Event Comment: G. Lady Chaworth to Lord Roos, 19 Jan. 1676@7: Theire is two niewe plays which are much comended-the siege of Jerusalem by the Emperour Vespasienv, and his son Titus's love with Berenice; the epilogue is much praysed that tells tis not like to please this age to bring them a story of Jerusalem who would more delight in one of Sodome and a vertuous woman which in this age they promise shan't be seene but on the stage (HMC, Rutland MSS., 1889, II, 36)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The play was not printed. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@145, p. 120. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 349. Andrew Marvell to Sir Edw. Harley, 17 Nov. 1677: To-day is acted the first time Sir Popular Wisdom or the Politician, where my Lord Shaftesbury and all his gang are sufficiently personated. I conceive the King will be there (HMC, 14th Report, Appendix, Part II, 1894, Portland MSS., Volume III, p. 357)

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. That this date is the premiere is conjectured from the order, dated 11 Dec. 1680, forbidding further acting of this play. See L. C. 5@144, p. 28, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p.1 on: Whereas I am informed that there is Acted by you a Play called Lucius Junius Brutus..wherein are very Scandalous Expressions & Reflections upon ye Government these are to require you Not to Act ye said Play again. In the Preface to Charles Gildon's The Patriot (1703) it is stated that Lee's play was banned after the third day's Acting, by the Lord Chamberlain Arlington as an anti-monarchical play." As the order is dated 11 Dec. 1680, the drama was probably presented on 8, 9, and 10 Dec. 1680.

Event Comment: Newdigate newsletters: On Tuesday night late there happened a difference between the Senior and Young men belonging to the King's play house which grew to such a height that they all drew their swords which occasioned the wounding of severall. But in the end the Seniors shut up the dores and sent word to his Matie in regard they were the builders of the house who received answer yesterday that the Law was open. Where upon they are to have a tryall this Weeke before the Lord Chancellor (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 80). See also Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, pp. 268-70

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Newdigate newsletters, 15 Aug. 1682: Thursday last being acted a play called the Tragedy of Romulus att the Dukes Theatre & the Epilogue spoken by the Lady Slingsby & written by Mrs Behn having reflected on ye Duke of Monmouth, ye Lord Chamberlaine thereupon has order[ed] them both in Custody to answer th[at] affront for ye same (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 81). See also True Protestant Mercury, 12-16 Aug. 1682, for essentially the same statement. The Prologue and Epilogue were printed separately, and Luttrell' copy (Huntington Library) bears his acquisition date of 8 Aug. 1682. They are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 132-34. The separately printed Prologue states that Mrs Behn also wrote it. A song, Where art thou god of love, the music by Giovanni Draghi, is in Theater of Music, The Third Book, 1686

Event Comment: Luttrell, A Brief Relation, I, 215: The 23d, being the eve of St Bartholomew, the Lord Mayor (according to custome), attended with the sheriffs, rode into Smithfield to proclaim that fair

Event Comment: Newdigate newsletters, 14 Aug. 1683: The Manager of ye Kings Theatre intend wth in short time to pforme an Opera in like manner of yt of ffrance. Mr Betterton wth other Actrs are gone over to fetch Ye designe [Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 82). See also a letter from Lord Preston to the Earl of Sunderland, Paris, 25 Aug. 1683 N.S. concerning Betterton's visit to Paris (HMC, 7th Report, Appendix, p. 288)

Event Comment: Evelyn, Diary: I din'd at my Lord Falklands, Tressurer of the Navy, where after dinner we had rare Musique, there being amongst others Signor Pietro Reggio and Signor Jo. Battist bothe famous, the one for his Voice, & the other his playing on the Harpichord, few if any in Europe exceeding him

Event Comment: Christopher Jeaffreson to Colonel Hill, 29 Oct. 1684: Sir James Hackett, lieutenant-colonell to the Lord Dunbarton's regiment, was wounded in the thigh by one Mr Potter in the Playhouse; of which woud he has since died. He is much lamented by his Majesty, and all that knew him (J. C. Jeaffreson, A Young Squire of the Seventeenth Century [London, 1878], II, 143-44)

Event Comment: On this day Charles II died. Although the order to close the theatres was not issued until 20 Feb. 1684@5 (L. C. 5@145, p. 153), acting Probably ceased on Thursday 5 Feb. 1684@5. At this time John Crowne's Sir Courtly Nice was in rehearsal. John Dennis gives a dramatic account of the last day of rehearsing: The Play was now just ready to appear to the World; and as every one that had seen it rehears'd was highly pleas'd with it; every one who had heard of it was big with the Expectation of it; and Mr Crown was delighted with the flattering Hope of being made happy for the rest of his Life, by the Performance of the King's Promise; when, upon the very last Day of the Rehearsal, he met Cave Underhill coming from the Play-House as he himself was going towards it; Upon which the Poet reprimanding the Player for neglecting so considerable a Part as he had in the Comedy, and neglecting it on a Day of so much Consequence, as the very last Day of Rehearsal: Oh Lord, Sir, says Underhill, we are all undone. Wherefore, says Mr Crown, is the Play-House on Fire? The whole Nation, replys the Player, will quickly be so, for the King is dead. At the hearing which dismal Words, the Author was little better; for he who but the Moment before was ravish'd with the Thought of the Pleasure, which he was about to give to his King, and of the Favours which he was afterwards to receive from him, this Moment found, to his unspeakable Sorrow, that his Royal Patron was gone for ever, and with him all his Hopes. The King indeed reviv'd from his Apoplectick Fit, but three Days after dyed, and Mr Crown by his Death was replung'd in the deepest Melancholy (John Dennis, Original Letters, 1721, I, 53-54). [It is not clear whether the last sentence refers to the day on which Crowne had seen the King and had assurances from His Majesty, the King dying three days later, or whether there was a false rumor of the King's death on 3 Feb. 1684@5.

Event Comment: The Memoirs of Sir John Reresby, 18 Jan. 1685@6: After dinner the Lord? Chancellor, having drunke smartly at table (which was his custome) called for one Monfort, a gentleman of his that had been a comedian, an excellent mimick, and to divert the company, as he called it, made him give us a caus, that is, plead before him in a feigned action, wher he acted all the principal lawyers of the age, in their tone of voice, and action or gesture of body; and thus ridiculed not only the lawyers, but the law itselfe. This, I confess, was very diverting, but not soe prudent as I thought for soe eminent a man in soe great a station of the lawe; since nothing could get a man more enemies than to deride thos whom they ought most to sopport (ed. Browning, pp. 408-9)

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of this Performance is stated as 16 Feb. (L. C. records) or 17 Feb. (Peregrine Bertie), but as Lent began on Wednesday 17 Feb., the performance probably occurred on Shrove Tuesday. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, P. 125. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. Peregrine Bertie to the Countess of Rutland, 17 Feb. 1685@6: To night will be the last play at court, they tell mee 'tis the Mocke Astrologer (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Rutland MSS., Part V, p. 105). John Povey to Sir Robert Southwell, 18 Feb. 1685@6: Sir, the enclosed had been sent last post, had it not been detained late by a play at Court which ended our Carnival. The night before the King and Queen were entertained by the Lord President at a ball or masque in Lady Portsmouth's lodgings. The Masquers were twelve couples whose habits were of several nations' and prescribed by a picture sent to each of them from the Queen, and the least habit cost !bove a hundred Pounds, and some above three hundred pounds, besides jewels of which Mrs Fox and some others had above thirty thousand pounds value each (Savile-Finch Correspondence, Add. Mss. 28,569; I owe this quotation to Professor John Harold Wilson)

Event Comment: The United Company, Lord Ashburnham's Diary: I went to visit Ld Sussex, and Mr Campion, neither of them at home, I went into the Play (the Wanton Wife) [Ashburnham MS 932; see 14 Dec. 1686]

Event Comment: The United Company. Lord Ashburnham's Diary: I went to the Play (a King and no King) and came home in good time a very rayny night (Ashburnham MS 932; see 14 Dec. 1686)

Event Comment: The United Company. Lord Ashburnham's Diary: I came home at 8 of ye Clock after having look'd in at the Play, the Spanish Curate (Ashburnham MS 932; see 14 Dec. 1686)

Event Comment: The United Company. Lord Ashburnham's Diary: I went to the play (Sr Courtly Nice) there was a great deal of company (Ashburnham MS 932; see 14 Dec. 1686)

Event Comment: The United Company. Lord Ashburnham's Diary: In the afternoon came Sr John Katchpole to see me, afterwards I went to the Play (The Maids Tragedy) [Ashburnham MS 932; see 14 Dec. 1686]

Event Comment: The United Company. Lord Ashburnham's Diary: I went to the Play, (The Committee) [Ashburnham MS 932; see 14 Dec. 1686]

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but Luttrell's copy (Huntington Library) of the play bears the date of acquisition 3 June [1690, apparently], and the play was advertised in the London Gazette, No 2566, 12-16 June 1690. See Fredson Bowers, A Bibliographical History of the Fletcher-Betterton Play, The Prophetess, 1690, The Library, 5th Series, XVI (1961), 169-75. It seems likely that the opera was first given early in June 1690. An edition of The Vocal and Instrumental Musick of The Prophetess appeared in 1691. See Works of Henry Purcell, Purcell Society, IX. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 42): The Prophetess, or Dioclesian an Opera, Wrote by Mr Betterton; being set out with Coastly Scenes, Machines and Cloaths: The Vocal and Instrumental Musick, done by Mr Purcel; and Dances by Mr Priest; it gratify'd the Expectation of Court and City; and got the Author great Reputation. [See also R. E. Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theater (Cambridge, Mass., 1961), Chapter V; and E. W. White, Early Theatrical Performances of Purcell's Operas, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1958-59), 44.] The Muses' Mercury (January 1707, pp. 4-5): This prologue was forbidden to be spoken the second Night of the Representation of the Prophetess. Mrs Shadwell was the occasion of its being taken notice of by the Ministry in the last Reign: He happen'd to be at the House on the first Night, and taking the beginning of the Prologue to have a double meaning, and that Meaning to reflect on the Revolution, he told a Gentleman, He would immediately Put a stop to it. When that Gentleman ask'd, Why he wou'd do the Author such a Disservice? He said, Because while Mr Dryden was Poet Laureat, he wou'd never let any Play of his be Acted. Mr Shadwell informed the Secretary of State of it, and representing it in its worst Colours, the Prologue was never Spoken afterwards, and is not printed in Mr Dryden's Works, or his Miscellanies. Cibber, Apology (ed. Lowe, II, 13-14): A Prologue (by Dryden) to the Prophetess was forbid by the Lord Dorset after the first War in Ireland. It must be confess'd that this Prologue had some familiar, metaphorical Sneers at the Revolution itself; and as the Poetry of it was good, the Offence of it was less pardonable

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 2581, 4-7 Aug. 1690: These are to give Notice, That by Order of the Lord-Mayor and Court of Alderman of the City of London, the Fair, commonly called Lady-Fair, in the Borough of Southwark, will from henceforth be held on the 7th, 8th, and 9th of September only in every Year (according to the Grant thereof of the City) and that the Booths or Shedds will be permitted to stand in the streets there any longer than the said three days

Event Comment: Luttrell, A Brief Relation, II, 270-71: The lord mayor of London has publish'd an order to prevent all sort of lewdnesse and disorder during Bartholomew fair, and that it shal be kept but 3 dayes, viz. 23d, 24 and 25 of August

Event Comment: Richard Lapthorne, 8 Aug. 1691: Bartholomew faire by order of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen is to bee kept but for 3 days this yeare because its a season of great debauchery and therefore they think a fortnight to bee too long a space and it seemes according to the originall Institution it was to continue no longer then three dayes (R. J. Kerr and I. C. Duncan, The Portledge Papers [London, 1928], p. 118.