Event Comment: "Holman [was sitting] in a Side Box. This should never happen: there an actor should never appear" {Public Advertiser, 17 Mar.)

Event Comment: The Public is most respectfully informed that in consequence of the sudden Indisposition of Mrs Jordan the New Comedy is unavoidably deferred. [The original playbill and Public Advertiser both announce the 6th night of Better Late than Never (see 29 Dec.). The above is from a second playbill for this night in BM (Burney 937.c.7). "Mrs Jordan's Illness defers...Better Late than Never" (Kemble Mem., which lists the substitutes play).] Receipts: #123 5s. (83.19.0; 33.4.6; 6.1.6)

Event Comment: The Public is most respectfully informed that in consequence of the sudden Indisposition of Mrs Jordan the New Comedy is unavoidably deferred. [The original playbill and Public Advertiser both announce the 6th night of Better Late than Never (see 29 Dec.). The above is from a second playbill for this night in BM (Burney 937.c.7). "Mrs Jordan's Illness defers...Better Late than Never" (Kemble Mem., which lists the substitutes play).] Receipts: #123 5s. (83.19.0; 33.4.6; 6.1.6)

Event Comment: The Diurnal of Thomas Rugg, ed. Sachse, p. 71: 13 April 1660: His Excellency [Monk] with the Councill of State dined att on of the Halls in London [Fishmongers], and now by this time haveing dined att 9 of the cheifest Halls in London; and att every Hall theire were after diner a kind of a stage play and many prety anticks, som the citizan and soldier, others the country Tom and citty Dick [see 28 March 1660], att many Halls were dancing and singing, many shapes and ghostes and the like

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: My wife and I to the fair, and I showed her the Italians dancing the ropes, and the women that do strange tumbling tricks

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: I got her [Mrs Pepys] to rise and abroad with me by coach to Bartholomew Fayre, and our boy with us, and there shewed them and myself the dancing on the ropes, and several other the best shows

Event Comment: Aston Papers, Add. Mss. 36916, Vol. XVI, f. 8: In the Afternoon their Maties were pleased to be present in the Banquetting house wth the principall Lds and Ladyes of the Court at a divertisement of a dancing on the Ropes Tumbling and other Agilities of Body shown with great applause by a Company of English. [See also The Bulstrode Papers, 1879, I, 4; HMC, 12th Report, Part VII, Fleming MSS., p. 53.

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: [After leaving lif] met my wife in a coach, and stopped her going thither [lif] to meet me; and took her, and Mercer, and Deb., to Bartholomew Fair, and there did see a ridiculous, obscene little stage-play, called Marry Andrey; a foolish thing, but seen by every body; and so to Jacob Hall's dancing of the ropes; a thing worth seeing, and mightily followed

Event Comment: The Travels of Cosmo the Third [Tuesday 30 April 1669 NS; Tuesday 20 April 1669 OS]: This day, his highness went to the comedy at the Duke of York's theatre, where the music and dancing, after the English manner, were less pleasing than the operas performed by the comedians; because, being in the English language, the only pleasure which we who heard them, can derive from the latter, is that of observing their action, which it cannot be denied, was supereminently excellent (London, 1821, p. 194)

Event Comment: Luttrell, A Brief Relation, I, 186: There [has] been a tall Irish man to be seen in Bartholomew-fair. The Epilogue to a revival of Mithridates (See mid-October 1681) has some lines which refer to recent activities at Bartholomew Fair: @Have not you seen the Dancing of the Rope?@When Andrew's wit was clean run off the Score,@And Jacob's Cap'ring Tricks could do no more,@A Damsel does to the Ladders Top advance@And with two heavy Buckets drags a Dance;@The Yawning Crowd pearch't up to see the sight,@And slav'r'd at the Mouth for vast delight.

Event Comment: [The King's Company. CSPD, Charles II, 1682, p. 28: 14 Jan. 1681@2. This evening the Morocco ambassador with all his attendants will be treated at the King's playhouse with a play that has relation to that country, viz., Caius Martius with dancing and volting

Event Comment: In The Theatre of Compliment, 1688, are verses similar to those apparently referring to August 1686: @Here is the Rarity of the whole Fair,@Pimper-la-Pimp, and the Wise Dancing Mare;@Here's valiant St George and the Dragon, a farce;@Here's Vienna Besieged, a most delicate thing;@And here's Punchinello, shown thrice to the King.@ John Verney entertained some of his wife's family who were in town to see Bartholomew Fair. See Memoirs of the Verney Family, ed. Margaret M. Verney (London, 1699), IV, 435

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is uncertain, and the play has been sometimes assigned to December 1695. There are indications, however, that the play first appeared at a later time, but certainly not later than 14 March 1695@6, the date attached to the Dedication. The Epilogue has some allusions which suggest mid-February, for it refers to the "Fasting time" of Lent and to "Dancing at Drapers-Hall last Masquerade" (a masquerade ball was held there on 4 Feb. 1695@6). Dedication, Edition of 1696: This Play was given to my Care by a Friend: I promis'd him not to neglect it in the Difficulties it was to pass through. It has had hitherto but an unpleasant Journey; and I knew no better way to make Amends, than by taking up its Rest with you [Sir John Smith]; where I am assured its Reception will be the best a truly Noble and Generous Soul can give. I beg not your Protection, Sir, from those wide-mouth'd Curs, the Criticks: But since they have had their Ends in running it down, 'tis under the Shelter of your Name I desire a poor maim'd Thing, that did its best to shew them Sport, may lye secure from farther Danger....H. Horden. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 18: Damn'd

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 3346, 2-6 Dec. 1697: The Song Composed by Mr Jeremiah Clark, and Sung on St Cecilia's day will be performed on Thursday next, at Mr Hickford's Dancing-School in Panton-street, or in James-street over against the Tennis Court, just by the blue Posts, there being a door out of each street to the Room; and for the benefit of the said Mr Clark and Mr Le Riche, late Stewards of the said Feast, the Musick begins at 8. [See 22 Nov. 1697.

Event Comment: Post Boy, 14-17 May 1698: On Friday night last there was fine Dancing at Kensington, where his Majesty was present, as also His Excellency the French Ambassador: The Frenchman [l'Abbe], who is lately come over and Dances now at the Play-house, was sent for to dance there, and performed his part very dexterously

Event Comment: Luttrell, A Brief Relation, IV, 502-3: Monsieur Ballon, the famous French dancing master, (whose father teaches the dauphins 3 sons,) having leave to come hither for 5 weeks, is allowed by the playhouse 400 guineas for that time, besides which the lord Cholmley has sent him a present of 100 more. [Betterton's Company.

Event Comment: Post Man, 4-6 April 1699: On Easter Monday, at the New Theatre in Little Lincolns Inn Fields, will be an entertainment of Dancing, performed by Monsieur Balon newly arrived from Paris. [Betterton's Company. See also 8 April 1699.

Event Comment: Post Boy, 13-15 April 1699: As both the Theatres have been very industrious to Entertain the Town with several eminent Master in Singing and Dancing, lately arrived, both from France and Italy, as Monsieur Balon, Signior Fideli, &c. we are now assured that the Masters of the Theatre Royal have engag'd Signior Clementine, the famous Eunuch, Servant of the Elector of Bavaria, to Sing on their publick Stage, for the short time of his stay in England. There is very great Expectation from his Performance as being a Person of that extraordinary Desert in Singing, that his yearly Salary on that Account is 500 #. a Year

Event Comment: The proclamation against plays and interludes at bf was printed again in the London Post, 7-9 Aug. 1700. Nevertheless, entertainment occurred at the Fair: Flying Post, 13-15 Aug. 1700: At Barns's and Findley's Booth, between the Crown-Tavern and the Hospital-Gate, over-against the Cross Daggers in West-Smithfield (during the usual Time of Bartholomew Fair)...Four of the most Famous Companies ever in England, who perform such Curiosities in Dancing, Tumbling, and Vaulting, far surpassing any ever yet seen. Post Boy, 17-20 Aug. 1700: At the Monument Booth, over against the Fleece and Seven Stars, near the Crown Tavern in West Smithfield, will be perform'd by the famous Dutch Womans Companies of Rope-Dancers, at the same Ground where she was last Year