Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The Diary of Robert Hooke (p. 108): To Hoskins with Sir Ch. Wren. By water with him to the Playhouse. Saw Tempest. Paid 3sh

Event Comment: The Diary of Robert Hooke, 31 Oct. 1674: With Mr Francis Moegan at musick house

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The Diary of Robert Hooke: Mr Hoskins and I at Shadwell. Atheistical wicked play 2 1!2 sh

Event Comment: The King's Company. The Diary of Robert Hooke, 27 Aug. 1675: Saw Psyche Grand foppery

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@142, p. 81: At the Virtuoso. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348. Nell Gwyn also attended this performance; see VanLennep, Nell Gwyn's Playgoing, p. 407. The Diary of Robert Hooke, 25 May 1676: Mr Abraham Hill gave J. Hoskins, Aubery and I an account of Vertuoso play. A song, How retched is the slave to love, the music by Francis Forcer, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Second Book, 1679. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 37): The Libertine and Virtuoso: Both Wrote by Mr Shadwell; they were both very well Acted, and got the company great Reputation

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This play may well have been performed regularly since 25 May. The Diary of Robert Hooke, 2 June 1676: with Godfrey and Tompion at Play. Met Oliver there. Damned Doggs. Vindica me Deus. People almost pointed. [Several entries in Hooke's Diary concern The Virtuoso. See his entries for 1 June, 3 June, 1 July.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The Diary of Robert Hooke: Grace and Tom at Play Antony and Cleopatra

Event Comment: The Diary of Robert Hooke: With John? Oliver saw tigre in Bartholomew fair 2d. Saw the child doe strange tricks

Event Comment: The Diary of Robert Hooke: Saw the Dutch woeman in Bartholomew fair, very strange

Event Comment: The Diary of Robert Hooke (p. 423): At Bartholomew fair Saw Elephant wave colours, shoot a gun, bend and kneel, carry a castle and a man

Event Comment: The United Company. Tne date of the first performance is not known, but the Gentleman's Journal, March 1692 (licensed 9 March 1691@2), refers to its having already been produced. See also a letter concerning it dated 19 Jan. 1691@2. Probably the play was given in early February 1692. A song, How long must women wish in vain, the music by Robert King, is in Comes Amoris, The Fourth Book, 1693. Gentleman's Journal, March 1692: We have had lately a new Play, called, The Innocent Impostors. It hath been acted four times. Mr Shadwell Poet-Laureat, usher'd it into the Stage. It is said that the Author of it is not one of the Laity; therefore since he desires not to be known, I shall not presume to let you know his Name, tho the Play being Historical, and altogether of the Tragick kind, and withal treated with all the decency imaginable, can never be inglorious to its ingenious Author

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: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not certain, but the evidence points toward this day. On Thursday 19 Nov. 1696, Robert Jennens reported that the two pieces had been acted four or five days together. If that day saw the fifth performance, the premiere probably occurred on 14 Nov. 1696. The Single Songs and Dialogue in Mars and Venus, set by John Eccles (Acts I and II) and Godfrey Finger (Act III), was published separately in 1697. The pieces for whom a performer is indicated are as follows: Prologue. The first Song Sung by Mrs Hudson, set by Finger: Come all, with moving songs [it is reproduced opposite page 300 in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues]. Love alone can here alarm me, sung by Mrs Ayloffe. Scorn tho' Beauty frowns to tremble, sung by Mrs Hudson. To double the sports, sung by Mrs Ayloffe. To treble the pleasures with regular measures, sung by Mrs Ayloffe. To meet her, May, the Queen of Love comes here, set by John Eccles and sung by Mrs Hudson. See Vulcan, Jealousie, Jealousie appears, set by Finger and sung by Mrs Hudson. Yield, no, no, sung by Mrs Bracegirdle and Bowman. Gildon, English Dramatick Poets, p. 115: This Play met with extraordinary Success having the Advantage of the excellent Musick of The Loves of Mars and Venus perform'd with it. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 44-45: The Anatomist, or Sham Doctor, had prosperous Success, and remains a living Play to this Day; 'twas done by Mr Ravenscroft. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 20: I remember the success of that was owing to the Musick

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. John Coke (see below), writing on 16 March 1696@7, referred to a "new farce" appearing at this theatre on this day, but no "new farce" is known at this period; on the other hand, an edition of Mountfort's farce published in 1697 indicates a revival in this season and is a likely possibility for this date. John Coke to Thomas Coke, 16 March 1696@7: Saturday a new farce was acted at the new house, which did not take. The Mourning Bride was acted till Saturday, and was full to the last (HMC, 12th Report, Part II, Cowper MSS., II, 368). Robert Shirley to Thomas Coke, 13 March 1696@7: I am, dear Sir, indebted to you in sending me so ingenious an account of Mr Congreve's tragedy, which I hear on all sides far exceeded what the world expected from him in that part of dramatic poetry (ibid)

Event Comment: John Dryden to his sons, 3 Sept. 1697: After my return to Town, I intend to alter a play of Sir Robert Howards, written long since, & lately put by him into my hands: tis calld The Conquest of China by the Tartars. It will cost me six weeks study, with the probable benefit of an hunderd pounds. In the meane time I am writeing a Song for St Cecilia's feast, who you know is the Patroness of Musique. This is troublesome, & no way beneficiall: but I coud not deny the Stewards of the feast, who came in a body to me, to desire that kindness (Letters of John Dryden, p. 93)

Event Comment: James Brydges, Diary: I went to Mr Roberts's, who had a consort of musick, Mr Frank Roberts Mr Banister, la Riche Mr Shore, &c. I staid here till towards eleven, & then home with Lady Lucy Bright & my Wife (Huntington MS St 26)

Event Comment: Post Boy, No. 452, 26-29 March 1698: In York-Buildings tomorrow being the 30th instant will be perform'd a New Consort of Vocal and Instrumental Musick, compos'd by Seignior Baptist for the Benefit of him and Mr Robert, beginning at the usual time. [London Gazette, No. 3378, 24-28 March 1698, with essentially the same notice, states that the admission charge is 5s.

Event Comment: James Brydges, Diary: About 5 my Coz: Roberts & I went to ye Playhouse in Covent Garden, but not liking ye play, wee went to that in Lincolns inn fields, & staid till 'twas done. I saw Ld Normanby, Ld Willouby, Sir Rich. Samford &c. here (Huntington MS St 26)

Event Comment: Post Man, 28 March 1699: For the Benefit of Mr Robert Roades...a Consort, all new Music, both Vocal and Instrumental: There being no Play at either House

Event Comment: James Brydges, Diary: I went & din'd at ye fountain, after wch I went to ye Playhouse in Lincolns Inn fields, & saw my Cozen Hussys & Coz. Roberts there. I staid an act (Huntington MS St 26)