Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, p. 125. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. On this date the Stationers' Register has a reference to a play called Love's Martyr; or, Witt Above Crownes, apparently by Mrs Anne Wharton, forbidding anyone from entering this play in the Stationers' Register

Event Comment: The United Company. Peregrine Bertie to the Countess of Rutland. 6 Feb. 1685@6: Thursday was acted Mithridates? for the Queen and Goodman played (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Rutland MSS., Part V, Vol. II, p. 104). [In L. C. 5@147, is a warrant to pay Mrs Barry for two plays-Valentinian and Mithridates-acted before the King and Queen, #40. The date of the warrant is 8 May 1686. If this warrant represents payment for this performance of Mithridates, probably Valentinian was acted in 1686.

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of this Performance is stated as 16 Feb. (L. C. records) or 17 Feb. (Peregrine Bertie), but as Lent began on Wednesday 17 Feb., the performance probably occurred on Shrove Tuesday. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, P. 125. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. Peregrine Bertie to the Countess of Rutland, 17 Feb. 1685@6: To night will be the last play at court, they tell mee 'tis the Mocke Astrologer (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Rutland MSS., Part V, p. 105). John Povey to Sir Robert Southwell, 18 Feb. 1685@6: Sir, the enclosed had been sent last post, had it not been detained late by a play at Court which ended our Carnival. The night before the King and Queen were entertained by the Lord President at a ball or masque in Lady Portsmouth's lodgings. The Masquers were twelve couples whose habits were of several nations' and prescribed by a picture sent to each of them from the Queen, and the least habit cost !bove a hundred Pounds, and some above three hundred pounds, besides jewels of which Mrs Fox and some others had above thirty thousand pounds value each (Savile-Finch Correspondence, Add. Mss. 28,569; I owe this quotation to Professor John Harold Wilson)

Event Comment: An order dated 20 Dec. 1687 (L. C. 5@148, p. 59; in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 356) calls for a payment to Mrs Barry for The Emperour of the Moon cast, see March 1686@7

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but Luttrell's copy (Huntington Library) of the play bears the date of acquisition 3 June [1690, apparently], and the play was advertised in the London Gazette, No 2566, 12-16 June 1690. See Fredson Bowers, A Bibliographical History of the Fletcher-Betterton Play, The Prophetess, 1690, The Library, 5th Series, XVI (1961), 169-75. It seems likely that the opera was first given early in June 1690. An edition of The Vocal and Instrumental Musick of The Prophetess appeared in 1691. See Works of Henry Purcell, Purcell Society, IX. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 42): The Prophetess, or Dioclesian an Opera, Wrote by Mr Betterton; being set out with Coastly Scenes, Machines and Cloaths: The Vocal and Instrumental Musick, done by Mr Purcel; and Dances by Mr Priest; it gratify'd the Expectation of Court and City; and got the Author great Reputation. [See also R. E. Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theater (Cambridge, Mass., 1961), Chapter V; and E. W. White, Early Theatrical Performances of Purcell's Operas, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1958-59), 44.] The Muses' Mercury (January 1707, pp. 4-5): This prologue was forbidden to be spoken the second Night of the Representation of the Prophetess. Mrs Shadwell was the occasion of its being taken notice of by the Ministry in the last Reign: He happen'd to be at the House on the first Night, and taking the beginning of the Prologue to have a double meaning, and that Meaning to reflect on the Revolution, he told a Gentleman, He would immediately Put a stop to it. When that Gentleman ask'd, Why he wou'd do the Author such a Disservice? He said, Because while Mr Dryden was Poet Laureat, he wou'd never let any Play of his be Acted. Mr Shadwell informed the Secretary of State of it, and representing it in its worst Colours, the Prologue was never Spoken afterwards, and is not printed in Mr Dryden's Works, or his Miscellanies. Cibber, Apology (ed. Lowe, II, 13-14): A Prologue (by Dryden) to the Prophetess was forbid by the Lord Dorset after the first War in Ireland. It must be confess'd that this Prologue had some familiar, metaphorical Sneers at the Revolution itself; and as the Poetry of it was good, the Offence of it was less pardonable

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of this performance is not certainly known. On 7 Nov. 1690 an order was issued to pay Mrs Barry #25 for Circe, acted by command

Event Comment: An order to pay Mrs Barry #25 for The Orphan (L. C. 5@151, p. 30; Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 358) probably represents payment for the performance on 9 Feb. 1691@2

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: This celebration of the Queen's Birthday presumably was given on 30 April, her birthday. The music in the Royal Society of Music gives the singers as Mrs Ayliff, The Boy, Turner, Snow, Edwards, Howell, Bowman, Damascene, Bouchier, Williams, Woodeson, Roberts. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XXIV (1926), ii

Event Comment: The United Company. This play was probably revived in May or June 1693. Two songs for it-one sung by Mrs Ayliff, the composer not named; another, the music by Ackroyde, but no singer named-are in Gentleman's Journal, June 1693 (advertised in London Gazette, 13 July 1693). These songs presumably were a part of a revived version not long preceding their publication

Event Comment: In L. C. 5@151 is an order, dated this day, to pay Mrs Barry for the acting of Caius Marius. The day of the performance is not indicated

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.