Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is known from a disturbance which occurred on this day; Langbaine states that the play was Macbeth. John Verney to Sir Ralph Verney, 30 Aug. 1675: On Saturday last, at the Duke's playhouse, Sir Tho. Armstrong killed Mr Scrope....Their quarrel is said to [be] about Mrs Uphill, the player, who came into the house maskt, and Scrope would have entertained discourse with her, which Sir T. Armstrong would not suffer, so a ring was made wherein they fought (HMC Verney MSS., 7th Report, 1879, p. 465). See also The Hatton Correspondence, Camden Society, XXII (1878), 121

Event Comment: Luttrell (A Brief Relation, I, 34-35): The 26th, Mrs Ellen Gwyn being at the dukes playhouse, was affronted by a person who came into the pitt and called her whore; whom Mr Herbert, the earl of Pembrokes brother, vindicating, there were many swords drawn, and a great hubbub in the house

Event Comment: Gentleman's Journal p. 26, August 1692 (licensed 24 Aug. 1692): The first of the three Songs which I send you is set by Mr Purcell the Italian way; had you heard it sung by Mrs Ayliff you would have owned that there is no pleasure like that which good Notes, when so divinely sung, can create. [The song, Ah me! Ah me! to many, many deaths, the words by John Crowne and the music by Henry Purcell, is in Crowne's Regulus. See Early June 1692.

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. James Brydges, Diary: About 2. I came home to dinner, where I found Lady Hussy, & Cozzen Betty, & Mrs Howard, about 5. After dinner I went to Lord Pembroke's who being abroad, I went to Lord Arundell of Treryce, who not being at home, I went to Ld. Allinton's, but he not being within, I went to Mr Pitts, who being abroad, I went to ye Dean of Peterborough's but he being at church I went to ye playhouse in Lincolns inn fields, where I met Dr Davenant & Ld. Rumny (Huntington MS St 26)

Event Comment: John Dryden to Mrs Steward, 26 Nov. 1699: If you come up next Week, you will be entertaind with a New Tragedy; which the Author of it, one Mr Dennis, cryes up at an Excessive rate, & Colonel Codrington, who has seen it, prepares the world to give it loud Applauses. Tis calld Iphigenia, & Imitated from Eurypides, an old Greek poet. This is to be Acted at Betterton's House, & another play of the same name, is very shortly to come on the stage in Drury Lane (The Letters of John Dryden, p. 129)

Event Comment: Alice Hatton, writing on (possibly) 20 Jan. 1699@1700: I was last night (with Lady Longuevil and Lady Arundel) at ye Princess's, and Lady Long: was so kind to offer to carry me to ye Oppera to day with her and Lady Portland; but I was so unfortunate as to be engaged to go to Lady Denbighs to see ye famous Mrs Binges dance, or else I should have bin glad to have waited on Lady Long: tho I had seen it before and think it very silly. Mr Abel is to have a fine musicke meeting to morrow, and ye tickets are guineas a piece, wch is a little to much for me to throw away; so I shall not be there, and I find so many yt can afford it better of my mind, yt I fancy, if he had lower rates, he would have got more (Hatton Correspondence, Camden Society, XXIII [1878], 245). It is difficult to assign a proper date to this letter. It is unlikely that it was written on Saturday 20 Jan., as Abell was not likely to offer a concert on Sunday at which admission would be charged. It is possible that the opera referred to is The Grove, which is known to have been performed on 19 Feb. 1700, but the fact that this opera was unsuccessful makes it unlikely that it had its premiere in mid-January and was played again in mid-February. Perhaps the letter should be dated mid-February

Event Comment: Post Man, 16-19 March 1700: For the benefit of Mrs Hudson and Mr Williams, to morrow being Wednesday the 20th instant, in the Great Room in York Buildings, will be performed an extraordinary entertainment of Vocal and Instrumental Musick. At the desire of several Ladies of Quality, with a new Prologue to be performed by Jo. Haines

Event Comment: John Dryden to Mrs Steward, 11 April 1700: Within this Moneth there will be played for my Profit, an old play of Fletcher s, called the Pilgrim, corrected by my good friend Mr Vanbrook; to which I have added A New Masque, & am to write a New Prologue & Epilogue. Southern s tragedy, called the Revolt of Capoua, will be played At Bettertons House within this fortnight. I am out with that Company, & therefore if I can help it, will not read it before tis Acted; though the Authour much disires I shou'd (The Letters of John Dryden, p. 136)

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Wroth, Widdow of Mr Tho. Wroth, Musician, lately Deceased. At 6 p.m. Tickets 2s. 6d. The School is in Wine-Office Court in Fleet-street

Event Comment: At Mr Finley and Mrs Barnes's Booth

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Baxter. At Mr Penkethman's New Theatre in Greenwich. At 5 p.m., several People returning to London the same Night, it being Moonlight Nights

Event Comment: G. Berkeley to Sir John Percival: Mr Addison's play has taken wonderfully, they have acted it now almost a month, and would I belive act it a month longer were it not that Mrs Oldfield cannot hold out any longer, having had for several nights past, as I am informed, a midwife behind the scenes (Rand, p. 115)

Event Comment: Benefit Mr Price, to relieve him out of Trouble. Mainpiece: Written by the late ingenious Mrs Behn

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Oldfield. By His Royal Highness's Command. Written by Mr Congreve. [The Prince present.

Event Comment: Not Acted these Seven Years [but see 12 Oct. 1714]. Weekly Packet, 8 Aug.: We hear that the celebrated Tragedian, Mr Booth, was Yesterday Se'nnight marry'd to Mrs Santlow

Event Comment: Benefit Coker, Price, Mrs Elsam. Written by the late Mr Farquhar

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Oldfield. By His Royal Highness's Command. Written by Mr Congreve

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Cross. N.B. By occasion or Mr Leigh's Indisposition we are obliged to change the Play; Tickets therefore deliverd out for Don Sebastian will be taken this Night. Receipts: money #46 8s.; tickets #63 1s

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Oldfield. By their Royal Highnesses' Command. Written by Mr Congreve

Event Comment: British Journal, 13 April: Mr Boheme and Mrs Seymour, two celebrated Actors belonging to Lincolns-Inn Theatre, were married the Beginning of this Week

Event Comment: Daily Journal, 13 July: We have an Account from Norwich by Yeaterday's Post, that the celebrated Actress Mrs Seymour, who lately married Mr Boheme, died there of a Fever the 10th Instant

Event Comment: Receipts: #163 18s. 6d. Probable attendance: boxes, 230 paid and 3 orders; stage, 28 paid; balcony, 4 paid; pit, 273 paid and 3 orders; slips, 57 paid; first gallery, 420 paid and 4 orders; second gallery, 195 paid. Daily Journal, 28 Feb.: Whereas Mrs Barbier has advertized that the Beggar's Opera is to be performed, for her Benefit, on the 16th of March next; This is to inform the Publick, That such Advertisement was published without Consent of Mr Rich, and that the same will not be allow'd of

Event Comment: MMrs Aubin against Mr Henly. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality Mrs Aubin will make an Oration. Also a Concert. At Topham's Great Room, now The Lady's Oratory. At 6 p.m. Tickets 2s. 6d

Event Comment: Universal Spectator, 22 Sept.: We hear Mrs Booth . . . resolves to leave the Stage, having sold her Share in the Patent to Mr Giffard, the Master of [GF]

Event Comment: Composed by Mr Handel. [Prince and Princess of Orange, Princess Caroline, Mrs Pendarves, Lady Rich, and Egmont present.]