Event Comment: Benefit for Bencraft and Mrs Vincent. Mainpiece: Containing the Memorable Battle of Agincourtv; with the total overthrow of the French Armyv; and many other historical passages. Tickets to be had of Mrs Vincent at the Cock and Turk's Head, in Bedford St., Covent Garden; of Bencraft at the corner of the Piazzas; and of Mr Page at the Stage Door of the Theatre

Event Comment: New Scenes, Music, Habits, Decorations, Machines &c. Nothing under Full Prices. A new Pantomime-went off with great Applause (Cross). [The afterpiece dealt with in high irony by Murphy in Gray's Inn Journal (29 Dec.): It is writ entirely upon the Grecian plan, so much admired by the French critics, and of course does not bid very fair to please the multitude in this country, whose taste is too much vitiated by Shakespeare's monstruous irregularity, to relish the simplicity of this piece. Mr Ranger will only observe that he is highly pleased with the Fable, the Morality, the University, and Integrity of it, and as the writing is equal all through, he looks upon it to be one of the best Pantomimes in the English language.] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Tickets deliver'd by Mrs James will be taken. For ye Benefit of Mrs James, tho' her name was not put up, who is going to leave the Stage, and retire as said to a Nunnery. Mr Macklin's Oratory open'd at his house in ye Piazza (Cross). Public Advertiser 22 Nov.: At Macklin's Great Room in Hart St. Covent Garden this day...will be opened The British Inquisition. This Inquisition is upon the plan of the ancient Greek, Roman and modern French, Italian Societies@of@liberal@investigation...&c. First lecture to be on Hamlet. [See Mackliniana (2 Vols. Folger Shakespeare Library) MS notes by Isaac Reed, from the Public Advertiser, 22 Nov. Macklin's lecture series was repeated on 23, 28 Nov., 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 26, 28 Dec.] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: When Mr Garrick ended the 3d Act with "Die wth pleasure for my Country's good"-a person in the Gall: cry'd no french Dancers then-wch seems to say much resentment will be shewn when the 24 we have engag'd appear (Cross). Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMonr Delatre danc'd, no notice taken of the french (Cross). [Apprentice published--1s., by Mr Murphy.] Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Musical Entertainment never perform'd before. The Music composed by Dr Arne. Full Prices. Boxes #53 (Account Book). [About 212 persons in Boxes. A profitable and popular afterpiece for Rich, but it cost him each night this season 10s. 6d. for Mr Wrexell for the Clarinet, and 5s. to Dell for the French Horn.] Receipts. #181 8s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid Mr French on account #50 [scene painter and maker of light props] (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #85 7s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Mr French #20 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #153 17s

Event Comment: N.B.: The Cunning Man is oblig'd to be deferr'd. Rec'd Condell's first [fruit concession] payment #20; Paid French on account #20; Mr John Palmer on his note #10. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #127 15s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Widow Vincent. House charges #64 15s. 6d. [Deficit Mrs Vincent #20 3s. 6d.] Rec'd by draft on Mr Clutterbuck #200, and from Sinking Fund #287; Paid Blandford (tallow chandler) #27 18s. 11d.; and French on account #12 12s. (Treasurer's Book). Fifteen minutes past 5 went to the 2s. gallery...(Widow Vincent's voice pleases me much. Holland did Oakly,-he imitates Garrick, but is very inferior to him (Neville MS Diary). Receipts: #44 12s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Fox, Mrs Cross, Miss Simson. By Particular Desire. House charges #64 7s. [Profit to actors #1 2s. 6d. plus tickets. Received Mr Dickinson's deficiency #54 14s.] Rec'd of Clutterbuck #100. Paid French on account #40. Paid Florio for 7 nights in Cymon #7 7s.; Chorus singers #2 10s. 6d.; Rec'd repayment of Arne's note #50 and of Hopkins' note #28; Stopages #2 3s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #65 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Majr O Flaherty Mr Hurst-not enough upon the Brogue (Hopkins Diary). Benefit for Hurst and Rooker. Paid salary list #494 18s. 6d.; Mrs Abington's cloaths acct #2; Mrs S. French #1 10s.; Rec'd stopages #9 8s. 6d.; from Sinking Fund #42. Receipts. #229 19s. Charges: #74 14s. Profits to Hurst and Rooker: #155 5s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The Farce was Much Applauded Mrs Barry play better than the Night before (Hopkins Diary). Paid 6 day's salary list at #85 7s. 11d. per diem, #512 7s. 6d.; Mr French on Acct #5 5s.; Rec'd Stopages #18 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #177 5s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Rec'd stopages #20 8s. 6d. N.B. The [authors] charges should have been put #73 10s. [this night] instead of #84, vide. 27 Nov. next; Paid salary list #513 17s. 6d.; Messrs Clinch and Dimon 5 guineas each, #10 10s. as per order; Miss Mansell per order #3 3s.; Mr French on acct #10 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #168 19s. Charges: #84. Profits to Author of Irish Widow: #84 19s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Rec'd Stopages #18 3s.; Paid salary list #567 6s.; Mr Vascour and Wife, 3 days not on list #1 5s.; Mrs Hartle, 12 days not on list #2; J. French on account #5 5s. Receipts: #104 1s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Rec'd stopages #18; Paid salary list #567 16s.; J. French On Acct #20; half year's New River Water to Mids. Last #3 2s.; Mr Vernon for 2 fancy dresses #7 7s. Receipts: #94 14s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Rec'd stopages #13 10s.; Paid salary list #565 1s.; Ph. Butler's gratuity 10s. 6d.; J. French on Acct #5 5s.; Mr Baddeley's Law Bill #4 7s. 3d. (Treasurer's Book). [Butler's gratuity occurs weekly from now to end of season. It amounted to #13 11s. 6d. for the season. Butler was a sceneman or carpenter. No further itemization in this matter will be noted.] Receipts: #109 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Rec'd stopages #13 9s. 6d.; Paid salary list #564 6s.; Mr Brereton's draft on the managers #20.; J. French on Acct #20. Receipts: #146 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit Reddish. Mainpiece was originally written by Mr Jones, Author of the Earl of Essex, but not quite finish'd it is now altered by Dr Hiffernan--very bad (Hopkins Diary). Paid Salary List 4 days #378 10s. 8d.; J. French on Acct #5 5s. Receipts: #219, 4s. 6d. Charges: #70 11s. 6d. Profit to Reddish: #148 13s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years [acted 28 Dec. 1787. Toms is identified in Morning Herald, 22 Sept. 1795: A Mr Toms made a probationary essay last night in the character of Romeo. The bills erroneously announced it as his first appearance on this stage [cg]; for his unsuccessful attempt in Young Norval [i.e. Douglas], about five years ago, on the same boards, is perfectly within our recollection. London Chronicle, 22 Sept. 1795, also refers to Toms as Douglas. European Magazine, Oct. 1790, p. 305, gives the name as Turner, but in Oct. 1795, p. 273, states that Toms performed on one night only "a few years since."]. Afterpiece [1st time; BALL. P 2 (?), by James Byrne, based partly on his Nootka Sound, and in May 1793 agin altered as The Shipwreck; or, French Ingratitude. Not in Larpent MS; not published; synopsis of action in Diary, 5 Oct.]: A Ballet Pantomime, with new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. The Overture and Music compiled by Byrne, from Haydn, Rochefort, Pleyel, Gyrowetz, Reeve, Pieltain, Dibdin. The new Music by Shield. On account of some Scenes which are introduced from the Entertainment of Nootka Sound (performed last Season [on 4 June 1790]) Half Price will be taken. [This alludes to the custom of not llowing half-price during the run of entirely new pantomimes.] Paid Brodie, for Stoves for the Theatre, #19 8s. Receipts: #207 8s. 6d. (201.16.0; 5.12.6)

Event Comment: Early in 1672 a group of French players may have acted in London, but the evidence is not precise or detailed. See W. J. Lawrence, Early French Players in England, p. 142

Event Comment: See 22 May 1677. John Verney to Edmund Verney, 31 May 1677: On Wednesday his Majesty's birth night was some gallantry at Whitehall, where was acted a French opera, but most pitifully done, so ill that the King was aweary on't, and some say it was not well contrived to entertain the English gentry, who came that night in honour to their King, with a lamentable ill-acted French play, when our English actors so much surpass; however, the dances and voices were pretty well performed (HMC, 7th Report, Appendix, Part I, 1879, p. 468)

Event Comment: See L. C. 5@142, p. 160 (in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 380) for an order for altering the stage for the French comedians. Boswell (Restoration Court Stage, p. 160) believes that the first performance by the French troupe occurred on 5 Dec. 1677

Event Comment: The Earl of Arran to the Duchess of Ormond, 19 Jan. 1677@8: I met her Lord [Lord Cavendish] last night at the French play (HMC, Ormonde MSS., New Series, 1906, IV, 90). Henri Forneron, Louise de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth (London, 1887): [The Duchess of Portsmouth] was at the last extremity when a slight change for the better took place, and she got up, had herself dressed, and dragged herself to her Sedan chair, to be carried to the French play, where she heard the king was to be with Madame Mazarin. The players had come to London for a short time, and Charles attended all their representations (pp. 197-98). Forneron apparently drew this information from a letter dated 20 Jan. 1677@8

Event Comment: A troupe of French Comedians played at theatre in Windsor Castle. On 25 July 1688 a warrant (L. C. 5@17, pp. 60, 65, in Boswell, Restoration Court Stage, pp. 61, 127) ordered the playhouse there to be made ready for the foreign company. According to L. C. 5@17, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 65, the French players arrived on 11 Aug. and remained at Windsor until 22 Sept