Event Comment: Lady Mary Bertie to Katherine Noel, 16 March 1670@1: I have sent you the songs that were in the ballet (HMC, 12th Report, Part V, Vol. II, page 23)

Event Comment: On this day occurred the Coronation of William and Mary

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 369. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 352. In L. C. 5@150, p. 156, is an order to prepare the stage for the play, and, in L. C. 5@150, p. 164, is another order for new equipment. Luttrell, A Brief Relation, II, 125: The 4th, being his majesties birth day...and at night was a consort of musick, and a play afterwards. Matthew Prior wrote A Pindarique Ode which was sung before Their Majesties at court on this day. See The Literary Works of Matthew Prior, ed. H. B. Wright and M. K. Spears (Oxford, 1959), I, 96-98; II, 858. Cibber, Apology, I, 128: The agreeable was so natural to [Mountfort], that even in that dissolute Character of the Rover he seem'd to wash off the Guilt from Vice, and gave it Charms and Merit. For tho' it may be a Reproach to the Poet to draw such Characters not only unpunish'd but rewarded, the Actor may still be allow'd his due Praise in his excellent Performance. And this is a Distinction which, when this Comedy was acted at Whitehall, King William's Queen Mary was pleas'd to make in favour of Monfort, notwithstanding her Disapprobation of the Play

Event Comment: The Lord Mayor's Show. By Elkanah Settle. See Celia Fennes, Through England on a Side Saddle in the Time of William and Mary (1888), pp. 242 ff, for an account of a Lord Mayor's show in the late seventeenth century

Event Comment: Queen Mary died on this day. The theatres were closed until after Easter

Event Comment: The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the opera was advertized in the Post Man, 14-16 Jan. 1696@7, suggests that it was first acted not later than December 1696. As the title page indicates, the work had been intended for presentation before the Court, but the death of Queen Mary prevented its appearance at Court. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 19: Sullen: But to go on, Cynthia and Endymion. Ramble: What a Pox is that? I never heard on't. Sullen: I believe not; 'tis one of Durfey's Toys. Ramble: Durfey's? what again? 'twas just now we parted with him. Sullen: Ay but Sir, you must know this is an Opera--and as he tells us in the Title-page, design'd t be perform'd at court before the late Queen--there's for you; Durfey in his Altitudes--but notwithstanding the vain and conceited Title-page, 'tis good for nothing within: He's the very Antipodes to all the Poets, Antient and Modern: Other Poets treat the Deities civilly, but Mr Durfey makes the Gods Bullies, and Jilts of the chastest Goddesses. Ramble: So, I suppose that was mawl'd, notwithstanding the Honour which he says the Queen intended it. Sullen: 'Twas well for Durfey her late Majesty never saw it; Gad if she had, People wou'd ha' said, it had first been the cause of her Illness, and then of her Death; for 'tis a mortifying Piece o' my Word; Yes, yes,--it was Damn'd

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. The Diary of Mary Countess Cowper, p. 153: At Night at the French Play with the Duchess of Shrewsbury. Everybody took Notice of the Scene of the Drawing-room

Event Comment: Benefit Francisque. By Their Royal Highness's Command. The Diary of Mary Countess Cowper, p. 172: In the Afternoon the Prince and Princess went to the French Play. A most dismal Performance. No Wonder People are Slaves who can entertain themselves with such Stuff

Event Comment: [K$King, Queen, Prince, Duke, Princesses Royal, Amelia, Caroline, Mary, Louisa present.

Event Comment: PPrince of Wales, Duke, Princesses Caroline, Mary, and Louisa present

Event Comment: At Rayner-Walker Booth. [Prince William and Princesses Mary and Louisa present, also His Excellency Ach Mahomet, Ambassador from Algiers.

Event Comment: TTheir Majesties, Princess Royal, and Princesses Caroline and Mary present

Event Comment: DDuke, Princesses Amelia, Mary, and Louisa present

Event Comment: CCraftsman, 9 June: We hear...that the Rebel Players are not yet reduced to their Obedience, but it is thought that They will soon be obliged to surrender at Discretion. In that mean Time, the Publick waits with Impatience to see the Manifesto of their doubty Chief, Mr Theophilus Cibber, which He hath promised in the News-Papers. It is expected that, in this Manifesto, the young Captain will endeavour to prove that the King's Patent, after a solemn Adjudgment in the Court of Chancery, is of no Validity; and that picking a Gentleman's Pocket of Six Thousand Pounds is perfectly consistent with the Principles of Liberty. In the Daily Post, 11 June, Benjamin Griffin, Comedian, published his Humble Appeal to the Publick.The gist of his statement is: (1) Griffin had been under the management of Rich at Lincoln's Inn Fields, without any intention of leaving him, when, at the beginning of the season of 1721, the managers at Drury Lane sent him messages by Thurmond Sr and Shaw, seeking Griffin to treat with them. Griffin at first refused, but Steede, then the prompter of Drury Lane, prevailed upon him. Wilks immediately offered the same conditions Griffin had under Rich: #4 weekly and a benefit before 15 April, at the certain incident charge of #40. Wilks also offered him articles for three years, with a promise of an advance in salary and better terms at that time. (2) No sooner had Griffin agreed than the masters of both companies entered into a private agreement not to receive any one of the other's company, though discharged, without a private agreement to that purpose. (3) At the end of three years, under date of 12 December 1724, R. Castleman, the treasurer of Drury Lane, sent Griffin a note to the effect that the managers were willing to continue him at 10s. nightly (#3 weekly); as Griffin could not return to Rich, he had to accept the reduction in pay as well as a delay of his benefit to May and a payment of #50 for the charges. (4) He remained so until 1729, losing in salary #147 besides the #10 extra benefits. At Norris' illness and death, the managers returned him to #4 weekly but kept the charges at #50. (5) Under date of 4 June 1733, by the signatures of Mary Wilks, Hester Booth, John Highmore, and John Ellys, Griffin received a discharge from Drury Lane and full Liberty to treat with Rich or any one else. He asserts that he had no previous notice and received no reason for his discharge

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Intermix'd with Songs and Dances. [The Duke and Princesses Amelia, Mary, and Louisa present.]

Event Comment: Benefit the Lilliputians. By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Princesses Mary and Louisa

Event Comment: By Command of his Royal Highness the Duke, their Royal Highnesses the Princesses Amelia, Caroline, Mary, and Louisa

Event Comment: By Command of Her Royal Highness the Princess Caroline. Receipts: #120 4s. [Princesses Caroline, Mary, and Louisa present.]

Event Comment: By Command of Her Royal Highness the Princess Caroline. Receipts: #128 14s. [Princesses Caroline, Mary, Louisa, and the Duke present.]

Event Comment: By Their Majesties' Command. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. Receipts: #147 1s. [Their Majesties, Duke, and Princesses Caroline, Mary, and Louisa present.]

Event Comment: Benefit Glover. By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Duke, and the Princesses Mary and Louisa. [Tickets at Glover's, in Chandos Street, cg.

Event Comment: By Command of His Royal Highness the Duke, and Their Royal Highnesses the Princesses Amelia, Caroline, Mary, and Louisa. Mainpiece: Taken from Plautus and Moliere

Event Comment: By His Majesty's Command. Mainpiece: Written by Shakespear. [The King, Duke, Princess Amelia, Caroline, Mary, and Louisa present.] London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 12 Jan.: Being the first time of his Majesty's being at any Publick Diversion since the Death of the late Queen