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 Boy, 17-20 April 1697, suggests a premiere preceding Easter; in addition, the large number of minor actors suggests a Lenten performance, possibly in February, certainly no later than early March. One song, So fair young Caelia's Charms, the music by Daniel Purcell and sung by Mr Magnus's Boy, was printed separately in 1697. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 18: Triumphs of Vertue, tho' I think this no ill Play, yet 'twas Damn'd

Event Comment: Mainpiece Written by the late Mr Congreve. Benefit Mrs Mills. Tickets to be had of Mills at his house in Nassau St., Soho. To the Author of the General Advertiser: It is with great Pleasure I find by the Publick Papers that a tragedy founded on Voltaire's Mahomet is now in rehearsal at Drury Lane Theatre. The Original was by Authority forbid to be played in France on account of the free and noble sentiments with regard to Bigotry and Enthusiasm, which shine through it; and which that Nation found as applicable to itself, as to the bloody propagators of Mahomet's Religion. Indeed the Fable on which it is built demanded such sentiments; the design of it being to shew the dreadful effects of Bigotry and Enthusiasm, even upon minds naturally well inclined when work'd up to such a pitch, as a beautiful concurrence of amazing, yet probable Circumstances hath there carried them to: So that it was equally impossible for the poet, by cutting and mangling his play, to lop it to their standard of Orthodox poetry, as it were for their Inquisitors, by torturing and burning a poor Protestant, to convince him of their Christian love and charity....They foresaw that the most obvious Reflection, that every sensible Spectator could not but make, would be, that he every day saw the same effects produced from two the most different causes, Mahometanism and Christianity; and the consequence must be, either that they were both alike Imposters, or that a crafty, mercenary, and cruel Clergy had dared to add a spirit to Christianity, which Christianity never knew. It is not doubted but these every Sentiments, which in France, prevented the Representation of this piece, will, in England speak loudly in its favor (providdd our English poet is not unequal to his subject) especially since so audacious an attempt has been lately made by the Common Enemy of Europe to establish at once a Civil and Spiritual Tyranny over those injur'd Nations, by the old Mohametan and Roman Arguments of Fire and Sword. I am, &c

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Flying Post, 29-31 March 1698, suggests that the first performance probably occurred in late February or very early in March. One song, Though over all mankind, the music by Leveridge and sung by Mrs Lindsey, was published in A Second Book of Songs with a Through Bass, 1699

Event Comment: By Command of Their Royal Highnesses the Princesses Amelia, Caroline, and Louisa. Mainpiece: Written by the late Mr Congreve. Receipts: #78 11s. (Account Book); #100 (Rylands MS.)

Event Comment: Paid Housekeeper's Bills #21 9s.; Ditto his properties #1 19s. (Drury Lane Treasurer's Book). [These bills amounted to #222 and #37 respectively for the season, or an average of #6 per week for Housekeeping Bills and #1 per week for properties. No further itemization will be made. A patron wrote a letter to the Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser on 6 Oct. 1766, suggesting that he was annoyed by the way "our noisy friends in the Upper Gallery" kept calling for the Prologue. The Uproar increased when the farce or Daphne and Amintor began. Mr Vernon was oblig'd to step forward, Cap in hand and apologize, which put him out of character." Castle was not in bill. Noted in review. See 4 Oct.] Receipts: #145 16s. 6d. (Drury Lane Treasurer's Book)