Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The Loyal Protestant, 18 Feb. 1681@2: On the 16th instant his Excellency the Morocco Embassador was pleased to divert himself at thi R. Highness's Theatre, where, to the satisfaction of his Excellency, was acted the Tragedy of Mackbeth

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of this performance is known from the separately printed Prologue and Epilogue: A Prologue by Mr Settle to his New Play, called The Emperor of Morocco, with the Life of Gayland. Acted at the Theatre Royal, the 11th of March 1682. The Epilogue, Spoken by Mrs Coysh's Girl, as a Cupid. [Luttrell's date of acquisition, 16 March 1681@2, is on his copies of the Prologue and Epilogue (Huntington); they have also been reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 84-85.

Event Comment: On this date the officers of the Duke's Company and the King's Company entered into agreements to merge the two companies. For details, see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 271; Fitzgerald, A New History, I, 154-58; and Nicoll, Restoration Drama, pp. 296-97. See also Langhans, New Restoration Theatre Accounts, p. 122, for evidence that the union had been effectively made by 13 May 1682. See page 123 for evidence that the company probably acted continuously to 7 August 1682, then closed until early October. But see 10 August 1682

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The Loyal Protestant, No. 166, 10 June 1682: London June 9. His Excellency the Bantam Embassador...went yesterday...to see the Green-Goose-Fair, and...was desired to go tomorrow to see a Play acted at the Duke's Theatre, called Circe; which he accordingly intends to do

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Newdigate newsletters, 8 July 1682: The Bantam Embrs...this afternoon took yr leave of ye playhouse the Empresse of Morocco being acted (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 81)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The players received the customary #20. See A Calendar of the Inner Temple Records, III, 183. Loyal Protestant and True Domestick Union. 4 Nov. 1682: London November 2. Yesterday began the Revels at the Temple; where all the Judges belonging thereunto were nobly entertained by a Splendid Banquet, and afterwards by an excellent new Comedy, acted by His Royal Highness's Servants in the Inner-Temple-Hall, called, Rule a Wife and have a Wife, to the great satisfaction of all the Spectators

Event Comment: The United Company. As the play was certainly acted on 1 Dec. 1682, it was probably given also on 29 Nov., in spite of the death of Prince Rupert on that day

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@145, p. 120: with Ye Q: & a box for ye Maides of honor. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 349. This play was reprinted in 1682, but without actors' names. Langbaine (English Dramatick Poets, 1691, p. 207) may refer to a performance around this period: Being acted with extraordinary applause at the Theatre in Dorset-Garden, and printed with the Alterations London. 40 1682

Event Comment: The United Company. The players received the customary fee of #20. See A Calendar of the Middle Temple Records, ed. Hopwood, p. 179. Newdigate newsletters, 3 Feb. 1682@3: Yesterday the Governors? of ye Temple Invited the Greate Lds: of [...] together with the Ld. Keeper to dinner where afterwards they were entertayned with variety of songs & a play was Acted before them Called the Chances by the Kings players (Wilson, More Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 59)

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first Performance is not known, but, as the play was advertised in The Observator, 8 Aug. 1683, it was probably first acted not later than July 1683. A song, Welcome mortal to this place, set to music by Captain Pack for this play, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, 1684

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of this revival is not known, but the fact that this edition was entered in the Term Catalogues, February 1683@4, makes it likely that the revival occurred not later than December 1683. A new song, There was a jolly beggar, in Act IV, Scene ii, was probably written for this revival. It was printed in Choice Ayres and Songs, the Fifth Book, 1684

Event Comment: The United Company. An order, 9 Feb. 1683@4, in L. C. 5@145, p. 14 (Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 356), and another, L. C. I, specify requirements for a play to be acted at Whitehall on 11 Feb. 1683@4, and name Valentinian as the drama. The first Prologue and the Epilogue Written by a Person of Quality were printed separately; Luttrell's copy (Bindley Collection, William Andrews Clark@Jr@Library) is dated 20 Feb. 1683@4. They are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 249-51. It is not certain on what date the first performance occurred, for premieres at court are quite rare in the Restoration period. In Nahum Tate's Poems by Several Hands (1685): Sir Francis Fane: A Masque Made at the Request of the Earl of Rochester, for the Tragedy of Vadentinian. Downes (p. 40): The well performance, and the vast Interest the Author made in Town, Crown'd the Play, with great Gain of Reputation; and Profit to the Actors. For an intended cast of Rochester's alteration of the play by John Fletcher, see the introductory note to the season of 1675-76. In A Pastoral in French by Lewis Grabu (published in 1684; advertised in the London Gazette, No. 1947, 17 July 1684) are two songs for this play for which Grabu apparently composed the music: Injurious charmer of my vanquished heart and Kindness hath resistless charms. In Choice Ayres and Songs, The Fourth Book, 1684, is: A new Song in the late reviv'd Play, call'd Valentinian: Where would coy Aminta run [the composer of the music not being indicated]

Event Comment: John Dryden to Jacob Tonson, ca. August 1684: I desire to know whether the Dukes house are makeing cloaths & putting things in a readiness for the singing opera [The Tempest?], to be playd immediately after Michaelmasse: for the Actors in the two plays, which are to be acted of mine, this winter [All for Love and The Conquest of Granada], I had spoken with Mr Betterton by chance at the Coffee house the afternoon before I came away: & I believe that the persons were all agreed on, to be just the same you mentioned. Only Octavia was to be Mrs Buttler, in case Mrs Cooke were not on the Stage. And I know not whether Mrs Percivall who is a Comedian, will do so well for Benzayda (Letters of John Dryden, ed. Ward, pp. 23-24)

Event Comment: The United Company. A great deal of uncertainty surrounds this play. See the season of 1660-61 for a play called The Lyar and 28 Nov. 1667 for Pepys' attendance at a play called The Mistaken Beauty. As the edition of 1685 was entered in the Term Catalogues, November 1684, it was probably acted not later than September 1684

Event Comment: Langhans, New Restoration Theatre Accounts, pp. 125-26, suggests that acting resumed on 29 Sept. and continued to 6 Feb. 1684@5, when Charles II died, although the theatre may not have acted from 2 through 5 Feb. Resuming at the end of April, the company Played regularly to the end of May, then on 43 days between 1 June and 31 Oct. 1685

Event Comment: Luttrell, A Brief Relation, I, 339: The 27th, the playhouse open'd, being the first day they acted since his late majesties death

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, p. 68: The King and Queene & a Box for ye Maydes of Honor at the Opera. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350, and 1 Jan. 1684@5. The opera was certainly given on 3 June, probably on 10 June, and probably on 13 June, the day that the news of the Duke of Monmouth's landing reached London; as Downes states that it was acted six times, there were three additional performances between 3 and 13 June 1685. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 40): In Anno 1685. The Opera of Albion and Albanius was perform'd; wrote by Mr Dryden, and Compos'd by Monsieur Grabue: This being perform'd on a very Unlucky Day, being the Day the Duke of Monmouth, Landed in the West: The Nation being in a great Consternation, it was perform'd but Six times, which not Answering half the Charge they were at, Involv'd the Company very much in Debt. Roger North: The first full opera that was made and prepared for the stage, was the Albanio of Mr Grabue, in English, but of a French genius. It is printed in full score, but proved the ruin of the poor man, for the King's death supplanted all his hopes, and so it dyed (Roger North on Music, ed. John Wilson [London, 1959], p. 311). The Prologue and Epilogue, published separately, are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 244-46. The score and the libretto were published in 1687 (licensing date of 15 March 1686@7): Albion and Albanius; An Opera; Or, Representation in Musick. Set by Lewis Grabu, Esq; Master of His late Majesty's Musick

Event Comment: The United Company. Presumably the Opera was acted on this day. Luttrell, A Brief Relation, I, 346: The 10th, one capt. Goreing was killed at the playhouse by Mr Deering

Event Comment: Sir Robert Southwell to Edward Southwell, 26 Aug. 1685 (in Morley, Bartholomew Fair, pp. 224-26): I think it not now so proper to quote you verses out of Persius, or to talk of Caesar and Euclide, as to consider the great theatre of Bartholomew Fair....You wou'd certainly see the garboil there to more advantage if Mr Webster and you wou'd read, or cou'd see acted, the play of Ben Jonson, call'd Bartholomew Fair:...The main importance of this fair is not so much for merchandize, and the supplying what people really want; but as a sort of Bacchanalia, to gratify the multitude in their wandring and irregular thoughts. Here you see the rope-dancers gett their living meerly by hazarding of their lives, and why men will pay money and take pleasure to see such dangers, is of separate and philosophical consideration. You have others who are acting fools, drunkards, and madmen, but for the same wages which they might get by honest labour, and live with credit besides. Others, if born in any monstrous shape, or have children that are such, here they celebrate their misery, and by getting of money forget how odious they are made

Event Comment: The United Company. This Performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, p. 68. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. When this play was revived at Lincoln's Inn Fields on 14 Aug. 1705, the bill bore the heading: Not Acted these Twenty Years

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, p. 69: ye Moore of Venice at Whitehall. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. See also an L. C. notice, 5@147, p. 24 (in Boswell, Restoration Court Stage, p. 85) concerning Preparations for plays to be acted at court every week

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. Peregrine Bertie to the Countess of Rutland, 23 Jan. 1685@6: Today will be acted King and noe King, by the King's command; everybody is sending to keep places; next week begins the French opera (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Rutland MSS., Part V, Vol. II, p. 102)