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