Event Comment: Boswell (
Restoration Court Stage, pp. 180-81) believes that a performance occurred on this day, as well as on 16 Feb. 1674@5,
Shrove Tuesday,
the date often specified in advance statements. For p
revious notices, see 2 Feb. 1674@5, 15 and 22 Dec. 1674. Edition of 1675:....followed at innumerable Rehearsals, and all
the Representations by throngs of Persons of
the greatest Quality...at
the 20th or 30th, for near so often it had been Rehearsed and Acted....And
the Composer of all
the Musick both Vocal and Instrumental
Mr Staggins.
Langbaine. (
English Dramatick Poets, p. 92): a Masque
at court, frequently presented
there by Persons of great Quality, with
the Prologue, and
the Songs between
the Acts: printed in quarto Lond. 1675....This Masque was writ at
the Command of
her present Majesty: and was rehearsed near Thirty times, all
the Representations being follow'd by throngs of Persons of
the greatest Quality, and very often grac'd with
their Majesties and
Royal Highnesses Presence.
John Evelyn (
The Life of Mrs Godolphin): [
Mrs Blagge] had on her that day near twenty thousand pounds value of Jewells, which were more sett off with her native beauty and luster
then any
they contributed of
their own to hers; in a word, she seemed to me a Saint in Glory, abstracting her from
the Stage. For I must tell you, that amidst all this pomp and serious impertinence, whilst
the rest were acting, and that her part was sometymes to goe off, as
the scenes required, into
the tireing roome, where severall Ladyes her companions were railing with
the Gallants trifleingly enough till
they were called to reenter, she, under pretence of conning her next part, was retired into a Corner, reading a booke of devotion, without att all concerning herself or mingling with
the young Company; as if she had no far
ther part to act, who was
the principall person of
the Comedy...[With] what a surprizeing and admirable aire she trode
the Stage, and performed her Part, because she could doe nothing of this sort, or any thing else she undertooke, indifferently....Thus ended
the Play, butt soe did not her affliction, for a disaster happened which extreamly concern'd her, and that was
the loss of a Diamond of considerable vallue, which had been lent her by
the Countess of Suffolke;
the Stage was immediately swept, and dilligent search made to find it, butt without success, soe as probably it had been taken from her, as she was oft inviron'd with that infinite crowd which tis impossible to avoid upon such occasion. Butt
the lost was soon repair'd, for
his Royall Highness understanding
the trouble she was in, generousely sent her
the wherewithall to make my
Lady Suffolke a present of soe good a Jewell. For
the rest of that days triumph I have a particular account still by me of
the rich Apparell she had on her, amounting, besides
the Pearles and Pretious Stones, to above three hundred pounds (ed.
Samuel Lord Bishop of Oxford [
London, 1847], pp. 97-100). See also 15 Dec. 1674