Event Comment: John Verney to Sir R. Verney, 23 June 1679: Churchill, for beating an orange wench in the Duke's playhouse, was challenged by Capt. Otway (the poet), and were both wounded, but Churchill most. The relation beinb told the King, by Sir John Holmes, as Churchill thought to his prejudice he challenged Holmes, who fighting, disarmed him, Churchill. On Saturday, at the Duke's Theatre, happened a quarrel between young Bedlow and one of the novices of St Omer's, and many swords were drawn, but as yet I have not heard whether any blood was shed in this religious quarrel (HMC, Verney MSS., 7th Report, Appendix, 1879, p. 473)

Event Comment: John Dryden to Sir George Etherege, 16 Feb. 1686@7: The Coffee-house stands certainly where it did, & angry men meet in the square sometimes, as Abercomy, & Goodman lately did, where they say Alexander the Great was wounded in the arme (The Letters of John Dryden, ed. Ward, p. 27). See 27 Oct. 1686

Event Comment: John Dryden to Jacob Tonson: I have broken off my Studies from The Conquest of China (Letters of John Dryden, p. 97)

Event Comment: John Vanbrugh to the Earl of Manchester, 25 Dec. 1699: Miss Evans the dancer at the New Playhouse is dead too; a feaver Slew her in eight and forty hours. She's much lamented by the Towne as well as the House, who can't well bare her loss; Matters running very low with 'em this Winter; if Congreve's Play [The Way of the World] don't help 'em they are undone. 'Tis a Comedy and will be play'd about Six weeks hence, nobody has seen it yet. Liveridge is in Ireland, he Owes so much money he dare not come over, so for want of him we han't had one Opera play'd this Winter; tho' Purcell has set one New One and Fingar another. We have got the Woman from the Chesire Cheese upon the Stage, who has the best Voyce for't by much that has been there at any time. We have the Emperors Crooaed Eunuch here, Francisco. They give him a hundred and twenty Guineas for five times. He has sung Once and was well likt. Dogget was here last Week, they gave him thirty pound to act Six times, which he did and fill'd the house every time (The Complete Works of Sir John Vanbrugh [Bloomsbury: Nonesuch Press, 1928], IV, 4)

Event Comment: Benefit for Robinson, musician, and Mrs Newby

Event Comment: Mr Anthony Aston, commonly call'd Tony Aston . . . His Comical and Unparallelled Medley at the Bouffler's Tavern. 6 P.M. Tickets 2s. 6d

Event Comment: For the Entertainment of Tomo Chachi [and others, as at LIF, 20 Aug.]. 6 P.M. Admission: 5s., 3s., 2s., 1s

Event Comment: Mr Colman's Night for the Alterations of Elfrida and Comus, & for the New Occasional Prelude (Account Book). Receipts: #254 15s. 6d

Event Comment: Mr Daigueville, late Ballet-Master, and First Dancer, at Drury Lane Playhouse begs leave to acquaint the Nobility and Gentry, that he continues to teach the Minuet, Louvre, Cotillions, Allemande, Minuet Dauphine, Country Dances, &c. at his house in King-Square Court, Dean St. Soho. Receipts: #251 14s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mr Reddish being a little out of his Senses he could not play Morcar in Matilda therefore notwithstanding the Bills were up for it we were oblig'd to change it to the West Indian & about Two o'clock we put up fresh Bills for West Indian and as Mrs Abington was not in humour to play at so Short Notice we were oblig'd to borrow Miss Barsanti to play Miss Rusport (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording.] Rec'd Mrs Johnson's rent one year to Lady Day 1774 #6 (Treasurer's Book). Tragedy of Braganza is oblig'd to be deferr'd till Thursday on account of Mrs Yates's indisposition. Receipts: #161 17s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mr Grist did not play better than the first night (Hopkins Diary). Paid for Women's cloaths #12; Johnston's Music Bill #15 9s. Receipts: #114 19s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mr Grist Osmyn . Some part of it very well he was not quite perfect--few Hisses (Hopkins Diary). [Advertisement that the plays are advertised in Public Advertiser and Gazette only.] Paid 2 additional flutes 2 nights #1. Receipts: #159 10s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mr Gallini Respectfully informs the Nobility, Subscribers, and Gentry that he sent a person to Paris on Monday last to engage the best capital Female Dancer that can be got; and if a good Man Dancer is to be procured, he is very ready to engage him, as he shall be happy to do every thing in his power to please the public and will spare no pains or expense for that purpose [see 7 Feb.] Didelot having had the misfortune to hurt his leg the first dance on Saturday last is unable to appear for some days

Event Comment: "Mr T. has performed in the Norwich Company. [He] did not appear to us to possess a single requisite for the profession of an actor...We observed that the characters of Lenox and Rosse were doubled [i.e. combined]-a resource, at all times, disreputable to the theatre and to the manager" (Monthly Mirror, Dec. 1798, pp. 369-70). Receipts: #299 15s. 6d. (293.8.6; 6.7.0)

Event Comment: Mr Ridgeway, York-street, St. James's Square, having purchased the Copy of Pizarro, begs leave respectfully to inform the Public that this Drama is now in the Press, and will be published on Saturday next at twelve o'Clock. Receipts: #357 13s. 6d. (327.7.0; 30.3.6; 0.3.0)

Event Comment: Mr Ridgeway [see 26 June]...begs leave to inform the Public that on account of the great and unexpected demand the publication [of Pizarro] is unavoidably deferred till Monday next at twelve o'Clock. Receipts: #395 8s. 6d. (360.12.6; 34.1.0; 0.15.0)