Event Comment: The United Company. There is no certainty as to when the first performance occurred, but it can hardly be later than 11 Nov. 1690, when it was entered in the Stationers' Register; it was then advertised in the London Gazette, No. 2618, 11-15 Dec. 1690. On the assumption that the performance of Amphitryon on 21 Oct. 1690 followed its premiere, Distress'd Innocence has been assigned to late October 1690. The Overture and seven Act Tunes were composed by Henry Purcell. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XVI (1906), xix. Dedication, Edition of 1691: I must still own my self indebted on all Hands, not only to the kind Audience, but likewise to the kind Company, who amongst other Favours, were pleased to be at the Charge of dressing my Play to so much Advantage. But above all I must make my publick Acknowledgments to Mr Betterton for his several extraordinary Hints to the heightening of my best Characters, nor am I a little indebted to Mr Montfort, for the last Scene of my Play which he was so kind to write for me

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the premiere is not certain, but reference to it in the Gentleman's Journal, May 1693 (issued in June 1693), suggests that it appeared in May: We have had since my last a new Comedy called, The Female Vertuosos, something in it was borrowed from Moliere's Femmes Savantes, and as it hath Wit and Humour, it cannot but please in the perusal, as in the representation (p. 168). One song, Love thou art best of human joys, to words by Anne, Countess of Winchelsea, was set by Henry Purcell

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but according to the Gentleman's Journal, May 1694, it followed Have at All: the other call'd The married Beau, or the Curious Impertinent, by Mr Crown, already acted many times (p. 134). The manuscript of a song composed by John Eccles and sung by Doggett is in Bodleian, School of Music Collection, c. 95, f 102. One by Henry Purcell, See, where repenting Celia lyes, sung by Mrs Ayliff, is in Thesaurus Musicus, 1695. See also Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), xvii-xviii

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Edward Jerningham. Prologue by John Taylor. Epilogue by Henry Seymour Conway (see text)]. Morning Chronicle, 22 May 1795: This Day is published The Welch Heiress (2s.). Receipts: #309 12s. 6d. (246.1.6; 51.15.6; 11.15.6)

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the latest likely date is early summer, for it was licensed for publication on 14 Aug. 1685. if it did not appear before the death of Charles II, July 1685 is a likely date, as May was occupied with Sir Courtly Nice and June with Albion and Albanius. Dedication, Edition of 1685: [The Scenes] had no better Success on the Stage, was for this Reason: The principal Part (on which the Diversion depended) was, by Accident, disappointed of Mr Nokes's Performance, for whom it was design'd and only proper. A song, How great are the blessings of government made, set by Henry Purcell, is in The Musical Companion, The Second Book, 1686

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 9-12 May 1696, suggests that it was first acted not later than April 1696. It may, however, have been first performed sometime earlier, for two songs for it were set by Henry Purcell, who had died in November 1695. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XXI (1917), vi-vii. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 18: Pausanias, or Lover of his Country, Damn'd, tho writ by a person of Quality, and protected by Southern. One song, My dearest, my fairest, is a dialogue between Mr Cooke and Mrs Hodgson

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Charke. By Authority. Mainpiece: Not acted these Seventeen Years. Wrote by the late Mr Lillo. Afterpiece: Wrote by the late Henry Fielding, Esq. Founded on a true Tragic Event which happened in Penryn, in Cornwall, in the reign of James I

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. Mainpiece: By Permission of George Colman Jun., Esq. [Prologue by George Colman Jun. (Kemble Mem.), printed in Henry Angelo,@Reminiscences, 1828, I, 331-32.] Morning Herald, 29 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 2, Frith-street, Soho. Receipts: #538 18s. 6d. (251.19.6; 32.18.0; 3.0.0; tickets: 251.1.0) (charge: #163 9s. 2d.)

Event Comment: [Afterpiece in place of The Virgin Unmask'd, advertised on playbill of 18 Sept.] Powell, 19 Sept.: Henry V rehearsed at 10; Lodoiska at 12; 20 Sept.: Heiress rehearsed at 11. Receipts: #246 5s. 6d. (155.2.6; 89.2.6; 2.0.6)

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)