Event Comment: Paid Housekeeper's Bills #21 9s.; Ditto his properties #1 19s. (Drury Lane Treasurer's Book). [These bills amounted to #222 and #37 respectively for the season, or an average of #6 per week for Housekeeping Bills and #1 per week for properties. No further itemization will be made. A patron wrote a letter to the Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser on 6 Oct. 1766, suggesting that he was annoyed by the way "our noisy friends in the Upper Gallery" kept calling for the Prologue. The Uproar increased when the farce or Daphne and Amintor began. Mr Vernon was oblig'd to step forward, Cap in hand and apologize, which put him out of character." Castle was not in bill. Noted in review. See 4 Oct.] Receipts: #145 16s. 6d. (Drury Lane Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid Jos. Besford for Plumes for the Champion's Horse, &c. 10s.; Paid Mr Tomkyns & Co. a bill for wine at the practises last season #1 17s. 1d. (Account Book). Receipts: #164 19s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted this season. Paid Jones, coal merchant, a bill #104 15s. (Account Book). Receipts: #85 1s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Not acted these 9 years. [See 12 April 1758.] Receipts #222 16 2d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted this Season. The Fair Penitent is oblig'd to be deferr'd on account of the Indisposition of Ross. Receipts: #128 8s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted this season. Afterpiece: A New Pantomime (2 scenes excepted). Paid one Year's assurance at the Royal Exchange for #3000 to 15 Dec. 1767, #6. Paid Duke of Bedford's half year's ground rent for theatre due Mich. last #50 minus half year's land tax of #8 6s. 8d.; total #41 13s. 4d. Paid ditto for the New Buildings adjoining the theatre #15 minus half year's land tax of #2 10s. Total #12 10s. (Account Book). [The newness of the pantomime seems, according to the Larpent MS 259, to have consisted in three new songs.] Receipts: #191 7s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Rec'd from Squib for an order for 2 box seats at the latter account for the 27th inst. 5s. (Account Book). [In other words Squib, who was singing in the afterpiece, paid for two guests who came in after the third act of the mainpiece and got seats for half price.] Receipts: #142 15s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted this season. Benefit for the Increase of a Fund Establish'd by the Performers at the Theatre Royal Covent Garden, for the support of such actors, and their families, who from age or infirmities shall be incapable of their business. Such of the Nobility, Gentry, &c., who are pleased to favour this undertaking, are desir'd to send for places, Box or Pit tickets to Mr Sarjant at the Stage-Door. Charges #65. Profits to the Fund #13617s., plus #22 6s. from tickets (Box 82, Pit 12). Paid Mr Weller as per bills for property and machinery in Faustus #14 13s. (Account Book). Receipts: #201 17s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: By Particular Desire of the Right Honorable and Honorable The Governors (Being the Last Time of performing till the Holidays). Not acted this season. For the Benefit of the General Lying-In Hospital, Quebec Street, Oxford Road. Charges #85 5s., Balance to Hospital #5 6d. Hospital also receiv'd #156 10s. from tickets (Box 544, Pit 116, Gallery 31). Paid for 1 year's watch for theatre due at Xmas #12 10s. and for the House in Bow Passage 12s. 6d. Paid Dunstall the balance due for the theatrical Fund #136 17s. (Account Book). Receipts: #90 5s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: MMrs Bellamy thinks it her duty to inform the Public, that, as her name is in the Bills, (Though the Managers have sent her word she was not to play) she should think herself wanting of that Gratitude she owes the Public, if she did not let them know, she is ready to perform Cordelia. [Pasted in playbills of dl 1766-67 at 19 Jan. See Mrs Bellamy's Apology (1785) IV, 145-47, where she notes that although Miss Wilford made her entrance the audience forced her to withdraw and Mrs Bellamy acted the entire part.] Receipts: #221 3s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. [See 6 Nov. 1764.] Receipts: #116 9s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Afterpiece: Not acted this season. Receipts: #204 2s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Both pieces By Command of their Majesties. Afterpiece: Not acted these 7 years. [See 27 Nov. 1760.] Present their Majesties, Dukes of Gloster and Cumberland, Princess of Brunswick and Lady Louisa. Gave Yeomen of the guard #2 2s.; Paid Mr Cousins for hair dressing in the Fairy Favour #1 4s. and Mr Thompson for the same #1 12s. Paid Ellis (scourer) a bill for the Men's Wardrobe, #1 4s. 6d. Paid for the license of Love in the City #2 2s. (Account Book). Receipts: #231 16s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Half past 5 went to the 5s. Gallery at the Opera House to see the comic opera La Buona Figliola, altered from Goldoni. The Music by Sg Nic Piccini, a Neopolitan composer. The Marq by Sg Lovatini, Castina by Sga Zamporini, the German by Sg Marigi. These I believe are reckoned the best of the company. I can't say I was greatly entertained, tho the music is very pleasing. There is something very absurd and truly characteristic of the present age in supporting a set of people at an immense expense to perform plays in a language which very few here understand. We had dances after every act by Sg Adriani, Sga Radicati, &c. It is said the dances at the opera are better than those at the theatres, but I am no great judge either of music or dancing. The scenes, particularly that of the Garden with waterworks &c. are very fine. They who go into the Pit &c. must be in a vile French dress (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. With the latest improvement by Mr Handel. Pit and boxes to be put together. Tickets will be deliver'd that day, at the Office in the theatre at Half a Guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. 6d. Galleries to be opened at Half an Hour past Four. Pit and Boxes at Five. To Begin at Half an Hour after Six (Public Advertiser, 4 March). [N.B. This is an Advance notice. No notice occurs on this day, but the following: This Day publish'd Esther: An Oratorio, with the last improvements by Mr Handel. To be performed, by Their Majesties Command at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. Price 1s.] Went into the First Gallery at Covent Garden to hear the Oraortio, Esther, composed by Handel. The Stage was formed into an orchestra, like one side of an amphitheatre divided by an organ, atop of which was a head of Handel in a radiated frame. In the front sat the vocal performers, Champney, Vernon, Mrs Arne, Mrs Pinto, Miss Young, and Mrs Frasi. Stanley played on the Organ but retired after the 1st or 2nd act. The house was not much crowded, tho the King and Queen, those idols of fools, were there (Neville MS Diary). Charges: #35 (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. Mainpiece: Not acted these 10 years. Places (with Tickets) to be had of Mr Sarjant at the stage Door. [See 31 Jan. 1760.] Charges: #68 9s. Profit to Woodward of #123 3s. 6d. plus #61 income from tickets (Box 244) (Account Book). [The House launched the benefit season with a profitable balance of #9616 5s. 5d. on the books.] Receipts: #191 12s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer. House charges #66 3s. 6d. [Profit to Palmer #74 18s. 6d.] Afterpiece: Not acted for 14 years. [See 11 Feb. 1748.] Last till after the holidays. Paid George Garrick on account #50 and French on account #20; Salary list #290 12s. 8d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #141 2s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Wilford. Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years. [See 30 Sept. 1761.] Last time of performing till the holidays. Charges #64 10s. [Profit to Miss Wilford #36 plus #130 16s. from tickets (Box 353; Pit 261; Gallery 34).] (Account Book). Paid Cooper (printer) #44 13s. 2d. (Account Book). Receipts: #100 10s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Pope. The Comedy in 2 acts taken by Miss Pope from Mrs Sheridan's Discovery. House charges #64 17s. [Profit to Miss Pope #115 5s.] Paid B. Johnson's Head bill 18s. 7d.; Manager's subscription for St George's #10 10s.; Soldier's practice for Alexander 8s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [Neville attended this night and in his Diary compliments all the performers and dancers. I am afraid Vernon's attempt to imitate old Shuter will prove vain. He added something to the introduction to the Cries tonight."] Receipts: #180 2s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Poitier. Afterpiece: Alter'd from Addison. The Music entirely new set by Mr Arnold. [Original three acts reduced to two.] To be performed for this night only. Charges #75 14s. [Profit to Mrs Thompson #59 7s. 6d. plus #48 9s. from tickets (Box 135; Pit 98) (Account Book). As indicated by the name Mrs Thompson in the Account Book, Miss Poitier was already married by this time, although she does not appear in the Bills under the name Mrs Thompson until 16 Sept. 1767. She was first married to Vernon, the singer at Drury Lane.] Receipts: #135 1s. 6d. (Account Book)