Event Comment: Benefit for Dickinson, 1st gallery office-keeper. Afterpiece [F 2, by Edward Thompson, 1st acted at Richmond, 1 Aug. 1776; not published; Prologue probably by the author]: Never performed there. Public Advertiser, 17 May: Tickets to be had of Dickinson, No. 5, Wild-court, Wild-street, near Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #276 17s. (21.14; 7.10; 0.0; tickets: 247.13) (charge: #84)

Event Comment: Benefit for Waldron. Public Advertiser, 9 May: Tickets to be had of Waldron, No. 19, Martlet-court, Bow-street, Covent Garden. Mainpiece [1st time in London; C 5, by Francis Godolphin Waldron, 1st acted at Richmond, Aug. 1782, as The Belle's Stratagem; or, The Female Fortune-Hunters, and again at the HAY in 1794 as Heigho for a Husband! Prologue by the author (MacMillan, Larpent Catalogue, 100). Author of Epilogue unknown. MS: Larpent 599; not published]. Afterpiece: Not acted these 8 years. The Indisposition which prevented King from performing last Friday continuing, Palmer has very kindly undertaken and studied the Character King intended to have appeared in this Evening. Receipts: #126 15s. 6d. (34/5/0; 21/18/6; 2/15/0; tickets: 67/17/0) (charge: #106 9s. 8d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for King. [Mrs Siddons's 1st appearance as Gertrude was at Liverpool, 23 July 1777; Mrs Jordan's as Ophelia at Richmond, 19 Aug. 1795.] Morning Herald, 28 Apr.: Tackets to be had of King, No. 56, Store-street, Bedford-square; 30 Apr.: The dresses [in Hamlet] were all modern. Receipts: #498 17s. 6d. (284.11.6; 55.9.0; 2.5.0; tickets: 156.12.0) (charge: #232 7s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Richardson and Mrs Davenport. 1st piece: Not acted these 20 years [acted 9 Oct. 1778], and compressed into one Act. [Miss Hay, whose 1st appearance on the stage was at Richmond, 15 Sept. 1792, is identified in Thespian Dictionary, 1805, under Mrs Litchfield.] Receipts: #234 5s. (69.1.6; 2.6.6; tickets: 162.17, of which Richardson sold 84.0, and Mrs Davenport 78.17)

Event Comment: [Mrs Higginson, who is identified in European Magazine, Nov. 1799, p. 328, had, as Mrs Cussans, acted previously at Richmond and elsewhere.] 2nd piece: In one act [and in place of The Flitch of Bacon, advertised on playbill of 9 Nov.]. 3rd piece: Representation of the Battle, as 9 Nov. Receipts: #293 17s. 6d. (286.17.6; 7.0.0)

Event Comment: In Thomas Jordan's Royal Arbour of Loyal Poesie (p. 12) is a piece entitled: A Prologue to the King, August 16, 1660

Event Comment: See Herbert, Dramatic Records, p. 117. The King's Company. The Prologue is in Thomas Jordan's A Royal Arbour of Loyal Poesie (1664). Andrew Newport to Sir Richard Leveson, 15 Dec.: Upon our stages we have women-actors, as beyond seas (HMC, 5th Report, Part I, 1876, p. 158). For a discussion of actresses who may have played Desdemona on this day, see Wilson, All the King's Ladies, pp. 6-8. Possibly Clun acted Iago. See An Elegy Upon the Most Execrable Murther of Mr Clun, 1664

Event Comment: The Countess of Derby to the Duchess de la Tremoille, 25 Feb. 1660@1: Plays are often acted at court, and the King and their Royal Highnesses have been present at two this evening, at the Duchess of Buckingham's (Madame Guizot de Witt, The Lady of Latham [London, 1869], p. 268)

Event Comment: The Prologue, with the date of performance given as 28 May 1661, is in Thomas Jordan's A Royal Arbour of Loyal Poesie, 1664. See also Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, p. 326. This is possibly George Jolly's company. See also 23 March 1660@1

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Opera, where there was a new play (Cutter of Coleman Street), made in the year 1658, with reflections much upon the late times; and it being the first time, the pay was doubled, and so to save money, my wife and I went up into the gallery, and there sat and saw very well; and a very good play it is. It seems of Cowly's making. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 25): This Comedy being Acted so perfectly Well and Exact, it was perform'd a whole Week with a full Audience. John Dennis, Dedication to The Comical Gallant, 1702: The only Play that ever Mr Cowley writ, was barbarously treated the first night, as the late Mr Dryden has more than once informed me, who has told me that he went to see it with the famous Mr Sprat, now Bishop of Rochester, and that after the Play was done, they both made a visit to Mr Cowley. Langbaine (English Dramatick Poets, p. 81): This Play met with some Opposition, at its Representation under this new Name, from some who envyed the Authors unshaken Loyalty to the Prince, and the Royal Cause, in the worst of Times. BM Add. Mss. 34217, fol. 31b, in Hotson (Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 247): @The Cutter of Coleman street had more fame@Before the Author chang'd its name@And shewd himselfe an Englishman right@By mending of things to spoyle them quite@And bee's more to blame because he can tell@(No better) to make new strings soe well.

Event Comment: [The edition of 1662 suggests that this was a ballet, the text offering description or synopses of the entries. Edition of 1662: Being part of that Magnificent Entertainment by the Noble Prince, DelaGrange, Lord Lieutenant of Lincolns Inn. Presented to the High and Mighty Charles II, Monarch of Great Britain, France and Ireland. On Friday 3 of January 1662. Evelyn, Diary: After Prayers I went to Lond: invited to the solemn foolerie of the Prince de la Grange at Lincolne Inn: where came also the King, Duke, &c.: beginning with a grand Masquev and a formal Pleading before the mock-princes (Grandes), Nobles & Knights of the Sunn: He had his L. Chancelor, Chamberlaine, Treasurer, & other royal officers gloriously clad & attended, which ended in a magnificent Banquet: one Mr John? Lort, being the young spark, who maintained the Pageantrie. Pepys, Diary: While I was there, comes by the King's life-guard, he being gone to Lincoln's Inn this afternoon to see the Revells there; there being, according to an old custom, a prince and all his nobles and other matters of sport and charge. John Ward (notebooks, 6 Jan.): I saw a Leopard and the same day as strange a sight which was the mock prince of Lincolnes' Inne his Nobels his Knights of the Garter and his other officers (Shakespeare Quarterly, XI [1960], 494)

Event Comment: Pepys' remarks suggest that Shadwell's The Royal Shepherdess may once have been intended to have its premiere on this day. Pepys, Diary: By a hackneycoach followed my wife and the girls, who are gone by eleven o'clock, thinking to have seen a new play at the Duke of York's house. But I do find them staying at my tailor's, the play not being to-day.... Thence to the Duke of York's playhouse, and there, finding the play begun, we homeward

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. If The Royal Shepherdess was acted six days consecutively, the interruption of its run for this day is due to the tradition of the company's not regularly acting on Wednesday and Fridays in Lent. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw an old play, the first time acted these forty years, called The Lady's Tryall, acted only by the young people of the house; but the house very full. But it is but a sorry play, and the worse by how much my head is out of humour by being a little sleepy and my legs weary since last night

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the play was entered in the Term Catalogues, June 1670, and the Prologue refers to the arrival of French royalty at Dover (May 1670); hence, it is likely that the play was first produced in the late spring. Edition of 1670: Written in French by Moliere; and rendered into English with much Addition and Advantage By Mr Medbourne, Servant to His Royal Highness

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347. The Bulstrode Papers, (I, 254), 27 Dec. 1672: This evening their Matyes and the whole Court are to be diverted with a comedy in the Theater in Whitehall by his Royal Highness's servants called Epsome Wells, at which will be present all the principal persons of quality

Event Comment: It is possible that The Tempest had been acted regularly to this date and that it continued to be presented frequently in the following week. In L. C. 5@15, p. 3 (Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 356) there is an order directing Turner and Hart (and any other members of the His Majesty's Chapel Royal) who sing in The Tempest to remain in London during the week, going to Windsor (when the King was absent from Whitehall) on Saturdays and returning on Mondays

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 previous 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 farther 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

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Nell Gwyn attended this performance. See VanLennep, Nell Gwyn's Playgoing, p.408. It is not certain that this was the premiere, but, as the play was licensed for publication on 20 Nov. 1676, the first performance may well have been on this day. A song, Away with the causes of riches and cares, with music by Matthew Lock, is in Catch that Catch Can, No. 64, 1685. Another, Beneath a shady willow, with music by William Turner, is in A New Collection of Songs and Poems...by Thomas D'Urfey, 1683. Edition of 1677: That its only good Fortune was, in being the Subject of the Courts Diversion, where their Noble Clemency and Good Nature were extremely requisite, in covering its defects from the too Censorious; His Majesty, according to His accustomed Royal and Excellent Temper, was pleas'd to descend so far, as to give it a particular Applause, which was seconded by your Grace [The Duke of Ormond]

Event Comment: CSPD, Charles II, 1679-1680, p. 415: Their Royal Highnesses went to see a Play

Event Comment: True Protestant Mercury, 25 Feb.--1 March 1681@2: Yesterday the Morocco Embassador diverted himself at a Comedy, at the Royal Theater

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The players received the customary #20. See A Calendar of the Inner Temple Records, III, 183. Loyal Protestant and True Domestick Union. 4 Nov. 1682: London November 2. Yesterday began the Revels at the Temple; where all the Judges belonging thereunto were nobly entertained by a Splendid Banquet, and afterwards by an excellent new Comedy, acted by His Royal Highness's Servants in the Inner-Temple-Hall, called, Rule a Wife and have a Wife, to the great satisfaction of all the Spectators

Event Comment: A Second Musical Entertainment Perform'd on St. Cecilia's day, November XXII. 1684. The Words by the late ingenious Mr John Oldham, Author of the Satyrs Against the Jesuits. Set to Music in two, three, four, and five Parts, by Dr John Blow, Master of the Children, and Organist of His Majesty's Chappel-Royal. [This work was published in 1685.

Event Comment: Peregrine Bertie to the Countess of Rutland, 11 Feb. 1685@6: To-day was the French opera. The King and Queen were there, the musicke was indeed very fine, but all the dresses the most wretched I ever saw; 'twas acted by none but French. A Saturday the Court goes to another play, to take their leaves of those vanitys till after Lent (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Rutland MSS., Part V, Vol. II, p. 104). [This performance is on the L. C. list 5@147, p. 125: The King & Queene & a Box for ye Maydes of honor at ye French Opera [the charge for the royal box was increased from #20 to #25 on this occasion]. W. J. Lawrence conjectured that this French opera was Cadmus et Hermione and that Jacques Rousseau, a scene painter of Paris, provided the decor. See W. J. Lawrence, The French opera in London; A Riddle of 1686, TLS, 28 March 1936, p. 268