Event Comment: The United Company. This play was apparently revived late in 1693, for a song, There's not a swain on the plain, not printed in the play, the words by N. Henley, sung by Mrs Hudson, is printed in the Gentleman's Journal, January-February 1694 (announced in the London Gazette, 8 March 1693@4). It is also in Joyful Cuckoldom, ca. 1695. See also Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XXI (1917), xii

Event Comment: In L. C. 151@p. 352, is an order, dated 16 April 1694, to pay Mrs Barry #25 for The Old Batchelor. The date of the performance is not specified

Event Comment: Luttrell, A Brief Relation, III, 336, 30 June 1694: A quarrel hapned at the play house on Thursday night between the duke of Richmond and one Mrs Leonard, whereupon they challenged each other

Event Comment: According to the testimony of Sir Thomas Skipwith, 10 Dec. 1694, the young actors played during the vacation nearly thirty days without Betterton, Williams, Bright, Kinaston, Sandford, or Mrs Betterton, and made sufficient money to keep them over the vacation. L. C. 7@3, 17 Dec. 1694, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 374

Event Comment: See Cibber, Apology, I, 201-2, for his account of the mistake Betterton's Company made in not retaining Williams and Mrs Mountfort-Verbruggen, and of the problems of Rich's Company. In this passage Cibber implies that Hamlet, Othello, and Julius Caesar were acted at Drury Lane soon after the division of the companies

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the Epilogue refers to it as a summer production and the play was advertised in the London Gazette, No 3108, 22-26 Aug. 1695; hence, it appeared first not later than August. A song, Stretch'd in a dark and dismall grove, composed by John Eccles and sung by Mrs Hudson, is in Deliciae Musicae, The Third Book, 1696. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (p. 16): Sullen: Imprimis, Here's Pyrrhus King of Epire. Ramble: Whose is that? Sullen: Charles Hopkin's, an Irish Gentleman of good Sense, and an excellent Ovidian. Ramble: What was it's Fate? Sullen: Damn'd

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: Post Boy, No 479, 28-31 May 1698: At the Request of several Persons of Quality, Mrs Cressea's Entertainment of Vocal and Instrumental Musick will be performed in York Buildings, on Wednesday next, the first of June

Event Comment: Elizabeth Barry to the Right Hon. Lady Lisburne, 5 Jan. 1698@9: As for the little affairs of our house I never knew a worse Winter only we have had pretty good success in the Opera of Rinaldo and Armida where the poet made me command the Sea the earth and Air but had I really that Authority I cou'd with joy forsake it all to wait on your Ladyship....Eliz: Barry. Lon: jan: ye 5th this monent Alexander is bespoke to entertain ye Bride I mentioned [the daughter of Lord Litchfield married to Lord Baltimore's son] & all their guest to-morrow (See M. A. Shaaber, A Letter from Mrs Barry, The Library Chronicle, The University of Pennsylvania, XVI [1950], 46)

Event Comment: James Brydges, Diary: I set Mr Bullock down at ye Playhouse, & came home (Huntington MS St 26). John Dryden wrote to Mrs Steward on 23 Feb. [1699@1700, but possibly 1698@99, as the letter concerns theatrical affairs of the autumn and winter of 1698-99]: The Poem of The Confederates [see The Island Princess, November 1698] some think to be Mr Walsh: the copies are both lik'd. And there are really two factions of ladyes, for the two play-houses. If you do not understand the names of some persons mention'd I can help you to the knowledge of them. You know, Sir Tho. Skipwith is master of the play-house in Drury-Lane; and my Lord Scarsdale is the patron of Betterton's house, being in love with somebody there [presumably Anne Bracegirdle] (The Letters of John Dryden, p. 133)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance: Lady Morley and three in the Box at Marryage hater. 16s. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 378. John Dryden to Mrs Steward, 14 Dec. 1699: Both the Iphigenias have been played with bad Success; & being both acted, one against the other, in the same week, clashed together, like two rotten ships, which cou'd not endure the shock; & sunk to rights (The Letters of John Dryden, p. 131)

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: An excellent Comedy, (not Acted these 18 Years)...Written by the Ingenious Mrs Ann Behn. [This performance was presumably a part of a summer season at dl. The presentation of The Gentleman Cully at lif implies a similar season there.

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Hodgson. [Tamerlane intended, but cannot be acted.

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: Benefit Mrs Lucas. Mainpiece: That celebrated Comedy. Written by the Famous Ben. Johnson

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Bicknell. At 7 p.m. Tickets 5s

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Elford. [Genest, II, 293, lists this for 2 June.

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Kent

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Newly Corrected. Katherine Tofts, in Daily Courant, 8 Feb.: I was very much surpriz'd when I was inform'd that Ann Barwick, who was lately my Servant, had committed a Rudeness last Night [5 Feb.] at the Playhouse, by throwing of Oranges, and hissing when Mrs l'Epine, the Italian Gentlewoman Sung. I hope no one can think that it was in the least with my Privity, as I assure you it was not. [The statement, addressed to Christopher Rich, was dated 6 Feb.

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Rogers

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Oldfield. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs deL'Epine. Boxes 6s. Pit 5s. First Gallery 2s. 6d. Box in the Upper Gallery 1s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Barry