Event Comment: Benefit for Sparks. Receipts: #83 2s. 6d. plus Tickets #184 12s. (boxes 335; pit 551; gallery 182). Advanced Mrs Bellamy on her salary #105. Two new Renters came in at 1 share each: Sir Thomas Robinson and Robert Hassell (Account Book). Mr Smith takes this earliest opportunity to return thanks the Ladies and Gentlemen who honoured him with their presence at his Benefit on Tuesday Night, and is very sorry for any interruption that might happen in the performance. The indulgence of his friends that night far exceeded his most sanguine exceptations; otherwise he should have provided proper accomodations for them on the stage (Public Advertiser). [See Theatrical Review, 1757 and Beginning of 1758, for contemporary comment on mainpiece: "It is not paying it a very great, much less an underserved compliment to give it the preference over all the dramatic pieces that have been presented at either house these six or seven years...Tears were the first praises I gave it...no play except Lear ever make such a strong constant impression on my feelings."

Event Comment: [The Young Gentleman identified as Owenson by Hopkins MS Notes. Confirmed by Sir Nicholas Nipclose, in The Theatres (2nd. ed. London, 1722, p. 51) speaking of Inchbald's introduction to the London stage with advertisement of "first appearance" though he had been many years an itinerant actor, "this is a trick to gain, from curiosity, what may pay by one night the whole season's pitiful salary of such actors; several mushrooms have vegetated thus; but none more worthless or short lived, than Mr Owenson; brought forward modestly in Tamerlane, some weeks since; without even the requistes of a grown-up school-boy."] Receipts: #180 6s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: The King's company. On 31 Aug. or 1 Sept. 1664 Orrery wrote to Sir Henry Bennett: Ther was noe Play of myne Acted, they are now but Studyinge it; I hope within less then a Fortnight twill be on ye Theater And if you are not surfetted, with what of mine you have already seene [Henry V], I will beg ye honour to wait on you when tis Acted (see The Dramatic Works of Roger Boyle, ed. W. S. Clark@II [Cambridge, Mass., 1937], 1, 102). The play is also on the list of Herbert, Dramatic Records, p. 138. Boswell, Restoration Court Stage, p. 281, lists it among the plays given at court, but Sir Heneage Finch's note (see below) seems to indicate an afternoon performance. Sir Heneage Finch to Sir Edward Dering, 15 Sept. 1664: Yesterday was acted, in the Greatest and noblest presence wch ye Court can make, before ye fullest Theatre, & with the highest applause imaginable, my Lo Orerys new play calld ye Generall formerly acted in Ireland by the name of Altamira, but much altered & improved. From thence the whole Court went to Wallingford house, where the Earl of Arran and the Lady Mary Stuart were that night before Supper marryd in the Gallery (Dramatic Works of Roger Boyle, I, 103, from Stowe MS 744 f. 81)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Man, 29 Feb.-2 March 1695@6, and the London Gazette, No. 3165, 9-12 March 1695@6, suggests that its first appearance was not later than early February. One song, The town rakes, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Mr Edward, was separately printed ca. 1696. Epistle Dedicatory, Edition of 1696: The unjust Sentence this Play met with before very partial Judges in the Acting....So that I may reasonable impute its miscarriage to some Faction that was made against it, which indeed was very Evident on the First day, and more on the endeavours employ'd, to render the Profits of the Third, as small as could be...Ch. Gildon

Event Comment: The United Company. As 9 Nov. 1692 is known to be the second day, it is assumed that 8 Nov. 1692 represents the first performance. (See entry for 9 Nov. 1692.) The authorship is uncertain; William Mountfort signed tne Dedication, but its authorship is linked with that of Edward III (November 1690), which may have been by Bancroft. Gentleman's Journal, October 1692 (not issued until November): Henry the Second, King of England, A new Play, by the Author of that call'd Edward the Third, which gave such universal satisfaction, hath been acted several times with applause. It is a Tragedy with a mixture of Comedy....Had you seen it acted, you would own that an Evening is pass'd very agreeably, when at a Representation of that pleasing Piece. [Alfred Harbage, Elizabethan-Restoration Palimpsest, Modern Language Review, XXXV (1940), 312-18, argues that this play is the Elizabethan Henry II once in the possession of Moseley. A song, In vain 'gainst Love I strove, composed by Henry Purcell and sung by Mrs Dyer, not in the printed play, is in Comes Amoris, 1693, and Joyful Cuckoldom 1695. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), vii

Event Comment: Benefit for Ryder. 1st piece [1st time; F 1, ascribed to Thomas Ryder. Not in Larpent MS; not published]: Taken from Sir Courtly Nice [by John Crowne]. 3rd piece: Never [previously] acted here. [Miss R. Ryder's 1st appearance on the stage was at cg, 16 Apr. 1790.

Event Comment: [In 2nd piece the playbill assigns Orlando to Kemble, but "On account of indisposition, Barrymore last night performed Orlando for Kemble" (Oracle, 4 Oct.).] 3rd piece: To conclude with the Glorious Defeat of the Spanish Armada, and a Grand Procession. "Equal to any actor I ever saw, as far as his line extends, is Mr Parsons; his conception and expression of Sir Fretful Plagiary, in Mr Sheridan's Critic, are as strong and masterly as were Garrick's in Kitely [in Every Man in his Humour]; and his 'laughing without mirth' therein equally admirable" (Jonson, ed. Waldron, 171). Receipts: #251 4s. 6d. (213.6.6; 37.0.0; 0.18.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Johnstone. 3rd piece [1st time; F 2, by Thomas Knight; incidental music by William Reeve]: Partly taken from The Committee [by Sir Robert Howard]. Morning Herald, 21 June 1797: This Day is published [by G. Cawthorn] The Honest Thieves (1s.). True Briton, 25 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Johnstone, No. 19, Piazza, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #434 7s. 6d. (210.4.0; 11.18.0; tickets: 212.5.6)

Event Comment: See 27 Feb. 1668@9. Pepys, Diary: I did meet Sir Jeremy Smith, who did tell me that Sir W. Coventry was just now sent to the Tower, about the business of his challenging the Duke of Buckingham, and so was also Harry Saville to the Gate-house....So, meeting with my Lord Bellassis, he told me the particulars of this matter; that it arises about a quarrel which Sir W. Coventry had with the Duke of Buckingham about a design between the Duke and Sir Robert Howard, to bring him into a play [The Rehearsal] at the King's house, which W. Coventry not enduring, did H. Saville send a letter to the Duke of Buckingham, that he had a desire to speak with him. Upon which, the Duke of Buckingham did bid Holmes, his champion ever since my Lord Shrewsbury's business, go to him to know the business; but H. Saville would not tell it to any but himself, and therefore did go presently to the Duke of Buckingham, and told him that his uncle Coventry was a person of honour, and was sensible of his Grace's liberty taken of abusing him, and that he had a desire of satisfaction, and would fight with him. But that here they were interrupted by my Lord Chamberlain's coming in, who was commanded to go to bid the Duke of Buckingham to come to the King, Holmes having discovered it

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; B 3, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Prologue by the Hon. Richard Fitzpatrick (Public Advertiser, 3 Aug. 1781)]: With a Procession. [This was included in all subsequent performances. For the Sea Fight see 20 Nov.] With New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. The Scenery designed by DeLoutherbourg, and executed under his direction. The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [same for rest of season, except on 1 May 1780]. "The House was so crowded that there were many disturbances, one so great that Smith when he had nearly finished 'To be or not to be' was obliged to leave the Stage, and when the noise subsided, to return and begin the soliloquy again... As The Critic took up two hours and a half in performance, it must of necessity be considerably shortened" (Morning Chronicle, 1 Nov.). "The scene of the battle with the Armadav [was] executed in the most masterly manner. The Motion of the sea, the engaging of the ships, and the destruction occasioned by the fire-ships were happily contrived and accurately represented" (London Chronicle, 1 Nov.). Account-Book, 9 Nov.: Paid R. B. Sheridan on Acct. of Critic #320. Receipts: #241 19s. 6d. (222.11.0; 19.3.6; 0.5.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by George Colman, the younger. MS: Larpent 704; not published; synopsis of plot in Universal Magazine, July 1785, p. 38. Prologue by the author; Epilogue by Edward Topham (European Magazine, July 1785, pp. 70-71)]: The Overture and New Airs compos'd by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Edward Morris, with incidental music by Richard Suett. Prologue by Charles Morris; Epilogue by George Colman, ynger (see text)]: With new Dresses, Decorations, &c. Morning Herald, 23 Apr. 1793: To-morrow will be published False Colours (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #231 9s. (188.2; 38.18; 4.9)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Frederick Reynolds. Prologue by James Boaden. Epilogue by Edward Topham (see text). For this play Reynolds and the cg manager made a new plan for payments to the author. Benefits for the author on the 3rd, 6th and 9th nights were abandoned; instead he received #33 6s. 8d. for each of the first nine nights and #100 on the 20th night. "This was the foundation of that bargain between manager and author which, I believe, exists to the present period [1826]" (Reynolds, II, 182-83)]. Morning Chronicle, 19 Jan. 1795: This Day is published The Rage! (2s.). Receipts: #259 13s. 6d. (255.17.6; 3.16.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Lewis. 3rd piece [1st time; M. INT 1, by Thomas John Dibdin. Larpent MS 1288; not published]: Founded on a late Glorious Naval Achievement [the recapture by Capt. Edward Hamilton, on 25 Oct. 1799, of the British frigate Hermione, from the Spaniards]. The Music selected and composed by Attwood. Morning Chronicle, 1 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Lewis, No. 52, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #361 17s. (263.2.0; 33.5.6; tickets: 65.9.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: In Act I The Cardinal's Banquet. In Act II The Court for the Trial of Queen Katharine. In Act V a Grand Procession to the Christening of Princess Elizabeth. Paid Charles Smith on Acct. of Upholders Work at Drury Lane Theatre #400. Powell: Henry VIII rehearsed at 10 (for Packer, lame, and Mrs Siddons); Siege of Belgrade music at 12 (for Storace, Bannister Jun., Crouch, Davis, Danby). The Iron Curtain being finish'd was this Evening exhibited for the first Time with the Epilogue [and see 21 Apr.]. "On the 24th February, 1809, this theatre was burnt down . . . Every care had been taken to guard against such a calamity. Two large reservoirs for water, on the top of the house, happened, unfortunately, at this crisis to be empty; and an iron curtain, intended to separate the auditory from the stage, for the purpose of saving a part of the edifice in case of conflagration, was, with its machinery, so much out of order as to be useless; it was, in fact, utterly immoveable" (Brayley, p. 8). Receipts: #451 8s. 6d. (389/4/0; 56/5/0; 4/6/6; tickets not come in: 1/13/0)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: With Creed, my wife, and Mercer to a play at the Duke's, of my Lord Orrery's, called Mustapha, which being not good, made Betterton's part and Ianthe's but ordinary too, so that we were not contented with it at all...All the pleasure of the play was, the King and my Lady Castlemayne wer there; and pretty witty Nell Gwin?, at the King's house, and the younger Rebecca? Marshall sat next us; which pleased me mightily. Downes (p. 26): All the Parts being new Cloath's with new Scenes, Sir William's great Care of having it perfect and exactly perform'd, it produc'd to himself and Company vast Profit

Event Comment: The United Company. Newdigate newsletters, 20 Jan. 1682@3: Yesterday was acted at the Theatre Royall the first of a new play Entituled the City Politiques the novelty of wch drew a Confluence of Spectators under both Qualifications of Whigg and Tory to hear and behold a Ld Mayor Sheriffs & some Aldermen with their wives in yr usuall formalityes buffoond & Reviled a great Lawyer with his young Lady Jeared and Intreagued Dr Oates pfectly represented berogued & beslaved the papist plott Egregiously Rediculed the Irish Testemonyes Contradictiorily disproved & befoold the Whiggs totally vanquished & undon Law & property men oreruld & there wanted nothing of Artifice in behaviour and discourse to render all those obnoxious & dispised in fine such a medly of occurences intervened that twas a question whether more of Loyalty designe or Rhetorique prvailed but there were mighty clappings among the poeple of both partyes in Expressing either their sattisfaction or displeasure (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 81). The Prologue and Epilogue, separately Printed, have 20 Jan. 1682@3 as Luttrell's date of acquisition (Huntington Library) and are reprinted in Wiley's Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 166-69. John Dennis, To Mr --- In which are some Passages of the Life of Mr John Crown, Author of Sir Courtly Nice, June 23, 1719: About that time he writ The City Politicks, on purpose to Satyrize and expose the Whigs; a Comedy so agreeable, that it deserv'd to be writ in a much better Cause: But after he had writ he met with very great Difficulties in the getting it acted. Bennet Lord Arlington, who was then Lord Chamberlain of the King's Houshold, and who had secretly espous'd the Whigs, who were at that time powerful in Parliament, in order to support himself against the Favour and Power of the Lord Treasurer Danby, who was his declared Enemy, us'd all his Authority to suppress it. One While it was prohibited on the account of its being Dangerous, another while it was laid aside on the pretence of its being Falt and Insipid; till Mr Crown at last was forc'd to have Recourse to the king himself, and to engage him to give his absolute Command to the Lord Chamberlain for the acting of it; which Command the King was Pleas'd to give in his own Person (I, 49-50). Morrice Entry Book, Vol.1 1682@3: Mr Crowne [was cudgled on Wednesday last in St Martin's Lane and] hee that beat him said hee did it at the suite of the Earle of Rochester some time since deceased who greatly abused in the play for his penetency &c. (p. 353. I owe this note to the courtesy of Professor David M. Vieth of the University of Kansas and Professor G. H. Jones of Kansas State University)

Event Comment: Ndt acted these Eight Years [but see dl 15 July 1712]. Written by the late Mr Crown, Author of Sir Courtly Nice. Receipts: #25 1s

Event Comment: [By Thomas Moore.] With Musick Vocal and Instrumental, Dances, and other Decorations proper to the same. Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 144: Three or four Years after the Performance of this famous Tragedy, I had the following account from several of the Actors who performed in it: That Sir Thomas gave them many good Dinners and Suppers during the Rehearsals of the Play, which they all laugh'd at as ridiculous; but as the Company was, at that Time, composed chiefly of young Actors, and got but small Encouragement from the Public; it may be justly said, their Necessities compelled them to perform this strange Tragedy, which stood some chance to divert from its Absurdities

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir Richard Steele. Afterpiece: Taken from Moliere, and Intermix'd with Songs. At Common Prices. Stage half a guinea. 6 p.m

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Sir John VanBrugh. For the Entertainment of the Grand Master, and the brethren of the Honourable and Antient Society of Free and Accepted Masons, for the Benefit of a Brother, who has had great misfortunes. None to be admitted Without printed Tickets (Daily Advertiser). The Brethren are desired to meet the Right Honourable the Grand Master, at Mr Filkes, at the Bedford Arms in the Piazza in Covent Garden, at Four o'clock in the afternoon, in order to accompany him to the play. Stage form'd into an amphitheatre. Servants allowed to keep places

Event Comment: Paid John Doe, Claridge, and Smith each 15s. for performing six nights in the Ass and Hog to 1 Jan. [i.e., in Mother Shipton]. Receipts: #176 4s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bulkley. Mainpiece: Not acted these 5 years. [See 19 April 1769.] Afterpiece: A Farce Never acted there [Wm Whitehead]. Tomorrow (for the only Time this Season) The Merchant of Venice with Love-a-la-Mode. Shylock and Sir Archy by Mr Macklin being the only time of his performing this season. For the Benefit of Miss Macklin (playbill). Charges #66. Profit to Mrs Bulkley #43 6s. 6d. plus #103 16s. from tickets (Box 194; Pit 298; Gallery 106). Paid one half year's paving &c. for the Theatre due Lady Day #26 5s. (Account Book). Receipts: #109 6s. 6d

Event Comment: William Blaythwaite to Sir Robert Southwell, 4 Sept. 1679 [describing a visit made on 3 Sept. 1679 by Sir Edward Dering, Mrs Helena Percival, Miss Helena, Miss Betty, and himself]: What we saw was the dancing on the ropes performed first by Jacob Hall and his company, then by a Dutch dancer, who did wonderful feats. From thence we went to the Elephant, who I think was more terrible than pleasant to the young spectators (Morley, Memoirs of Bartholomew Fair, p. 192)

Event Comment: Benefit Edward Giles. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality