Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, p. 69: ye Moore of Venice at Whitehall. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. See also an L. C. notice, 5@147, p. 24 (in Boswell, Restoration Court Stage, p. 85) concerning Preparations for plays to be acted at court every week

Event Comment: The date of this amateur performance is not known, but the date generally accepted is December 1689. See Alfred Loewenberg, The Annals of Opera, Second Edition, Columns 85-86; and R. E. Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theatre (Cambridge, Mass., 1961), pp. 38-69. The Epilogue is in New Poems (1690)

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is stated in Luttrell, A Brief Relation, II, 435, 28 April 1692: On Monday will be acted a new opera, call the Fairy Queen: exceeds former playes: the clothes, scenes, and musick cost 3000#. [According to Some Select Songs As they are Sung in the Fairy Queen (1692) tne singers were Mrs Ayliff, Mrs Dyer, Freeman, Mrs Butler, and Pate. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XII (1903), ii; E. W. White, Early Performances of Purcell's Operas, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1958-59 ), 45; and R. E. Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theatre, Chapter IV.] Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 42-43: The Fairy Queen, made into an Opera, from a Comedy of Mr Shakespeare s: This in Ornaments was Superior to the other Two [King Arthur and The Prophetess]; especially in Cloaths, for all the Singers and Dancers, Scenes, Machines and Decorations, all most profusely set off; and excellently perform'd, chiedly the Instrumental and Vocal part Compos'd by the said Mr Purcel, and Dances by Mr Priest. The Court and Town were wonderfully satisfy'd with it; but the Expences in setting it out being so great, the Company got very little by it. Gentleman's Journal, May 1692: The Opera of which I have spoke to you in my former hath at last appear'd, and continues to be represented daily: it is call'd, The Fairy Queen. The Drama is originally Shakespears, the Music and Decorations are extraordinary. I have heard the Dances commended, and without doubt the whole is very entertaining. [As the May issue of the Gentleman's Journal was licensed on 14 May, the statement that The Fairy Queen continued to be acted daily may indicate consecutive performances from 2 May to at le ast 14 May 1692.

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Moore. Mainpiece: That celebrated Comedy...written by the Ingenious Mr Shadwell, late Poet Laureat. Music: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Moore. [In Daily Courant, 25 Oct., The Funeral had been advertised for this day.

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Moore

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Moore. [This performance may have been deferred; see 6 and 17 March.

Event Comment: Mrs Moore's tickets for 3 March taken this day

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Moore

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Moore. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality

Event Comment: Benefit Miss Santlow and Mrs Moore. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Moore. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. There being but a short Comedy acted that Night, it is desired to begin exactly at Eight. Tickets 5s

Event Comment: Benefit Chetwood and Mrs Moore

Event Comment: Benefit Boval and Mrs Moore. Written by Shakespear

Event Comment: Benefit Boman and Mrs Moore. Written by the late Mr Wycherley

Event Comment: Benefit Boman and Mrs Moore. Written by the late Mr Otway

Event Comment: Benefit Boman and Mrs Moore. At the Desire of several Perosns of Quality

Event Comment: Benefit the Orphan Children of the late Mr Farquhar. Mainpiece: Written by the late Mr Farquhar. Tickets for Roberts, Mrs Moore, and Young Leigh taken

Event Comment: Benefit Neale. Main Piece by Dryden, not acted for 9 years. Tickets to be had at Mr Moore's in the Playhouse passage, and at Neale's (Silk Dyer) in David Street near Grosvenor Square

Event Comment: Benefit for Clinch. Doors opened at half past 5. Play to begin at Half an Hour after 6. [Afterpiece written by Sheridan for Clinch, traditionally in gratitude for his saving The Rivals from damnation. (See Thomas Moore's Life of Sheridan [London, 1825], I, 148). The Westminster Magazine for May adds to cast: Irish Corporal-Fox; Soldiers-$Davies, $Wewitzer, Chaplin, and reviews the piece briefly: St Patrick's day is replete with broad humor, homely jests, and extravagant caricature. The language in general shewed the author a man of honour and observation; the situations were whimsical and produced that mirth which the audience in the Prologue were invited to partake of....The jests were occasionally too low and vulgar, and his scene too extravagantly absurd. The main drift of the Prologue was to tell the Audience that a fine Spring impeded the theatrical harvest; and that at this season the benefits of Nature were the greatest enemies to the Performer's Benefits."

Event Comment: On this day Charles II died. Although the order to close the theatres was not issued until 20 Feb. 1684@5 (L. C. 5@145, p. 153), acting Probably ceased on Thursday 5 Feb. 1684@5. At this time John Crowne's Sir Courtly Nice was in rehearsal. John Dennis gives a dramatic account of the last day of rehearsing: The Play was now just ready to appear to the World; and as every one that had seen it rehears'd was highly pleas'd with it; every one who had heard of it was big with the Expectation of it; and Mr Crown was delighted with the flattering Hope of being made happy for the rest of his Life, by the Performance of the King's Promise; when, upon the very last Day of the Rehearsal, he met Cave Underhill coming from the Play-House as he himself was going towards it; Upon which the Poet reprimanding the Player for neglecting so considerable a Part as he had in the Comedy, and neglecting it on a Day of so much Consequence, as the very last Day of Rehearsal: Oh Lord, Sir, says Underhill, we are all undone. Wherefore, says Mr Crown, is the Play-House on Fire? The whole Nation, replys the Player, will quickly be so, for the King is dead. At the hearing which dismal Words, the Author was little better; for he who but the Moment before was ravish'd with the Thought of the Pleasure, which he was about to give to his King, and of the Favours which he was afterwards to receive from him, this Moment found, to his unspeakable Sorrow, that his Royal Patron was gone for ever, and with him all his Hopes. The King indeed reviv'd from his Apoplectick Fit, but three Days after dyed, and Mr Crown by his Death was replung'd in the deepest Melancholy (John Dennis, Original Letters, 1721, I, 53-54). [It is not clear whether the last sentence refers to the day on which Crowne had seen the King and had assurances from His Majesty, the King dying three days later, or whether there was a false rumor of the King's death on 3 Feb. 1684@5.

Event Comment: Benefit Miller. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality