Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but a notice in the Gentleman's Journal, October@November 1694, suggests that it was pro6ably acted in September or October: I have only jusy room to tell you, that we have had a new Comedy by Mr Ravenscroft, 'tis call'd, The Canterbury Jests, or a Bargain Broken (p. 276). Tne play was advertised in the London Gazette, No 3037, 17-20 Dec. 1694. A song, Good neighbor, why do you look away, set by Henry Purcell, is in Thesaurus Musicus, 1695. See also Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XVI (1906), xiii-xv

Event Comment: Flying Post, 26-28 Dec. 1695: Mr William Smith, a Gentleman, belonging to the Theatre Royal, who had acquired a considerable Estate, and thereupon desisted from Acting, was prevailed upon by the New Play house to remount the Stage; but upon shifting his cloathes in the last New Play, took cold and died thereof this week. [See Cyrus the Great, 15 December.

Event Comment: For the Relief of an Ancient Gentleman, who has been long under Confinement for Debt. Written by the late Mr Dryden

Event Comment: A riot caused the acting of Cato to cease in Act IV. See The Weekly Packet 1 March, The Evening Post 22-25 Feb., The Post Boy 22-25 Feb. The most complete account appeared in Read's Original Weekly Journal, 1 March: The Night before had been the Third Night of a New Comedy, written by a young Gentleman of good Interest, and well respected, and the Boxes were bespoke for Monday Night, but a certain Ruler of that House, remarkable for Ill-Nature and Immorality, stop'd the Run of the Play, and caus'd the Tragedy of Cato to be given out...and tho' he was earnestly expostulated with on the Injustice of such a Proceeding, yet he obstinately persisted in his Resolution, which the Friends of the Author of the New Play very much resented: But this was not all, for when Cato came to be play'd, Mr Wilks, Mrs Oldfield, and Mrs Porter, who have principal Parts had given them to some of the inferior Players, which was look'd on as Riding the Audience, who would no longer Brook what they look'd on as an Insult, but with their hisses, Catcalls, &c. deafen'd the House, and drown'd the Shrill Pipes of the Actors; insomuch that the loudest Rant in Lee or Shakespear had been no more to be prefer'd to it, than the Noise of a Flagelot to the whistling of a Tempest; till the End the Players were obliged to retreat to their Fastnesses, unable any longer to Stand their Assaults; for they were storm'd with Orange-Peals, &c. as well as bombarded with Hisses Huzzas and Catcalls. Nor wou'd the Audience suffer them to Capitulate or receive any Offers of Submission, but calling for a Dance, put an End to the Play, in the middle of the 4th Act

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Distinction. N.B. Mr Giffard hopes the Gentleman who bespoke the Spanish Fryar, for Tomorrow, will not take it ill, that Hamlet is to be perform'd; because the Ladies, whom he mention'd, have since sent to him for that Play-but he shall be very glad to oblige him any other day

Event Comment: CCraftsman, 9 June: We hear...that the Rebel Players are not yet reduced to their Obedience, but it is thought that They will soon be obliged to surrender at Discretion. In that mean Time, the Publick waits with Impatience to see the Manifesto of their doubty Chief, Mr Theophilus Cibber, which He hath promised in the News-Papers. It is expected that, in this Manifesto, the young Captain will endeavour to prove that the King's Patent, after a solemn Adjudgment in the Court of Chancery, is of no Validity; and that picking a Gentleman's Pocket of Six Thousand Pounds is perfectly consistent with the Principles of Liberty. In the Daily Post, 11 June, Benjamin Griffin, Comedian, published his Humble Appeal to the Publick.The gist of his statement is: (1) Griffin had been under the management of Rich at Lincoln's Inn Fields, without any intention of leaving him, when, at the beginning of the season of 1721, the managers at Drury Lane sent him messages by Thurmond Sr and Shaw, seeking Griffin to treat with them. Griffin at first refused, but Steede, then the prompter of Drury Lane, prevailed upon him. Wilks immediately offered the same conditions Griffin had under Rich: #4 weekly and a benefit before 15 April, at the certain incident charge of #40. Wilks also offered him articles for three years, with a promise of an advance in salary and better terms at that time. (2) No sooner had Griffin agreed than the masters of both companies entered into a private agreement not to receive any one of the other's company, though discharged, without a private agreement to that purpose. (3) At the end of three years, under date of 12 December 1724, R. Castleman, the treasurer of Drury Lane, sent Griffin a note to the effect that the managers were willing to continue him at 10s. nightly (#3 weekly); as Griffin could not return to Rich, he had to accept the reduction in pay as well as a delay of his benefit to May and a payment of #50 for the charges. (4) He remained so until 1729, losing in salary #147 besides the #10 extra benefits. At Norris' illness and death, the managers returned him to #4 weekly but kept the charges at #50. (5) Under date of 4 June 1733, by the signatures of Mary Wilks, Hester Booth, John Highmore, and John Ellys, Griffin received a discharge from Drury Lane and full Liberty to treat with Rich or any one else. He asserts that he had no previous notice and received no reason for his discharge

Event Comment: Benefit John Dennis. Daily Advertiser, 19 Dec: There was an exceeding crowded Audience of Persons of Distinction ... at Mr Dennis's Benefit, and his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales was pleased to send twenty Guineas as a present to that Gentleman

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Haughton and the Widow of Joseph Giffard, Apothecary. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Distinction. Any Gentleman, or Lady, who design to serve the Widow of Mr Joseph Giffard, Apothecary, who is left with Five Children are desired to take their Tickets at Pidgeon's Coffee-House