Event Comment: At Mr Croome's, at the Sign of the Shoe and Slap, near the Hospital Gate in West Smithfield, is to be seen, The Wonder of Nature, A Girl, above Sixteen Years of Age, born in Chesire, and not above Eighteen Inches long, having shed the Teeth seven several Times, and not a perfect Bone is any part of her, only the Head; yet she hath all senses to Admiration, and Discourses, Reads very well, Sings, Whistles, and all very pleasant to hear. Sept. 4, 1667. God Save the King. (Henry Morley, Memoirs of Bartholomew Fair, p. 189)

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: Being full of my desire of seeing my Lord Orrery's new play this afternoon at the King's house, The Black Prince, the first time it is acted; where though we come by two o'clock, yet there was no room in the pit, but we were forced to go into one of the upper boxes, at 4s. a piece, which is the first time I ever sat in a box in my life. And in the same box come, by and by, behind me, my Lord Barkeley and his lady; but I did not turn my face to them to be known, so that I was excused from giving them my seat; and this pleasure I had, that from this place the scenes do appear very fine indeed, and much better than in the pit. The house infinite full, and the King and Duke of York was there. By and by the play begun, and in it nothing Particular but a very fine dance for variety of figures, but a little too long. But, as to the contrivance, and all that was witty (which, indeed, was much, and very witty), was almost the same that had been in his two former plays of Henry the 5th and Mustapha, and the same points and turns of wit in both, and in this very same play often repeated, but in excellent language, and were so excellent that the whole house was mightily pleased with it all along till towards the end he comes to discover the chief of the plot of the play by the reading of a long letter, which was so long and some things (the people being set already to think too long) so unnecessary that they frequently begun to laugh, and to hiss twenty times, that, had it not been for the King's being there, they had certainly hissed it off the stage. But I must confess that, as my Lord Barkeley says behind me, the having of that long letter was a thing so absurd, that he could not imagine how a man of his parts could possibly fall into it; or, if he did, if he had but let any friend read it, the friend would have told him of it; and, I must confess, it is one of the most remarkable instances that ever I did or expect to meet with in my life of a wise man's not being wise at all times, and in all things, for nothing could be more ridiculous than this, though the letter of itself at another time would be thought an excellent letter, and indeed an excellent Romance, but at the end of the play, when every body was weary of sitting, and were already possessed with the effect of the whole letter, to trouble them with a letter a quarter of an hour long was a most absurd thing. After the play done, and nothing pleasing them from the time of the letter to the end of the play, people being put into a bad humour of disliking (which is another thing worth the noting), I home by coach, and could not forbear laughing almost all the way home, and all the evening to my going to bed, at the ridiculousness of the letter, and the more because my wife was angry with me, and the world, for laughing, because the King was there, though she cannot defend the length of the letter

Event Comment: The Dowager Countess of Sunderland to Henry Sidney, 19 Feb. 1679@80: The players have been disturbed again by drunken people's jokes. They called my Lord Arran a rogue; and one Fitzpatrick pointed at Mr Thinne, and called him that petitioning fool, and swore a hundred oaths; he said that he deserved #20,000 a-year, but that fool deserved nothing (R. W. Blencowe, Diary of the Times of Charles the Second [London, 1843], I, 279-80). See also 2 and 9 Feb. 1679@80

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This is another in the series of Court performances in L. C. 5@145, p. 120. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350, and 11 Feb. 1679@80. Mountstevens to Henry Stevens, 20 Feb. 1679@80: Upon Sunday the Court is to be in mourning for the death of the Princess Elizabeth, sister to Prince Rupert. (R. W. Blencowe, Diary of the Time of Charles the Second [London, 1843], I, 283)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Newdigate newsletters, 5 Aug. 1682: [Yesterday the] Dutchess goes to ye Dukes Theatre--that and ye Kings house haveing Joyned interests the latter being Discontinued where will be purposely Acted for her Anna Bullen being a deepe Tragedy of the beheading of the said Lady by Henry the 8th (Wilson, Theatres Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 81). See also London Mercury, 8 Aug. 1682. Juliana Brabazon to the Countess of Rutland, Aug. 1682: The Dutches of Yorke kept her bed the day after seeing Anna Bulloigne acted (HMC, 12th Report, Rutland MSS., Part V, 1889, p. 77)

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 United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@148, p. 145. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 351. By this time Henry Purcell had apparently composed the Act tunes for this play. See Purcell, Works, The Purcell Society, XVI (1906), xxxii. Luttrell [A Brief Relation, I, 431): The 6th was observed as a festival of joy for the king s comeing to the crown;...and at night was a play at court

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@149, p. 368: The Queene a Box, and a Box for the Maids of Honor at the Spanish Fryer. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 352. A warrant, dated 8 June 1689, L. C. 5@149, p. 154 (see Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 356), calls for a payment of #25 to Mrs Barry and presumably represents payment for this performance. Daniel Finch, ca. June 1689: The only day Her Majesty gave herself the diversion of a play, and that on which she designed to see another, has furnished the town with discourse for a month. The choice of the play was the Spanish Fryar, the only play forbid by the late K@@. Some unhappy expressions, among which those that follow, put her in some disorder, and forc'd her to hold up her fan, and often look behind her and call for her palatine and hood, and any thing she could next think of, while those who were said. (Sir John Dalrymple, Memoirs of Great Britain [London, 1771-88], in the pit before her, whenever their fancy led them to make any application of what was Volume II, Appendix, Part II, pp. 78-80.) Henry Purcell's new setting for whilst I with grief did on you look may have been made by this date. It is in Deliciae Musicae, 1695

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 2542, 20-24 March 1689@90: The Annual Yorkshire Feast will be held the 27th instant at Merchant-Taylor's-Hall in Threadneedle-street; with a very splendid Entertainment of all sorts of Vocal and Instrumental Musick. D'Urfey (Wit and Mirth, I, 114-16): An Ode on the Assembly of the Nobility and Gentry of the City and County of York, at the Anniversary-Feast, March the 27th 1690. Set to Musick by Mr Henry Purcell, One of the finest Compositions he ever made, and cost 100l. the performing

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@151, p. 369. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 352. This appears to be a substitution for a previously scheduled performance of Amphitryon (Nicoll, p. 352). In L. C. 5@150, p. 74 (Nicoll, p. 357) is an order for a large looking glass to be provided for Sir Courtly Nice at this performance. In addition, there appears to have been a concert in honor of the Queen's birthday. See D'Urfey, Wit and Mirth, I, 62-64: An Ode on the Anniversary of the Queens-Birth. Set to Musick by Mr Henry Purcel, April 30th, 1690

Event Comment: The United Company. There is no certainty as to when the first performance occurred, but it can hardly be later than 11 Nov. 1690, when it was entered in the Stationers' Register; it was then advertised in the London Gazette, No. 2618, 11-15 Dec. 1690. On the assumption that the performance of Amphitryon on 21 Oct. 1690 followed its premiere, Distress'd Innocence has been assigned to late October 1690. The Overture and seven Act Tunes were composed by Henry Purcell. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XVI (1906), xix. Dedication, Edition of 1691: I must still own my self indebted on all Hands, not only to the kind Audience, but likewise to the kind Company, who amongst other Favours, were pleased to be at the Charge of dressing my Play to so much Advantage. But above all I must make my publick Acknowledgments to Mr Betterton for his several extraordinary Hints to the heightening of my best Characters, nor am I a little indebted to Mr Montfort, for the last Scene of my Play which he was so kind to write for me

Event Comment: The United Company. The Gentleman's Journal, January 1691@2: The Indian Emperor hath been reviv'd and play'd many times. [In addition, a song, I look'd, I look'd, and saw within the Book of Fate, the music by Henry Purcell, is in The Banquet of Musick, 1692, pp. 14-15. See also Purcell, Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), xiii-ix. The play was also reprinted in 1692.

Event Comment: The United Company. The exact date of the first production is not known, but the play was entered in the Term Catalogues, February 1691@2, and mentioned in the Gentleman's Journal, February 1691@2 (licensed 12 February 1691@2). In all probability, it was first acted not later than January 1691@2. The music to one song, As soon as the Chaos, was composed by Henry Purcell. See Purcell, Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), xvii. Two songs--Bonny lad prithee lay thy pipe down, with music by Tollet; Great Jove once made love like a bull, with music by Mountfort--are in The Banquet of Musick, The Sixth and Last Book, 1692. Dedication, Edition of 1692: Having at last so well acquitted it self on the Stage (tho' the thronging, imperfect Action, and worse than all, the faulty length, which I will never be guilty of again, render'd it little Diversion the first day). A Letter to Mr D'Urfey [by Charles Gildon], Edition of 1692: If there be any fault in this Play, 'tis that which few are guilty of; that is, there are too many good Characters, too full of Humour, a very Pardonable failing, which only proceeds from Variety, the life of Pleasure and Wit, tho' that gave it the disadvantage of seeming too long the first days Acting, tho' the Stage's being throng'd with Spectators, did not a little contribute to the imperfect Acting of it, which accidental Misfortunes concurring with the Endeavours of an opposite Faction, must needs have damn'd it, had it not by the Force and Vigour of its own Worthy, rais'd it self the second day with the general Applause of all that saw it....But the Marriage-hater went further, and in spight of all the disadvantages it labour'd under of Action and Audience, pleas'd on, after several times Repetition. See also Poeta Infamis; or, A Poet not worth Hanging (1692) for a variety of comments upon this play. London Mercury, 26 Feb. 1691@2: Query 4. Whether in Justice he [D'Urfey] is not obliged to present Mr Dogget (who acted Solon to so much Advantage) with half the Profit of his Third Day, since in the Opinions of most Persons, the good Success of his Comedy was half owing to that admirable Actor? Query 5. Whether, if there be any Wit in bringing a Person upon the Stage with an extravagantly broad-brimmed Hat, and a Muff of the same Size, so it will not be a very easy Matter for the next Poet that writes a Play, to Out-hat and Out-muff his Predecessors, and consequently to Out-wit him? Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 42: Mr Dogget perform'd the part of Solon Inimitably. Gentleman's Journal, p. 454, February 1691@2 (licensed 12 Feb. 1691@2): I send you the Marriage-hater match'd, a new Comedy by Mr Durfey; it hath met with very good success, having been plaid six days together, and is a diverting Play. Gentleman's Journal, January 1691@2: Now I speak of Music I must tell you that we shall have speedily a new Opera, wherein something very surprising is promised us; Mr Purcel who joyns to the Delicacy and Beauty of the Italian way, the Graces and Gayety of the French, composes the Music, as he hath done for the Prophetess, and the last Opera called King Arthur, which hath been plaid several times the last Month [presumably December 1691]

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not certain, but it lies between Saturday 9 and Saturday 16 April. Luttrell, A Brief Relation (II, 413) stated on 9 April that the Queen had prohibited its being acted; on 16 April (II, 422) he reports that it has been acted. Luttrell, A Brief Relation, II, 422, 16 April: Mr Dryden s play has been acted with applause, the reflecting passages upon this government being left out. The Gentleman's Journal, May 1692 (licensed 14 May): I told you in my last, that none could then tell when Mr Dryden's Cleomenes would appear; since that time, the Innocence and Merit of the Play have rais'd it several eminent Advocates, who have prevailed to have it Acted, and you need not doubt but it has been with great applause. Preface, Edition of 1692: Mrs Barry, always Excellent, has, in this tragedy, excell'd Herself, and gain'd a Reputation beyond any Woman whom I have ever seen on the Theatre. [See also Cibber, Apology, I, 160, for a discussion of Mrs Barry in Cleomenes.] A song, No, no, poor suffering heart no change endeavour, the music by Henry Purcell, is in Comes Amoris, The Fourth Book, 1693, and also, with the notice that it was sung by Mrs Butler, in Joyful Cuckoldom, ca. 1695. See also Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XVI (1906), xviii-xix; Epistolary Essay to Mr Dryden upon his Cleomenes, in Gentleman's Journal, May 1692, pp. 17-21. When the play was revived at Drury Lane, 8 Aug. 1721, the bill bore the heading: Not Acted these Twenty-Five Years

Event Comment: Gentleman's Journal p. 26, August 1692 (licensed 24 Aug. 1692): The first of the three Songs which I send you is set by Mr Purcell the Italian way; had you heard it sung by Mrs Ayliff you would have owned that there is no pleasure like that which good Notes, when so divinely sung, can create. [The song, Ah me! Ah me! to many, many deaths, the words by John Crowne and the music by Henry Purcell, is in Crowne's Regulus. See Early June 1692.

Event Comment: Gentleman's Journal, November 16@2: In my first Journal I gave you a large account of the Musick Feast on St Cecilia's day; So, to avoid repetitions, I shall onely tell you that the last was no ways inferiour to the former....The following Ode was admirably set to Music by Mr Henry Purcell and perform'd twice with universal applause, particularly the second Stanza, which was sung with incredible Graces by Mr Purcell himself. [See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, VIII, and Orpheus Britannicus, 1702, 1706, 1711. The Ode appears to have been written by Nicholas Brady.

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the premiere is not certain, but reference to it in the Gentleman's Journal, May 1693 (issued in June 1693), suggests that it appeared in May: We have had since my last a new Comedy called, The Female Vertuosos, something in it was borrowed from Moliere's Femmes Savantes, and as it hath Wit and Humour, it cannot but please in the perusal, as in the representation (p. 168). One song, Love thou art best of human joys, to words by Anne, Countess of Winchelsea, was set by Henry Purcell

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 2943, 22-25 Jan. 1693@4: At the consort-room in York-buildings, on this present Thursday, at the usual hour will be perform'd Mr Purcell's Song composed for St Cecilia's Day in the year 1694 [?], together with some other compositions of his, both vocal and instrumental, for the entertainment of his Highness Prince Lewis of Baden. [In the Gentleman's Journal, January@February 1693@4, is: A Song set by Mr Henry Purcell. The Words by the Authour of this Journal, Sung at an Entertainment for Prince Lewis of Barden, Sawney is a bonny, bonny lad."

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but according to the Gentleman's Journal, May 1694, it followed Have at All: the other call'd The married Beau, or the Curious Impertinent, by Mr Crown, already acted many times (p. 134). The manuscript of a song composed by John Eccles and sung by Doggett is in Bodleian, School of Music Collection, c. 95, f 102. One by Henry Purcell, See, where repenting Celia lyes, sung by Mrs Ayliff, is in Thesaurus Musicus, 1695. See also Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), xvii-xviii

Event Comment: The Queen's Birthday Ode, Come, Ye Sons of Art, the music by Henry Purcell, the author of the words not known; and Strike the Viol, sung by Alexander? Damascene, are in Gentleman's Journal, May 1694. See also Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XXIV (1926), ii

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but a notice in the Gentleman's Journal, October@November 1694, suggests that it was pro6ably acted in September or October: I have only jusy room to tell you, that we have had a new Comedy by Mr Ravenscroft, 'tis call'd, The Canterbury Jests, or a Bargain Broken (p. 276). Tne play was advertised in the London Gazette, No 3037, 17-20 Dec. 1694. A song, Good neighbor, why do you look away, set by Henry Purcell, is in Thesaurus Musicus, 1695. See also Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XVI (1906), xiii-xv

Event Comment: The Te Deum and Jubilate, For Voices and Instrumentals, Made for St Cecilia's Day, 1694, was published in 1697. The music was composed by Henry Purcell. See also 9 Dec. 1694

Event Comment: Christopher Rich's Company. The date of the resumption of playing is not certain, for Cibber (see below) beclouds the issue by referring to Easter-Monday in April, whereas the first Monday following Easter fell on 25 March 1694@5. Nevertheless, Monday 1 April 1695 seems the likely date of the resumption of playing, with Rich's Company ready to perform before the seceding company under Thomas Betterton was fully organized. A new song for Abdelazar, Lucinda is bewitching fair, the music by Henry Purcell and sung by "the Boy" (Jemmy? Bowen), is in Thesaurus Musicus, The Fourth Book, 1695. Cibber, Apology, I, 195: [The Patentees] were not able to take the Field till the Easter-Monday in April following. Their first Attempt was a reviv'd Play call'd Abdelazar, or the Moor's Revenge, poorly written, by Mrs Behn. The House was very full, but whether it was the Play or the Actors that were not approved, the next Day's Audience sunk to nothing. However, we assured that let the Audiences be never so low, our Masters would make good all Deficiencies, and so indeed they did, till towards the End of the Season, when Dues to Ballance came too think upon 'em. [See I, 195-96, for Cibber's account of his Prologue.] A Comparison Between the Two Stages, 1702, p. 7: But in my Opinion, 'twas strange that the general defection of the old Actors which left Drury-lane, and the fondness which the better sort shew'd for 'em at the opening of their Newhouse, and indeed the Novelty it self, had not quite destroy'd those few young ones that remain'd behind. The disproportion was so great at parting, that 'twas almost impossible, in Drury-lane, to muster up a sufficient number to take in all the Parts of any Play; and of them so few were tolerable, that a Play must of necessity be damn'd that had not extraordinary favour from the Audience: No fewer than Sixteen (most of the old standing) went away; and with them the very beauty and vigour of the Stage; they who were left behind being for the most part Learners, Boys and Girls, a very unequal match for them who revolted. According to a statement made in litigation, the company in Drury Lane acted 84 times between 25 March 1694@5 and 7 July 1695; and the Young Actors played 68 times from 6 July 1695 to 10 Oct. 1695 to 10 Oct. 1695. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 308

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the Prologue to Bonduca refers to She Ventures and He Wins. As Bonduca was advertised in the London Gazette, No. 3126, 24-28 Oct. 1695, the play was certainly not acted later than early October 1695, probably not later than September 1695. The Edition of 1696 includes on the titlepage: With A New Entertainment of Musick, Vocal and Instrumental. [The music was composed by Henry Purcell. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XVI, vii-xiii.] Those songs for which a performer is named are as follows: O lead me to some peaceful gloom, sung by Miss Cross, and Sing ye Druids, all your voices raise, sung by Mrs Ayliff, both in Songs in the Tragedy of Bonduca, ca. 1696. To arms, sung by Freeman and Edwards, is in Thesaurus Musicus, The Fifth Book, 1696