Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Tickets deliver'd by Mrs Lampe, and Mrs Jones, Mrs Masters (formerly Miss Lalauze), Besford, Miss Cranfield, Bates, Widow Wise, Widow Emery, and Ledger, and those deliver'd for She Stoops to Conquer will be taken. Doors open half past 5. To begin at half past 6 o'clock

Event Comment: Last time but one of the Company's performing this season. House. Mr Garrick as before Mr Vernon being hoarse Mr Davies play'd Sr. John Loverule some body in the Pit call'd for Vernon as his Name was in the Bills Mr Davies told them that Mr Vernon had been ill these two day [sic] and it was thought unnecessary to trouble them with an apology they afterwards call'd for the Early Horn Mr Davies told them he did not know of doing the part till after two therefore he was not prepar'd. they call'd out & bid him go on his own way (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble omits the comment on the afterpiece. Song The Early Horn had been traditional for the part of Sir John for over 30 years. See 10 Sept. 1741.] Paid Mr Short, Chorus, 5s.; Blurton 4 days salary in full #1 6s. 8d.; French on acct #100. Receipts: #305 13s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid Mr Vincent for 3 sets of Abels Symphonies #2 5s. (Account Book). Receipts: #116 11s. (Account Book). This was the last time Mr Beard appeared on the stage. John Beard Esq Buried in the vault (at Hampton) 12 Feb. 1791. This celebrated actor was bred up at the King's Chapel, and was afterwards one of the singers at the Duke of Chandos's Chapel at Canons, where he took a part in Handel's Oratorio of Hester. His first appearance on the stage was 30 August 1737, in the character of Sir John Loverule [Devil to Pay], at Drury Lane. In 1739 he married Lady Henrietta Herbert, daughter of James, Earl of Waldegrave, and Widow of Lord Edward Herbert. Upon this event he quitted the Stage. After a few years he returned to it again, and continued to be a great favourite with the public both as an actor and a vocal performer till 1767, when he finally retired from the theatre. Lady Henrietta Beard died in 1753; and in 1759 Mr Beard married a Daughter of John Rich Esq Patentee of Covent Garden Theatre. On this occasion he removed a second time to that theatre, where he had acted from 1744 to 1748; and on the death of his father-in-law in 1761, was appointed Manager. Mr Beard, who was as much esteem'd in private life as he was admired on the stage, was for many years an Inhabitant of Hampton. See Lysons's Middlesex Parishes, p. 89 and 80. Mr Beard died 4 Feb. 1791, aged 74 years. See his Epitaph, ibidem. See Lady Beard's Epitaph in St Pancreas Churchyard (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known; It is one of several plays which may have been acted in or near December, for three were entered in the Term Catalogues at approximately the same time. Of the three, The Mistakes was given first near Christmas 1690; the other two may have come earlier in the month. A song, When Sylvia was kind, the music composed by John Eccles, is in Joyful Cuckoldom, ca. 1695. In the text of the play is a song, Corinna in the bloom of youth, sung by Mrs Botoler

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Man, 7-9 July 1696, suggests that it was first presented not later than June 1696. The cast also has a large number of relatively new players, suggesting a performance in the early summer, when the young actors had more opportunities to act. Several Songs, with the names of the singers, were published separately: Hark you, madam, can't I move you, set by John Eccles, and sung by Bowman and Mrs Bracegirdle; Shou'd I not lead a happy life, set by John Eccles and sung by Reading and M. Lee; From Aberdeen to Edinburgh, set by Ackeroyd and sung by Mrs Hudson; all in Deliciae Musicae, The Second Book of the Second Volume, 1696. Preface, Edition of 1696: I am almost asham'd to mention the extraordinary Success of a Play which I myself must condemn....Let me leave this ungrateful Subject to acknowledge my obligations to Mr John Eccles, who not only set my three Dialogues to most charming Notes, but honour'd the Words to Admiration. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 44: Love's a Jest, a Comedy, done by Mr Mateox; succeeded well, being well Acted, and got the Company Reputation and Money