty, for the contributions of other playwrights have never been fully determined. (See Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 43.) The instrumental music was composed by Matthew Lock, with new vocal music by James? Hart and Pietro Reggio. See Songs Set by Signior Pietro Reggio, 1680. And differing versions of the second Prologue and the second Epilogue are in BM Egerton MS. 2623, ff. 54-55. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 34-35): The Year after in 1673. The Tempest, or the Inchanted Island, made into an Opera by Mr Shadwell, having all New in it; as Scenes, Machines; particularly, one Scene Painted with Myriads of Ariel Spirits; and another flying away, with a Table Furnisht out with Fruits, Sweetmeats and all sorts of Viands; just when Duke Trinculo and his Companions, were going to Dinner; all things Perform'd in it so Admirably well, that not any succeeding Opera got more Money

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The Journal of Baron von Schwerin, [14 June 1674 NS (?)], 4 June 1674 OS: (translation) Attended an English play, [The Tempest], or the Enchanted Island, which because of the changing of the scenes was well worth seeing (in Gesandtschafts-Berichten des Ministers Otto von Schwerin [Berlin, 1837], p. XXII). See also 16 May 1674

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The Diary of Robert Hooke (p. 108): To Hoskins with Sir Ch. Wren. By water with him to the Playhouse. Saw Tempest. Paid 3sh

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the Preface implies that it was a vacation (summer) production. The play was entered in the Term Catalogues, February 1674@5. Preface, Edition of 1675: It happening to be in my hands in the long Vacation, a time when the Play-house are willing to catch at any Reed to save themselves from Sinking, to do the House a kindness, and serve the Gentleman [who had apparently composed much of the play] I begged leave of him to turn it into Prose

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Sometime in September Nell Gwyn attended this play, but the document listing her attendance is mutilated and the exact date is lost. See William VanLennep, Nell Gwyn's Playgoing at the King's Expence, Harvard Library Bulletin, IV (1950), 406

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Nell Gwyn attended this play on three occasions in September or October. See VanLennep, Nell Gwyn's Playgoing, p. 406

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Nell Gwyn attended a performance of this play in September or October. See VanLennep, Nell Gwyn's Playgoing, p. 406

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. A performance of this play was attended by Nell Gwyn, but the date is uncertain. See VanLennep, Nell Gwyn's Playgoing, p. 406