Event Comment: [as Miss Mahon Mrs Second has sung in the cg oratorios in 1789 and 1790.] Receipts: #189 5s. (187.5.6; 1.19.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Acasto to Murray, but "An apology was made for Murray, who was prevented by illness from playing Acasto, which, at a short notice, was taken by Hull" (True Briton, 14 Oct.).] "This whole of [Mrs Spencer's] performance was marked by such unaffected simplicity that it was almost impossible to consider it as the mere fiction of the scene. This lady is really a great aquisition to the house" (True Briton, ibid). Receipts: #254 6s. 6d. (244.18.6; 9.8.0)

Event Comment: By Authority of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Lacy, formerly of the Theatre Royal, Drury-Lane. Tickets to be had of Fosbrook, at the Box Office of the Drury Lane Theatre, and Rice, at the Box Office of the Theatre-Royal, Haymarket, where Places for the Boxes may be taken. [Address by John Taylor (Monthly Mirror, Dec. 1798, p. 370). On this night the following appeared both at dl and at the hay: Hollingsworth, Caulfield, Bannister Jun., Suett, Miss Pope, Mrs Bland.

Event Comment: [Extra night] Benefit for the General Lying-In Hospital, Bayswater, Under the Patronage of Her Majesty. Tickets to be had at the Hospital; of Longman and Wilkinson, Cheapside; Broderip andCo., Haymarket; and of Brandon at the Theatre, where Places for the Boxes may be taken. Many of the Re-Renters have generously relinquished their Privilege upon this Night. [Faulkner had acted at dl on 21 Dec. 1796, and Mrs Johnstone at cg on 4 Jan. 1798.] Receipts: none listed

Event Comment: Mainpiece written by the late Mr Addison. [That Bridges doubled in the roles of Syphax and Sempronius seems to be born out by listing in both the advance notice and the bill of the day.

Event Comment: MMr Barry flew from his articles & engag'd with Rich; Mrs Cibber (who did not play last season) is also engag'd there--Y: King went to Ireland--Macklin and Wife came from thence to Mr Rich (Cross). Passage open'd from Russel St. into the boxes where Ladies and Gentlemen may be set down from their coaches, and there is likewise a better accommodation made for Chairs to come up to the House, and be kept in waiting, at the end of the Passage from Bridges St. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr Hobson at the stage door of the Theatre. [The notice about the Passage was continued through 20 Sept. The notice about prices was customary throughout the season. Neither will be repeated further here.] Receipts: #110 (Cross)

Event Comment: Full Prices. [Young Gentleman-Bridges according to Genest, IV, 634.]

Event Comment: Benefit for Bridges and Blakes. Rec'd Cash #47 3s., plus #100 4s. from tickets. Total #147 7s. (Treasurer's Book). Yesterday Morning died of a Dropsy, Mr William Mills, belonging to the Theatre-Royal in Drury Lane; a person formerly well esteem'd in his profession, and if his infirmities in the latter part of his life render'd him less useful to the stage, yet he amply made amends for it, in the deserv'd character of an Honest man, and an indulgent Husband. -The Stratagem will be play'd on Sat. next, for the benefit of Mrs Mills (General Advertiser). Receipts: #160 (Cross); charges #63 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Taswell, Mrs Bennett, Mrs Ridout

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Elmy. Ladies are desired to send Servants to keep Places at 3 o'clock. Tickets and places to be had of Mrs Elmy at the corner of Tavistock St., in Southampton St., and of Hobson at the stage door. Cash receipts #63 6s., plus #74 6s. from tickets. Total #137 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Mr Delane dy'd Sun: ye 1st of Ap. (Cross). The Masque of Comus, design'd to be perform'd at Drury Lane Wednesday next, the 4th of Apl, for the Benefit of Mrs Foster, Granddaughter of Milton, and his only surviving descendant, is, by particular desire of several persons of Quality, on account of Handel's Oratorio deferr'd till Thursday the 5th instant (General Advertiser). Receipts. #150 (Cross); charges #63 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The United Company. As 9 Nov. 1692 is known to be the second day, it is assumed that 8 Nov. 1692 represents the first performance. (See entry for 9 Nov. 1692.) The authorship is uncertain; William Mountfort signed tne Dedication, but its authorship is linked with that of Edward III (November 1690), which may have been by Bancroft. Gentleman's Journal, October 1692 (not issued until November): Henry the Second, King of England, A new Play, by the Author of that call'd Edward the Third, which gave such universal satisfaction, hath been acted several times with applause. It is a Tragedy with a mixture of Comedy....Had you seen it acted, you would own that an Evening is pass'd very agreeably, when at a Representation of that pleasing Piece. [Alfred Harbage, Elizabethan-Restoration Palimpsest, Modern Language Review, XXXV (1940), 312-18, argues that this play is the Elizabethan Henry II once in the possession of Moseley. A song, In vain 'gainst Love I strove, composed by Henry Purcell and sung by Mrs Dyer, not in the printed play, is in Comes Amoris, 1693, and Joyful Cuckoldom 1695. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), vii

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Clive. Mainpiece written by Beaumont and Fletcher, never acted there. Servants allow'd to keep places on the stage which will be form'd into front and side boxes, and so commodiously enclos'd as to prevent the Ladies from taking cold. Ladies send servants by three. Tickets of Mrs Clive at her House in Great Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, and of Hobson at the stage door

Event Comment: Benefit Delane. Mainpiece: As written by Shakespear. Tickets deliver'd for Monday the 9th will be taken. Tickets to be had of Delane at his lodgings at the Unicorn in New Exchange Row in the Strand. Places of Hobson at the stage door. There is now in rehearsal at the Theatre Royal [dl] and speedily will be acted, a new Petit Piece in imitation of that species of writing on the French Theatre call'd The Suspicious Husband Criticiz'd; or the Plague of Envy (General Advertiser). [A Folger edition of 1750 entitled Chorus for Shakespear's Tragedy of King John lists songs by Sullivan, Mrs Lampe, Mrs Storer, and Mrs Mozeen; the play had no other performance at a London theatre in the interim between 1747 and 1750.

Event Comment: TThe Suspicious Husband oblig'd to be deferr'd on account of Mrs Ward's indisposition. Last night (i.e., 29 Oct. in Dublin) were married Mons Granier and Miss Vandersluys, two celebrated dancers (General Advertiser). Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known; It is one of several plays which may have been acted in or near December, for three were entered in the Term Catalogues at approximately the same time. Of the three, The Mistakes was given first near Christmas 1690; the other two may have come earlier in the month. A song, When Sylvia was kind, the music composed by John Eccles, is in Joyful Cuckoldom, ca. 1695. In the text of the play is a song, Corinna in the bloom of youth, sung by Mrs Botoler

Event Comment: Tragedy never acted. By James Thomson. Characters New Dress'd. But as it is rather more fashionable to run mad about Mr Thomsons's play, I will change my theme and talk to you of Tancred. I want much to know how you like it, at this distance I would lay any wager you do not like it so well as your sister does, who certainly cannot be your sister and not have been to see it long ago. Everybody agrees that no play was ever so much improved in acting, at least since the Booths and Bettertons. That first scene expecially, where Siffredi discovers to Tancred who he is, pleased me almost beyond anything I ever saw, indeed even before I saw it, that scene was my favourite. But what do you think of the story, and what of the style?-A Series of Letters between Mrs Elizabeth Carter and Miss Catherine Talbot, I, 60 (dated strangely 2 March). [On 26 April, the Daily Post published a letter by Bellario on Tancred and Sigismunda, discussing the kind of support it received]: A very remarkable new Lord of the Treasury was proud of appearing its Foster Father, and attended at the public rehearsals; the first night of the performance this celebrated person and his friends in the Box with him (all very lately most flaming Patriots) were seen clapping their hands at the following remarkable speech: First of You All...To Quit Mistakes. [The letter also discussed political aspects of the play, then the poetry of the lines. The author heard that three hundred lines were cut out after the first performance, and was of opinion that double that amount would have been beneficial.

Event Comment: Benefit for Ray, George Burton, Mrs Pitt. Mainpiece: Not acted these 8 years. [See 16 May 1744.] Tickets and places to be had of Hobson at the stage door. N.B. Tickets sold by the Orange@women at the doors will not be admitted. Receipts: #150 (Cross); charges, #63 (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Green. Tickets of Mrs Green in Broad Court, Bow St., Covent Garden, and at the stage Door. Tickets deliver'd out for the Provok'd Wife will be taken. Paid Blandford (Tallow Chandler) #12 15s. 9d. Cash rec'd #77 2s., plus #79 8s. from tickets. Total #156 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #170 (Cross); charges, #63 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: OOccasional Prologue call'd for. Mr Griffith (Son of Griffith an Actor in Ireland) play'd Barnwell: Toll: [erable] (Cross). This day at Noon will be publish'd and sold by the proprietor and the print shops, two portraits of those celebrated Comedians, Mr Woodward and Mrs Clive, in the characters of the Fine Gentleman and Lady in Lethe (as they are to perform them tonight, at Drury Lane) curiously engraved (in Miniature) from Original drawings of the same size. By J. Brooks, Engraver of Silver and Copper plate. N.B. The above prints may be had together or separate (General Advertiser).Receipts: #140 (Cross)

Event Comment: Last Tuesday Signior Pasquali, Master of the Band of Music at the Theatre Royal, Mr Cibber and some other prominent players arriv'd from England to act the ensuing season [in Dublin]. Mrs Bland arriv'd [in Dublin] last Sunday from England and will appear tomorrow night in the character of Miranda in the Busy Body. Receipts: #180

Event Comment: TTamerlane is oblig'd to be deferr'd on account of Mrs Cibber's indisposition

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With Proper Decorations. Dance by Desire. Paid Mr Donell for a Brown velvet coat & Breeches and a blue velvet flower'd waistcoat #4 4s.; to Mr Hughes for a blue velvet suit embroider'd, a Gray cloth coat lac'd with gold, a scarlet velvet waistcoat, an uncut velvet suit & cold straps #55; Paid Blandford (Tallow Chandler) #17 18s. 11d.; Paid Mr Havers five eights share Rent 100 nights #7 5s. 10d.; Paid Mrs Stanhope's 2 shares ditto #28 6s. 8d.; Norton 3 chorus 15s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #200 (Cross); #170 8s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Shuter and Palmer. Rec'd cash #50 14s., plus #82 15s. in tickets. Paid Duke of Bedford's Steward for leases #3 13s. 6d.; Mrs Swift 1s. 6d., omitted Wednesday; Mrs Roberts #1 omitted Wednesday [Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #150 (Cross); charges, #63 (Treasurer's Book)