Event Comment: The United Company. Newdigate newsletters, 11 June 1692: And on Monday [the Princess Anne] comes to see the new opera (Wilson, More Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 59)

Event Comment: BM Add. Mss. 34096, folio 63r 64v, Whitehall, 15 July 1692: The Prince and Princesse of Danemarke...yesterday...tooke barge to Goe to ye Play House. [See Benjamin Bathurst, Letters of Two Queens (London, 1924), p. 225, for a letter by Princess Anne ordering boats to take her to the theatre.

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: James Brydges, Diary: I set Mr Bullock down at ye Playhouse, & came home (Huntington MS St 26). John Dryden wrote to Mrs Steward on 23 Feb. [1699@1700, but possibly 1698@99, as the letter concerns theatrical affairs of the autumn and winter of 1698-99]: The Poem of The Confederates [see The Island Princess, November 1698] some think to be Mr Walsh: the copies are both lik'd. And there are really two factions of ladyes, for the two play-houses. If you do not understand the names of some persons mention'd I can help you to the knowledge of them. You know, Sir Tho. Skipwith is master of the play-house in Drury-Lane; and my Lord Scarsdale is the patron of Betterton's house, being in love with somebody there [presumably Anne Bracegirdle] (The Letters of John Dryden, p. 133)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first production is not certain, but tradition states that Dryden died on the third day (1 May 1700); if this report is correct, the first performance occurred on 29 April 1700. In A Collection of New Songs...Compos'd by Mr Daniel Purcel, Perform'd in the Revis'd Comedy call'd the Pilgrim (1700) is a song, Chronos, Chronos, mend thy pace, with Janus sung by Freeman, Momus by Pate, Diana by Mrs Erwin. Gottfried Finger apparently composed the passage sung by Venus, Calms appear when storms are past. William Egerton, Faithful Memoirs of...Mrs Anne Oldfield (1731): The Pilgrim was indeed reviv'd for the Benefit of Mr Dryden, Ann. 1700, but he dying on third Night of its Representation, his Son attended the Run of it, and the Advantages accrued to his Family. Cibber, Apology, I, 269-70: This Epilogue, and the Prologue the same Play [The Pilgrim], written by Dryden, I spoke myself, which not being usually done by the same Person, I have a mind, while I think of it, to let you know on what Occasion they both fell to my Share....Sir John Vanbrugh, who had given some light touches of his Pen to the Pilgrim to assist the Benefit Day of Dryden, had the Disposal of the Parts, and I being then as an Actor in some Favour with him, he read the Play first with me alone, and was pleased to offer me my Choice of what I might like best for myself in it. But as the chief Characters were not (according to my Taste) the most shining, it was no great Self-denial in me that I desir'd he would first take care of those who were more difficult to be pleased; I therefore only chose for myself two short incidental Parts, that of the stuttering Cook and the mad Englishman....Sir John, upon my being contented with so little a Share in the Entertainment, gave me the Epilogue to make up my Mess; which being written so much above the Strain of common Authors, I confess I was not a little pleased with. And Dryden, upon his hearing me repeat it to him, made a farther Compliment of trusting me with the Prologue. Cibber, Apology, I, 305-6: In theYear 1699, Mrs Oldfield was first taken into the House, where she remain'd about a Twelve-month almost a Mute and unheeded, 'till Sir John Vanbrugh, who first recommended her, gave her the Part of Alinda in the Pilgrim revis'd. This gentle Character happily became that want of Confidence which is inseparable from young Beginners, who, without it, seldom arrive to any Excellence: Notwithstanding, I own I was then so far deceiv'd in my Opinion of her, that I thought she had little more than her Person that appear'd necessary to the forming a good Actress; for she set out with so extraordinary a Diffidence, that it kept her too despondingly down to a formal, plain (not to say) flat manner of speaking. Nor could the silver Tone of her Voice 'till after some time incline my Ear to any Hope in he favour. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 27: [After Drury Lane and Lincoln's Inn Fields had revived Shakespeare and Johnson] Nay then, says the whole party at D. Lane, faith we'll e'en put the Pilgrim upon him--ay faith, so we will, says Dryden, and if youll let my Son have the Profits of the Third Night, I'll give you a Secular Mask: Done, says the House, and so the Bargain was struck

Event Comment: Not Acted these Eight Years. Written by Shakespear. Containing, the Death of the Duke of Buckingham. The Fall of Cardinal Wolsey. The Divorce, and Death of Queen Catherine. The Coronation of Queen Anne Bullen, and the Christning of Queen Elizabeth. With Decorations proper to the Play. [The Prince of Wales present.

Event Comment: Admission as 14 May. To be admitted on the Stage One Guinea. [The Princess of Wales and Princess Anne present.

Event Comment: PPrince and Princess of Wales, Princesses Anne, Caroline and Amelia present

Event Comment: TThe King, Prince and Princess of Wales, and Princesses Anne, Carolona, and Amelia present

Event Comment: Receipts: #116 10s. Probable attendance: boxes, 191 paid and 12 orders; pit, 262 paid and 5 orders; slips, 25 paid and 2 orders; first gallery, 242 paid and 6 orders; second gallery, 50 paid and 1 order. For an essay on Camilla, see London Journal, 26 Nov. Mrs Pendarves to Anne Granville, 27 Nov.: I was at the opera of Camilla...performed by a Mrs Chambers, Mrs Barbiere, Mrs Fletchere, a Signor Rochetti, Mr Leveridge, Mr Legard. I can't say I was much pleased with it, I liked it for old acquaintance sake, but there is not many of the songs better then ballads.-Mrs Delany@Autobiography, I, 125

Event Comment: With all the Original Decorations of Rising, Sinking, and Flying. Daily Post, 30 Oct.: The Play of King Henry the Eighth...having met with a very favourable Reception from the Town, we hear that the Players propose to add several different Characters of Dignity to the Procession of Queen Anne Bullen , with other proper Decorations

Event Comment: DDaily Post, 13 Nov.: We hear King Henry the Eighth, with the magnificent Coronation of Queen Anne Bullen , and the Christning of Queen Elizabeth , still continues to draw numerous Audiences, which is owing to the Excellency of the Performance, and the extraordinary Grandeur of the Decorations

Event Comment: For a comment by Mrs Pendarves to Mrs Anne Granville, 20 Dec., see Delany, Autobiography, I, 229

Event Comment: PPrincess Anne present

Event Comment: Daily Advertiser, 21 Nov.: Yesterday Mr Harper was brought up by Habeas Corpus to the Court of King's Bench and ... it was agreed, that Mr Harper should be discharg'd out of Bridewell, on his own Recognizance, to appear the last Day of this Term; and an Action on a feign'd Issue is to be tried, whether he is a Vagrant within the Statute of the 12th of Queen Anne, next Term

Event Comment: A New Opera. [Text by Xeno. Music by Broschi.] Lucy Wentworth, 8 Jan.: My mama has been so good to give me leave to goe to the Opera to night with Lady Anne. 'Tis to be a new one call'd Merophe, but the foolish Buffo's are to be left out which I am very glad of, but am sorry they are to have five hundred pound a piece for acting that silly stuf two nights if one may believe Mr Hamilton.The Opera is to be heard but once for he says 'tis the worst that ever was composed.-Wentworth Papers, p. 528. phay The Defeat of Apollo. Rehearsed. DDaily Advertiser, 11 Jan.: The Prologue to The Defeat of Apollo, which, in Compliment to some Gentlemen, was spoke last Saturday at the Rehearsal, encourages the Town to hope for what is new and entertaining. [For additional puffs, see Daily Advertiser, 11 and 12 Jan.

Event Comment: To the Publick: Ladies and Gentleman, The Play of Othello, with Dancing by Cooke, Picq, Delamain, and Les Damoiselles Anne and Janneton Auretti, &c., being to be acted for my benefit on Monday next, at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden; and having accidentally heard that a certain person being possess'd of a great quantity of my tickets, has some thoughts of getting them up to a considerable premium, I out of meer Friendship, not at all with regard to my own interest (if you'll believe me) do privately and secretly, in this public manner, advise you, to send away to my house, the corner of Bow St. near the said theatre, where I will oblige you with what number of tickets you please, at Par, to within an Hour of the Play's beginning. I am, Ladies and Gentlemen, Your most obedient and humble servant, Tho. Chapman

Event Comment: [The horror of the piece seemed too much for the sensibilities of Mrs Bellamy, so the part of Eurydice given to Mrs Vincent. See Genest, IV, 420. See also Apology for the Life of George Anne Bellamy, written by herself (4th ed., 1786), III, 30.]. This day publish'd at 2s. 6d. Coriolanus; or, The Roman Matron, taken partly from Shakespear and partly from Thomson, as it is now performing at Covent Garden. To which is added the Order of the Ovation. Printed for A. Miller in the Strand

Event Comment: 22 M2 March Died at his lodgings in High Holborn Leveridge in his 88th year sung d[uring] reigns of William, Anne, George I. Retired about 8 years ago, lived with daughters (Winston MS 8). [See Cross' note, 4 Feb. 1755.

Event Comment: Cancelled. Theatre and all the Gardens [closed] on account of the Death of Louisa Anne [sister of His Majesty]--until 23 May. [This was to have been the Benefit night for Mortimer, Tomlinson, and Lings.] Tickets deliver'd by Miss Berkley, Mas. Cape, and for The Committee were to have been taken