Event Comment: London Gazette, No. 958, 21-25 Jan. 1674@5: Mr John Bannister that lived in White-Fryers, is removed to Shandois-street, Covent-garden, and there intends to Entertain, as formerly, on Tuesday next, and likewise every Evening for the future, Sundays only excepted

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The Diary of Robert Hooke: Mr Hoskins and I at Shadwell. Atheistical wicked play 2 1!2 sh

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is known from a disturbance which occurred on this day; Langbaine states that the play was Macbeth. John Verney to Sir Ralph Verney, 30 Aug. 1675: On Saturday last, at the Duke's playhouse, Sir Tho. Armstrong killed Mr Scrope....Their quarrel is said to [be] about Mrs Uphill, the player, who came into the house maskt, and Scrope would have entertained discourse with her, which Sir T. Armstrong would not suffer, so a ring was made wherein they fought (HMC Verney MSS., 7th Report, 1879, p. 465). See also The Hatton Correspondence, Camden Society, XXII (1878), 121

Event Comment: London Gazette, No. 1045, 22-25 Nov. 1675: At Mr John Bannister's house in Chandois-street, Covent-garden, called the Musick-School, will be variety of Musick every Evening, beginning this present Thursday at six of the Clock

Event Comment: G. Lady Chaworth to Lord Roos, 2 Nov. 1676: I have not yet seen Mr Pack, being att Lord Major's show when hee was heere....The pageants were but three and worse then others formerly, but the King, Queen, Duke and Duchess finer in both clothes, liveries, coaches and traine then ever, to the honour of the Citty (HMC, 12th Report, Part V, Rutland Papers, II, 31)

Event Comment: London Gazette, No. 1154, 7-11 Dec. 1676: On Thursday next the 14th instant, at the Academy in Little Lincolns-Inn Fields, will begin the first part of the Parley of Instruments composed by Mr John Banister, and perform'd by eminent Masters, at six a clock, and to continue nightly, as shall by Bill or otherwise be notifi'd. The Tickets are to be delivered out from one of the clock till five every day, and not after. An edition of Musick; or, A Parley of Instruments appeared in 1676, with a licensing date of 30 Oct. 1676. The text consists of lyric dialogues, a chorus, and solos, and is divided into three entertainments. Possibly this work was given earlier in the year, but this announcement is the first public one which has been noted

Event Comment: John Dryden to Lord Latimer, July 1677: But the Kings Comedy [probably Mr Limberham] lyes in the Sudds till you please to send me into Northamptonshyre: it will be almost such another piece of business as the fond Husband, for such the King will have it, who is parcell poet with me in the plott; one of the designes being a story he was pleas'd formerly to tell me; and therefore I hope he will keep the jeast in countenance by laughing at it...I have a farther honour to beg, that my Tragedy [All for Love], which will be acted at Michaelmasse, & is already written, may have the honour to be addressed to my Lord Treasurer; & that your Lordship and My Lord Mulgrave wil I hope beg together for me (The Letters of John Dryden, ed. Ward, pp. 11-12)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but a licensing date of 18 Feb. 1677@8 suggests a premiere not later than January 1677@8. It is possible, however, that this play followed Sir Patient Fancy (17 Jan. 1677@8), as the licensing date of Timon follows that for Sir Patient Fancy. Part of the music for Timon was composed by Louis Grabu and was published, without the singers' names, in Choice Ayres and Songs, 1679. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 37): Timon of Athens, alter'd by Mr Shadwell; 'twas very well Acted, and the Musick in't well Perform'd; it wonderfully pleas'd the Court and City; being an Excellent Moral

Event Comment: The Memoirs of Sir John Reresby, ed. Browning (p. 137): This day in the afternoon I had a quarrell in the King's playhous upon this occasion. As I sate in the pit a gentleman, whose name I afterwards heard to be Mr Symons came and placed himself next to me, and not content to rest ther, after a while desired me to give him my seat, or to exchange with him, (pretending he was to speake to one of his acquaintances on the other side). I had noe mind to quitt my seat, which was better to see than his; besides, he haveing been drinking, his manner of askeing was not altogather soe gratefull, insomuch as I denyed it. Here upon he said I was uncivil, and I tould him he was a rascall; upon which words we were both prepared to strike one another, had not a gentleman that sate near us (one Sir Jonathan Trelany) put his hand between us to prevent it

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 1356, 18 Nov. 1678: On Thursday [sic] next, the 22 of this instant November, at the Musick School in Essex Buildings, over against St Clement's Church in the Strand, will be continued a Consort of Vocal and Instrumental Musick, beginning at five of the Clock every evening. Composed by Mr John Bannister

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 1358, 21-25 Nov. 1678: This present Monday, at the Musick School in Essex Buildings, over against St Clements Church in the Strand, will be continued a Consort of Vocal and Instrumental Musick, beginning at Five of the Clock every evening. Composed by Mr John Bannister

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 1371, 6-9 Jan. 1678@9: At the Musick School in Essex Buildings near St Clements Church in the Strand, will be continued a Consort of Vocal and Instrumental Musick; beginning at six of the clock every evening. Composed by Mr John Bannister

Event Comment: The Dowager Countess of Sunderland to Henry Sidney, 19 Feb. 1679@80: The players have been disturbed again by drunken people's jokes. They called my Lord Arran a rogue; and one Fitzpatrick pointed at Mr Thinne, and called him that petitioning fool, and swore a hundred oaths; he said that he deserved #20,000 a-year, but that fool deserved nothing (R. W. Blencowe, Diary of the Times of Charles the Second [London, 1843], I, 279-80). See also 2 and 9 Feb. 1679@80

Event Comment: Luttrell (A Brief Relation, I, 34-35): The 26th, Mrs Ellen Gwyn being at the dukes playhouse, was affronted by a person who came into the pitt and called her whore; whom Mr Herbert, the earl of Pembrokes brother, vindicating, there were many swords drawn, and a great hubbub in the house

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the entry of this play in the Term Catalogues for November 1680 suggests a first offering in September or October 1680. The music for the play was composed by Henry Purcell, his first (according to Downes composing for the stage. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 38) gives a shortened cast and adds: All the Parts in't being perfectly perform'd, with several Entertainments of Singing; Compos'd by the Famous Master Mr Henry Purcell, (being the first he e'er Compos'd for the Stage) made it a living and Gainful Play to the Company: The Court; especially the Ladies, by their daily charming presence, gave it great Encouragement. Dedication, Edition of 1680: The Reputation that this Play received on the Stage, some few Errors excepted, was more than I could well hope from so Censorious an Age....You [the Duchess of Richmond] brought her Royal Highness just at the exigent Time, whose single Presence on the Poet's day is a Subsistence for him all the Years after. A song, Hail to the myrtle shade, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Third Book (dated 2 Nov. 1680)

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but its listing in the Term Catalogues, November 1681, suggests late October as a likely latest date for its premiere. If Mithridates was acted in mid-October at the opening of Drury Lane, Sir Barnaby Whigg may well be the first new play offered by the King's Company in the autumn. A Song in Act I, Blow Boreas Blow, with music apparently by Henry Purcell, is in A Third Collection of New Songs...Words by Mr D'Urfey, 1685, and in Dramatic Works of Henry Purcell, Purcell Society, III (1917), xiv-xv

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: The play is not known, but Powell spoke a Prologue there on this date: The Prologue Spoken by Mr Powel at Oxford, July the Tenth. 1682. Luttrell's copy (Huntington Library) bears his acquisition date of 3 Aug. 1682. The Prologue is reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 126-27

Event Comment: Newdigate newsletters, 14 Aug. 1683: The Manager of ye Kings Theatre intend wth in short time to pforme an Opera in like manner of yt of ffrance. Mr Betterton wth other Actrs are gone over to fetch Ye designe [Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 82). See also a letter from Lord Preston to the Earl of Sunderland, Paris, 25 Aug. 1683 N.S. concerning Betterton's visit to Paris (HMC, 7th Report, Appendix, p. 288)