Event Comment: The Portledge Papers, 19 June 1697: On Thursday last in the neighbourhood of Somerset house in the evening was a great entertaynment of Musick and singing in so much as that part of the Strand was so crouded with coaches and sedans that I having occasion to goe that way could hardly Pass and I heard it reported that it was designed for the Prince of Wales birthday but the Lord Feversham hearing of it put it off till Thursday (ed. S. J. Kerr and I. C. Duncan, London, 1928, p. 261)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not certain, but the Preface refers to the Long Vacation and a thin house, suggesting a late summer production. As the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 16-18 Nov. 1697, a first performance in October 1697 is probably the latest date for this play, and September seems more likely. Among the songs are several for whom the composer and singer are named: Happy we who free from love, and How calm Eliza are these groves, the music set by Morgan and both sung by Mrs Lindsey. She comes my goddess comes, set by Morgan and sung by Mrs Cibber. Sleep shepherd sleep, the music set by Morgan and sung by Mrs Cross. All four are in A Collection of New Songs, 1697. Preface, Edition of 1698: To serve the wants of a thin Playhouse, and Long Vacation...This hasty Brat...had the Honor of keeping the Stage for five Days Reign. Animadversions on Mr Congreve's late Answer to Mr Collier (1698), pp. 34-35: The mighty Man of Wit [Congreve]...at the Representation of this Play...was seen very gravely with his Hat over his Eyes among his chief Actors, and Actresses, together with the two She Things, call'd Poetesses, which Write for his House, as 'tis nobly call'd; thus seated in State among those and some other of his Ingenious critical Friends, they fell all together upon a full cry of Damnation, but when they found the malicious Hiss would not take, this very generous, obliging Mr Congreve was heard to say, We'll find out a New way for this Spark, take my word there is a way of clapping of a Play down

Event Comment: Evelyn, Diary: I dined at Mr Pepys 's, where I heard that rare Voice, Mr Pate, who was lately come from Italy, reputed the most excellent singer, ever England had: he sang indeede many rare Italian Recitatives, &c.: & severall compositions of the late Mr Pursal, esteemed the best composer of any Englishman hitherto

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the Songs were advertised in the Flying Post, 6-8 Dec. 1698, and the play in the London Gazette, 19-22 Dec. 1698; hence, the premiere was certainly not later than early December and was probably not later than November. In fact, on 5 Dec. 1698 Dr. William Aglionby wrote Matthew Prior, referring to Dennis, "a poor poet who has made us a fine entertainment of Rinaldo and Armida" (quoted in The Works of John Dennis, II, 489). In a dialogue written by John Oldmixon (Reflections on the Stage [London, 1699], p. 101) Savage, referring to Rinaldo and Armida, states: I have seen it 3 or 4 times already, but the Musick is so fine, and the Play pleases me so well, that I shall not think it a burthen [to see it again] (in The Works of John Dennis, I, 479). The Musical Entertainments in the Tragedy of Rinaldo and Armida (1699) is reprinted, with an introduction by Herbert Davis, in Theatre Miscellany (Luttrell Society Reprints, No 14, Oxford, 1953), pp. 103-15. One song, Ah queen, ah wretched queen, give o'er, sung by Gouge, is in Mercurius Musicus, 1699; and another, Jolly breeze that comes whistling, sung by Gouge, is in Twelve New Songs, 1699. A Comparison between the Two Stages (1702), p. 22: Critick: At last, (as you say) the old Stagers moulded a piece of Pastry work of their own, and made a kind of Lenten Feast with their Rinaldo and Armida; this surpriz'd not only Drury-lane, but indeed all the Town, no body ever dreaming of an Opera there; 'tis true they had heard of Homer's Illiads in a Nut-shel, and Jack in a Box, and what not?...Sullen: Well, with this Vagary they tug'd a while, and The Jolly-Jolly breeze-came whistling thro'-all the Town, and not a Fop but ran to see the Celebrated Virgin in a Machine; there she shin'd in a full Zodiack, the brightest Constellation there; 'twas a pleasant Reflection all this time to see her scituated among the Bulls, Capricorns, Sagittaries, and yet the Virgo still remain itacta....Critick: But this merry Time lasted not always; every thing has an end, and at length down goes Rinaldo's inchanted Mountain; it sunk as a Mole-hill seen on't: What a severity was this? that the Labour of such a gigantick Poet, nay Critick, shou'd give up the Ghost so soon: The renown'd Author thought himself immortal in that Work, and that the World was to last no longer than his Rinaldo; and tho' he stole every thing from the Italian, yet he said, what the Italian did was but Grub-street to his. See also 5 Jan. 1698@9 for a letter written by Mrs Barry, in part concerning Rinaldo and Armida

Event Comment: [ByJohn Dennis. Premiere.] Preface: This Play was so unfortunate as to find the Town out of Humour with it, whether it proceeded from the Calamities which attended the Rehearsal, which were so numerous as never before had befal'n any Play in my Memory, or from the Malice, and the strange Prejudices with which many came prepossess'd. The first day it was well Acted in most of its Parts, but was not suffer'd to be heard

Event Comment: [Written by Colley Cibber.] Never Acted before. Whincop, p. 197: Mr Cibber's Enemies shew'd themselves very warmly at the Representation of this Piece, and I think without much Discretion; for they began to hiss it before they had heard it, and I remember very well, began their Uproar, on the first Night, as soon as he appeared to speak the Prologue

Event Comment: Not Acted these Ten Years. As it was alter'd from Beaumont and Fletcher, by C. Cibber. Daily Journal, 5 Jan.: Last Night the Rival Fools...was violently hiss'd, upon which Mr Cibber, in a very civil manner, address'd himself to the Audience, and told'em, 'That they did not offer that Play as one of their most polite Entertainments, that they had been reflected on by the Town for not pushing forward their young Actors; that this Play had been revived for no other Purpose, that it was impossible for the old ones to last forever, and therefore he beg'd the Audience to be silent, and give those who were desirous of it the liberty of hearing.' This Speech was interupted by a thundering Clap, and produced a good effect for an Act, and then the hissing began again, and grew so violent towards the latter end, that they were obliged to give the Play out two or three times, and much ado had the ingenious Mr Penkethman to be heard at last. (See also Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 6 Jan.

Event Comment: Admission as 7 Nov. M De Fabrice to Count Flemming, 15 Jan. (in Deutsch, Handel, p. 147): Today is the second performance and there is such a run on it that tickets are already being sold at 2 and 3 guineas which are ordinarily half a guinea. London Journal, 19 Jan.: Last Tuesday being the second Time of Madam Cotzoni's Performance, we hear that Opera Tickets sold that Day and the preceding, at 4 Guineas each

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A new Burlesque Entertainment of Dancing. Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 30 March: The Managers of Drury-lane Theatre observing how successful Lincoln's-Inn-Fields has been in several Entertainments, in which the Character of a Harlequin has the principal Part, were resolv'd to cut them out, and therefore prepared...Blind Man's Bluff, to be perform'd by no less than eight Harlequins; for, in their Way of Reasoning, eight Harlequins must divert much better than one; the Thing was so ridiculous there was no Musick to be heard but Hissing. [For an essay on the improvement of the stage, see Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 16 March.