Event Comment: Newdigate newsletters, 2 Sept. 1693: On Thursday a person acting ye Jack pudding on a stage in Bartholomew fair Bantering upon ye Straits Expedition & return of the ffleet was taken into Custody (Folger Shakespeare Library, transcribed by Professor John Harold Wilson). Luttrell, A Brief Relation, III, 176, 2 Sept. 1693: A merry andrew in Bartholomew fair is committed for telling the mobb news that our fleet was come into Torbay, being forced in by some French privateers, and other words reflecting on the conduct of great ministers of state. Newdigate newsletters, 12 Sept. 1693: On Sunday [10 Sept.] Mr Percivall who kept a Booth during St Barthollomew fair was siezed near Charing cross upon ye acct of clipping being discovered by a young man (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 82). [See also Luttrell, A Brief Relation, III, 183, 205, 207, 212.

Event Comment: The United Company. According to the Gentleman's Journal, November 1693, this play was revived in the autumn: Mr Durfey's Richmond Heiress has been Revis'd, and Acted several times, with Alterations and Amendments. We are to have this Winter a Play by him call'd Don Quixote

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 2925, 20-23 Nov. 1693: In York-Buildings on Monday next being the 27th Instant, will begin Mr Fingers Consort of Musick, and so continue every Monday night, beginning exactly at 8 of the Clock

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 2926, 23-27 Nov. 1693: In Charles-street in Covent-Garden, on Thursday next the 30th Instant, will begin Mr Frank's Consort of Musick, and so continue every Thursday night, beginning exactly at Eight of the Clock

Event Comment: The United Company. It seems likely that this play was revived in the late winter of 1693-94, for several songs for it are in Thesaurus Musicus, 1695 (licensed 16 March 1693@4; Stationers' Register, 29 Sept. 1694): A song in the fourth act, Tormenting passion leave my breast, set by John Eccles, and sung by Mrs Hudson. A song in the fifth act, set by John Eccles and sung by Mrs Burr. Mr Doggett's Serenade in the fifth act, Then beautious nymph look from above, set by John Eccles

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the premiere is not certain, but the fact that a song in the play, composed by Henry Purcell and sung by Mrs Hudson, is in the Gentleman's Journal, January@February 1693@4 (advertised in the London Gazette, No 2955, 5-8 Marcn 1693@4) suggests that the play had its premiere in February. The play was advertised in the London Gazette, No 2959, 19-22 March 1693@4. The music for additional songs was composed by Henry Purcell: The danger is over, sung by Mrs Hudson, is in Joyful Cuckoldom, ca. 1695; I sighed and owned my love, sung by Mrs Ayliff, is in Thesaurus Musicus, Book III, 1695. See also Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), i-iii. Two songs were composed by John Eccles: Still, I'm grieving, sung by Mrs Bracegirdle; and Give then royal maid your sorrows o're, sung by Mrs Cibber, are in Thesaurus Musicus, 1695. Gentleman's Journal, March 1694 (advertised in London Gazette, No 2964,5-9 April 1694): Mr Southern's new Play call'd The Fatal Marriage; or, The Innocent Adultery, has been so kindly receiv'd, that you are by this time no stranger to its merit. As the world has done it justice, and it is above my praise, I need not expatiate on that subject. [See also 22 March 1693@4.

Event Comment: London Gazette, No. 2951, 19-22 Feb. 1693@4: In York-Buildings on Monday next, (being the 26th Instant) will be perform'd a new Consort of Vocal and Instrumental Musick, Composed by Mr Finger. Beginning at the usual Hour

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of this production is determined by a letter (see below). For a discussion of the origin and development of this play, see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, pp. 274-76. A song, Why shou'd the world mistake, the music composed by John Eccles and sung by Mrs Hudson, is in Thesaurus Musicus, 1695. An unidentified letter, 22 March 1693@4: We had another new play yesterday, called The Ambitious Slave, or a Generous Revenge. Elkanah Settle is the author of it, and the success is answerable to his reputation. I never saw a piece so wretched, nor worse contrived. He pretends 'tis a Persian story, but not one body in the whole audience could make any thing of it; 'tis a mere babel, and will sink for ever. The poor poet, seeing the house would not act it for him, and give him the benefit of the third day, made a present of it to the women in tie house, who act it, but without profit or incouragement (Edmond Malone, An Historical Account of the Stage in Plays and Poems of William Shakespeare [London, 1821], III, 163-64). Gentleman's Journal, March 1694: 'Tis not altogether strange for a Play to be less kindly receiv'd, immediately after one that has deservedly ingross'd all the Applause which the Town can well bestow in some time on new Dramatic Entertainments. Perhaps Mr Settle may partly impute to this, the want of success of a new Tragedy of his which was lately acted, 'tis called, The Ambitious Slave; or, The Generous Revenge. [This play followed Southerne's The Fatal Marriage.

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the London Gazette, No. 3140, 12-16 Dec. 1695, to be published 17 Dec. 1695, suggests that its first appearance was not later than November 1695. According to the Edition of 1695, the music was set by the late Henry Purcell, Courteville, Samuel? Aykerod, and other composers. For Purcell's music, see Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XVI (1906), xxix-xxxi. The songs were sung by Miss Cross and Mrs Verbruggen. Preface, Edition of 1696: I must inform the Reader, that this Third Part before it came upon the Stage was acknowledg'd and believ'd by all that saw it, and were concern'd (as well those that heard it read, as those that were Actors, who certainly, every one must own, are in their Affairs skilful enough to know the value of things of this Nature) to be much the best of all the Three Parts;...tho prepar'd by my indefatigable Diligence, Care, Pains, nay, the variety which I thought could not possibly miss the expected Success, yet by some Accidents happening in the Presentment, was disliked and explored; The Songish part which I used to succeed so well in, by the indifferent performance the first day, and the hurrying it on so soon, being streightned in time through ill management--(tho extreamly well set to Musick, and I'm sure the just Critick will say not ill Writ) yet being imperfectly performed, was consequently not pleasing; and the Dances too, for want of some good Performers, also disliked; all which, tho impossible for me to avoid, and not reasonably to be attributed any way to a fault in me, yet the noisy Party endeavour'd to use me as ill as if it were, till the generous Opposition of my Friends gave me as much reason to thank them for their Justice, as to despise the others Malice.... As to the Poppet Shew in the Fourth Act, the Accident of its being plac'd so far from the Audience, which hindred them from hearing what either they or the Prolocutor said, was the main and only reason of its diverting no better. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702) p. 17: Sullen: The third Part of Don Quixote. Ramble: Oh the ever-running Streams of Helicon! by all that's Poetical, my Friend Durfey; good lack! I thought I shou'd meet with him before we got half way: Well, in the name of Impudence, what luck? Sullen: Damn'd, Damn'd to all intents and purposes. Ramble: His first and second Part did well

Event Comment: London Gazette, No. 3134, 18-21 Nov. 1694: Mr Finger's Consort of Vocal and Instrumental Musick, will begin on Monday next, the 25th Instant, in York-Buildings, at the usual hour

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: Robert Shirley to Thomas Coke, Chartly, 21 Jan. 1695@6: I must agree with you that Wit and Sense seem this winter to have suffered an eclipse, and the dramatic writers more especially have showed how little they consulted either. I do assure you, I have not of late met with more of both than in your ingenious diverting letter to me, so that I am satisfied Wit is not retired out of town, but has only forsaken the stage. We that live in these northern parts are forced to range over fields and woods to find subjects of diversion, for in the frozen season of the year, there is nothing that is more so in the country than conversation. In my last ramble, either my own innate fancy, or the aversion I had to see such plays wrote in English as would hardly bear the reading, made me imagine I met with one of the Muses that had left the town, and by her discourse seemed to be Patroness of Dramatic Poetry. You know, Sir, to meet with a Nymph in the desert was no rarity in some countries heretofore, but yet I vow and swear between us, I asked her the occasion of her leaving the town, to which she made this sudden answer: @Neglected Wit is silent at a time@When puns, or bombast, stuff each doggrill rhyme.@In comic strain when they'd describe a fool,@The author proves the only ridicule.@In tragic verse while others fain would boast,@Landing some thousand Romans on the coast,@In what they would express themselves are lost,@Make Romans cowards, and make English great,@And make Bonduca valiant, to be beat.@Would Congreve or would Blackmoor now engage,@They might with manly thoughts reform the stage:@ ... As for Mr Southern's play, I have not yet seen it, so that I cannot at present give you my thoughts on it (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Part II, Cowper MSS., II, 359-60)

Event Comment: Newdigate newsletters, 26 March 1696: Mr Dryden ye famous Poet is writing a play wch will bee Intituled Englands deliverance from Popish Conspirators (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 82)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. There may have been a revival of Oedipus in the summer of 1696. In Francis Manning's Poems upon Several Occasions and to Several Persons (1701) there is a poem To Mr Betterton, Acting Oedipus King of Thebes. The first stanza describes the splendor of the installation of the Duke of Gloucester as a Knight of the Garter, an event which occurred at Windsor Castle in July 1696; but there is no certainty that Betterton's performance occurred before that date. It should be noted also that the play was reprinted in 1696

Event Comment: Protestant Mercury, 7-9 Sept. 1696: Last night dyed Mr Noaks, the famous Comedian, some miles out of Town, and 'tis said, has left a considerable Estate, tho' he has not frequented the Play-house constantly for some years

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 Man, 22-24 Dec. 1696, suggests that it was probably first given not later than November 1696. A song, If Celia you had youth and all, the music possibly composed by Leveridge, was published in A New Book of Songs by Mr Leveridge (advertised in the London Gazette, No. 3293, 3 June 1697). Gildon, English Dramatick Poets, p. 176: This Play was our Author's first; and as it was writ in a Month,...so it had the Fate of those untimely Births, as hasty a Death....If the Voice of the Town had not been influenc'd by the Ill Representation, it must have met with a less rigorous Censure. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702): Damn'd

Event Comment: Robert Jennens to Thomas Coke, 19 Nov. 1696: There has been for four or five days together at the play house in Lincolns Inn Fields acted a new farce translated out of the French by Mr Monteux called the Shame Sham? Doctor or the Anatomist, with a great concert of music, representing the loves of Venus and Mars, well enough done and pleases the town extremely. The other house has no company at all, and unless a new play comes out on Saturday revives their reputation, they must break (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Part II, Cowper MSS., II, 367)

Event Comment: London Gazette, No. 3266, 25 Feb.-1 March 1696@7: The Consort of Musick, which was perform'd last Wednesday in York-Buildings, will be perform'd again on Wednesday next being the 3 instant, with several Additions of Dr Blow, and Mr Henry Purcell's Musick

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. John Coke (see below), writing on 16 March 1696@7, referred to a "new farce" appearing at this theatre on this day, but no "new farce" is known at this period; on the other hand, an edition of Mountfort's farce published in 1697 indicates a revival in this season and is a likely possibility for this date. John Coke to Thomas Coke, 16 March 1696@7: Saturday a new farce was acted at the new house, which did not take. The Mourning Bride was acted till Saturday, and was full to the last (HMC, 12th Report, Part II, Cowper MSS., II, 368). Robert Shirley to Thomas Coke, 13 March 1696@7: I am, dear Sir, indebted to you in sending me so ingenious an account of Mr Congreve's tragedy, which I hear on all sides far exceeded what the world expected from him in that part of dramatic poetry (ibid)