SELECT * FROM london_stages WHERE MATCH('(@(authnameclean,perftitleclean,commentcclean,commentpclean) "Sir Will Davenant"/1) | (@(roleclean,performerclean) "Sir Will Davenant")') GROUP BY eventid ORDER BY weight() desc, eventdate asc OPTION field_weights=(perftitleclean=100, commentpclean=75, commentcclean=75, roleclean=100, performerclean=100, authnameclean=100), ranker=sph04

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We found 6040 matches on Performance Comments, 1620 matches on Author, 959 matches on Event Comments, 462 matches on Performance Title, and 0 matches on Roles/Actors.
Event Comment: The United Company. An order, 9 Feb. 1683@4, in L. C. 5@145, p. 14 (Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 356), and another, L. C. I, specify requirements for a play to be acted at Whitehall on 11 Feb. 1683@4, and name Valentinian as the drama. The first Prologue and the Epilogue Written by a Person of Quality were printed separately; Luttrell's copy (Bindley Collection, William Andrews Clark@Jr@Library) is dated 20 Feb. 1683@4. They are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 249-51. It is not certain on what date the first performance occurred, for premieres at court are quite rare in the Restoration period. In Nahum Tate's Poems by Several Hands (1685): Sir Francis Fane: A Masque Made at the Request of the Earl of Rochester, for the Tragedy of Vadentinian. Downes (p. 40): The well performance, and the vast Interest the Author made in Town, Crown'd the Play, with great Gain of Reputation; and Profit to the Actors. For an intended cast of Rochester's alteration of the play by John Fletcher, see the introductory note to the season of 1675-76. In A Pastoral in French by Lewis Grabu (published in 1684; advertised in the London Gazette, No. 1947, 17 July 1684) are two songs for this play for which Grabu apparently composed the music: Injurious charmer of my vanquished heart and Kindness hath resistless charms. In Choice Ayres and Songs, The Fourth Book, 1684, is: A new Song in the late reviv'd Play, call'd Valentinian: Where would coy Aminta run [the composer of the music not being indicated]

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Valentinian

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not certain, but Luttrell acquired his copy of the separately-printed Prologue and Epilogue on 18 Aug. 1684. (Bindley Collection, William Andrews Clark@Jr@Library), and the play was probably first performed on that day or in the preceding week. The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 221-23. In the broadside the speaker of the Prologue is identified as Jevon. A sofg, Ah poor Oliver never boast, the verse by a Lady, and the music by R. King, is in A Collection of Twenty-Four Songs, 1685. Another, Damon if you wilt believe me, the verse by a Person of Quality and the music by Alexander Damascene, is in The Banquet of Musick, The Fifth Book, 1691. Two songs, Tell me no more I am deceived, the verse by Sir George Etherege and the music by J. B. Draghi, and Who can resist my Celia's charms, the music by J. B. Drahgi, and the verse by A Person of Quality, are in the printed play. This cast contains the last new role certainly assigned to John Wiltshire, who, according to (Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, I, 84-85), entered the army and was killed in action

Performances

Mainpiece Title: A Duke And No Duke

Performance Comment: Edition of 1685: Prologue by a Friend of the Authors-Mr Jevon; Lavinio-Wilshire; Brunetto-Carlisle; Barberino-Gillo; Alberto-Williams; Trappolin-Lee; Mago-Percivall; Captain-Sanders; Isabella-Mrs Currer; Prudentia-Mrs Percevall; Flametta-Mrs Twiford; The Epilogue-Mr Haines.
Cast
Role: Alberto Actor: Williams

Performances

Mainpiece Title: London's Royal Triumph For The City's Loyal Magistrate In An Exact Description Of Several Scenes And Pageants, Adorned With Many Magnificent Representations

Performance Comment: Performed on Wednesday, October XXIX. 1684. At the instalment and Inauguration of the Right Honourable Sir James Smith, Knight, Lord Mayor of the City of London. Illustrated with divers Delightful Objects of Gallantry and Jollity, Speeches and Songs, Single and in Parts. Set forth at the Proper Costs and Charges of the Worshipful Company of Drapers. Devised and Composed by Tho. Jordan, Gent.
Event Comment: Christopher Jeaffreson to Colonel Hill, 29 Oct. 1684: Sir James Hackett, lieutenant-colonell to the Lord Dunbarton's regiment, was wounded in the thigh by one Mr Potter in the Playhouse; of which woud he has since died. He is much lamented by his Majesty, and all that knew him (J. C. Jeaffreson, A Young Squire of the Seventeenth Century [London, 1878], II, 143-44)

Performances

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, p. 68: The King & Queene at the Silent Woman. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. Matthew Prior, Satire Upon the Poets: @Mountfort how fit for Politicks and Law@That play'd so well Sir Courtly and Jack Daw.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Silent Woman

Performances

Mainpiece Title: London's Annual Triumph Performed On Thursday, Octob

Performance Comment: 29. 1685. For the Entertainment of the Right Honourable Sir Robert Jeffreys, Kt Lord Mayor of the City of London. With a Description of the several Pageants, Speeches, and Songs made proper for the Occasion. All set forth at the proper Costs and Charges of the Worshipful Company of Iron@Mongers. Composed by Matt. Taubman.
Event Comment: The Memoirs of Sir John Reresby, 18 Jan. 1685@6: After dinner the Lord? Chancellor, having drunke smartly at table (which was his custome) called for one Monfort, a gentleman of his that had been a comedian, an excellent mimick, and to divert the company, as he called it, made him give us a caus, that is, plead before him in a feigned action, wher he acted all the principal lawyers of the age, in their tone of voice, and action or gesture of body; and thus ridiculed not only the lawyers, but the law itselfe. This, I confess, was very diverting, but not soe prudent as I thought for soe eminent a man in soe great a station of the lawe; since nothing could get a man more enemies than to deride thos whom they ought most to sopport (ed. Browning, pp. 408-9)

Performances

Performances

Mainpiece Title: London's Yearly Jubilee : Performed On Friday October Xxix

Performance Comment: 1686. For the Entertainment of the Right Honourable Sir John Peale, Knight, Lord Mayor of the City of London. With a Description of the several Pageants, Speeches and Songs, made proper for the Occasion. All set forth at the proper Costs and Charges of the Right Worshipful the Company of Mercers. Composed by M. Taubman.
Event Comment: John Dryden to Sir George Etherege, 16 Feb. 1686@7: The Coffee-house stands certainly where it did, & angry men meet in the square sometimes, as Abercomy, & Goodman lately did, where they say Alexander the Great was wounded in the arme (The Letters of John Dryden, ed. Ward, p. 27). See 27 Oct. 1686

Performances

Event Comment: In L. C. 5@148, p. 64 (see Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 356) is a warrant for a payment of #20 to John Crowne for Sir Courtly Nice. This may represent a recent performance or be simply a gift

Performances

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but Lord Granville, writing on 5 May 1688, refers to the King's presence on the third day, and since The Squire of Alsatia may have begun its run about 2 May 1688, Crowne's play must have been produced by the end of April. Lord Granville to Sir William Leveson, 5 May 1688: The town is as empty of news as the Court; we have had a new play called The Fall of Darius (written by Crown), by which the poet, though he could get no fame, yet had a most extraordinary third day by reason the King's presence at it; the first day of its acting Mrs Bower [Barry] was taken so violently ill in the midst of her part that she was forced to be carried off, and instead of dying in jest was in danger of doing it in earnest. Mrs Cook is dead and Mrs Boute...is again come upon the stage, where she appears with great applause. We are promised this week another new play of Shadwell's called the Alsatia Bully, which is very much commended by those who have had the private perusal of it (HMC, 5th Report, Part II, pP. 197-98). Dedication, Edition of 1688: A misfortune fell upon this Play, that might very well dizzy the Judgments of the Audience. Just before the Play began, Mrs Barry was struck with a very violent Fever, that took all Spirit from her, by consequence from the Play; the Scenes She acted fell dead from her; and in the 4th Act her distemper grew so much upon her, She cou'd go on no further, but all her part in that Act was wholly cut out and neither Spoke nor Read; that the People went away without Knowning the contexture of the Play, yet thought they knew all....[My] Thanks to His Majesty for the Honor of his Presence, on the Day which was to be for my Advantage; which He was pleased to Grant me. [See L. C. 5@148, p. 195--in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 356--for a grant of #20 as a gift from the King to Crowne for this play.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Darius, King Of Persia

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Bury Fair

Performance Comment: Edition of 1689: Lord Bellamy-Betterton; Wildish-Mountfort; Oldwit-Underhill; Sir Humph. Noddy-Noakes; Trim-Bowman; Le Roch-Leigh; Valet-Bohen [Bowen?]; Charles-Mrs Butler; Lady Fantast-Mrs Cory; Mrs Fantast-Mrs Boutell; Mrs Gertrude-Mrs Mountfort; Prologue-Mr Mountfort; Epilogue-Mrs Mountfort.
Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@149, p. 368: The Queene a Box, and a Box for the Maids of Honor at the Spanish Fryer. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 352. A warrant, dated 8 June 1689, L. C. 5@149, p. 154 (see Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 356), calls for a payment of #25 to Mrs Barry and presumably represents payment for this performance. Daniel Finch, ca. June 1689: The only day Her Majesty gave herself the diversion of a play, and that on which she designed to see another, has furnished the town with discourse for a month. The choice of the play was the Spanish Fryar, the only play forbid by the late K@@. Some unhappy expressions, among which those that follow, put her in some disorder, and forc'd her to hold up her fan, and often look behind her and call for her palatine and hood, and any thing she could next think of, while those who were said. (Sir John Dalrymple, Memoirs of Great Britain [London, 1771-88], in the pit before her, whenever their fancy led them to make any application of what was Volume II, Appendix, Part II, pp. 78-80.) Henry Purcell's new setting for whilst I with grief did on you look may have been made by this date. It is in Deliciae Musicae, 1695

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Spanish Fryar

Performances

Mainpiece Title: London's Great Jubilee

Performance Comment: Restor'd and Perform'd On Tuesday, October the 29th 1689. For the Entertainment of the Right Honourable Sir ThomasPilkington Kt. Lord Mayor of the City of London. Containing a Description of the several Pageants and Speeches together with a Song for the Entertainment of Their Majesties, who with their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Denmark, the whole Court, and both Houses of Parliament, Honour His Lordship this Year with their Presence. All set forth at the Proper Cost and Charges of the Right Worshipful Company of Skinners. [By Matthew Taubman.]

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Triumphs Of London Performed On Thursday, Oct

Performance Comment: 29. 1691, for the Entertainment of the Right Honourable Sir ThomasStamp, Kt; Lord Mayor of the City of London. Containing a true Description of the several Pageants, with the Speeches spoken on each Pageant. All set forth at the proper Costs and Charges of the Worshipful Company of Drapers. [By Elkanah Settle.]
Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the Gentleman's Journal, January 1691@2, suggests that it was first given in December 1691, although the tendency of this journal to be dated one month and appear in the next month makes the interpretation of its information difficult: We have had a new Comedy this last Month, call'd The Wives Execuse; or Cuckolds make themselves: It was written by Mr Southern, who made that call'd Sir Anthony Love, which you and all the Town lik'd so well. I will send you The Wives Excuse, as soon as it comes out in Print, which will be very speedily: And tho' the Town hath not been so kind to this last, as to the former, I do not doubt but you will own that it will bear a Reading; which some that meet with a better Fate too often do not; some that must be granted to be good Judges commend the Purity of its Language (pp. 51-52). Henry Purcell composed the music for this work. One song, Corinna I excuse thy face, the words (according to the Edition of 1692) by Tho. Cheek, the music by Henry Purcell, but without the singer's name, is in The Banquet of Musick, The Sixth and Last Book, 1692 (licensed 17 Feb. 1691@2). Say, cruel Amoret, sung by Mountfort; Hang this whining way, sung by Mrs Butler; and Ingrateful lover, the words by Major General Sackville, are in Joyful Cuckoldom, ca. 1695. See also Purcell, Works, Purcell Society, XXI (1917), xxvi-xxix

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Wives' Excuse; Or, Cuckolds Make Themselves

Performance Comment: Edition of 1692: Prologue-Mr Betterton; Lovemore-Betterton; Wellvile-Kynnaston; Wilding-Williams; Courtall-Bowman; Springame-Mich. Lee; Friendall-Mountford; Ruffle-Bright; Musick Master-Harris; Mrs Friendall-Mrs Barry; Mrs Sightly-Mrs Bracegirdle; Mrs Wittwoud-Mrs Mountford; Mrs Teazall-Mrs Cory; Betty-Mrs Richardson; Epilogue-Mrs Barry.
Cast
Role: Wilding Actor: Williams
Event Comment: Lacedemonian Mercury, 11 March 1691@2: Query 2. Whether the Town's receiving and coveting Love for Money, The Marriage-Hater Match'd, when at the same time The Plain Dealer and Sir Foplin Flutter rest untouch'd and unsoughtfor, be not Evidence of a very great declension in Common Sense?

Performances

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Triumphs Of London

Performance Comment: Performed on Saturday, Octob. 29th 1692. For the Entertainment of the Right Honourable Sir John Fleet, Kt. Lord Mayor of the City of London. Containing A True Description of the several Pageants w ith the Speeches spoken on each Pageant. All set forth at the proper Costs and Charges of the Worshipful Company of Grocers. Together with An Exact Relation of the most Splendid Entertainments, prepared for the Reception of Their Sacred Majesties.
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

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Henry The Second, King Of England; With The Death Of Rosamond

Performance Comment: Edition of 1693: Prologue-; Epilogue by Mr Dryden-Mrs Bracegirdle; King Henry the Second-Betterton; Prince Henry-Mich. Lee; Sir Tho. Vaughan-Ant. Leigh; Abbot-Sandford; Verulam-Kynaston; Sussex-Hodgson; Aumerle-Bridges; Bertrard-Dogget; Queen Eleanor-Mrs Barry; Rosamond-Mrs Bracegirdle; Rosamond's Woman-Mrs Kent.
Related Works
Related Work: Henry the Second; or, The Fall of Rosamond Author(s): William Hawkins

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Triumphs Of London

Performance Comment: Performed on Monday October 30, 1693. For the Entertainment of the Right Honourable Sir William Ashurst, Knight, Lord Mayor of the City of London. Containing A True Description of the several Pageants; with the Speeches Spoken on each Pageant. All set forth at the proper Cost and Charges of the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors. Together with The Festival Songs for His Lordship and the Companies Diversion.
Event Comment: According to the testimony of Sir Thomas Skipwith, 10 Dec. 1694, the young actors played during the vacation nearly thirty days without Betterton, Williams, Bright, Kinaston, Sandford, or Mrs Betterton, and made sufficient money to keep them over the vacation. L. C. 7@3, 17 Dec. 1694, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 374

Performances

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

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Triumphs Of London

Performance Comment: Prepared for the Entertainment of Sir ThomasLane, Knight....Containing a full Description of the Pageants, Speeches, Songs, and the whole Solemnity of the Day. Performed on Monday the 29 of October, 1694. Set forth at the Proper Cost and Charges of the...Clothworkers.
Event Comment: Robert Shirley to Thomas Coke, Chartly, 21 Jan. 1695@6: I must agree with you that Wit and Sense seem this winter to have suffered an eclipse, and the dramatic writers more especially have showed how little they consulted either. I do assure you, I have not of late met with more of both than in your ingenious diverting letter to me, so that I am satisfied Wit is not retired out of town, but has only forsaken the stage. We that live in these northern parts are forced to range over fields and woods to find subjects of diversion, for in the frozen season of the year, there is nothing that is more so in the country than conversation. In my last ramble, either my own innate fancy, or the aversion I had to see such plays wrote in English as would hardly bear the reading, made me imagine I met with one of the Muses that had left the town, and by her discourse seemed to be Patroness of Dramatic Poetry. You know, Sir, to meet with a Nymph in the desert was no rarity in some countries heretofore, but yet I vow and swear between us, I asked her the occasion of her leaving the town, to which she made this sudden answer: @Neglected Wit is silent at a time@When puns, or bombast, stuff each doggrill rhyme.@In comic strain when they'd describe a fool,@The author proves the only ridicule.@In tragic verse while others fain would boast,@Landing some thousand Romans on the coast,@In what they would express themselves are lost,@Make Romans cowards, and make English great,@And make Bonduca valiant, to be beat.@Would Congreve or would Blackmoor now engage,@They might with manly thoughts reform the stage:@ ... As for Mr Southern's play, I have not yet seen it, so that I cannot at present give you my thoughts on it (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Part II, Cowper MSS., II, 359-60)

Performances

Event Comment: According to Sir Edward Smith's bill--see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 308-the regular company at Drury Lane resumed acting (after the summer vacation) on 11 Oct. 1696 and acted 200 times to 7 July 1697, after which the young actors played 58 days to 7 Oct. 1697

Performances

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

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Cinthia And Endimion; Or, The Loves Of The Deities