Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not known. As Evelyn saw it on 27 April, it seems likely that it was first performed before Easter (April 10). It was not licensed for printing until 8 July 1664. Preface to edition of 1664: I Cou'd not have wish'd my self more fortunate than I have been in the success of this Poem:...The Acting of it has lost me no Reputation. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 25: @Sir Nich'las, Sir Fred'rick, Widow and Dufoy, Were not by any so well done, Mafoy.@ The clean and well performance of this Comedy, got the Company more Reputation and profit than any preceding Comedy; the Company taking in a months time at it #1000

Event Comment: By Command of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales [who were present]. Mainpiece: Written by Beaumont and Fletcher. Afterpiece: Written by the Author of the Toy Shop. [For a letter on the disputes between the footmen and the gentlemen, see Grub St. Journal, 17 March.] [There is in the Bennett Collection, I, 93, in the Birmingham Library, an exceptionally curious advance notice for a performance to be given at Drury Lane soon after Easter of The Conscious Lovers and The Devil to Pay, with no cast for either play in the bill. The announcement appears to refer to the spring of 1737 and presumably appeared around the middle of March. It is intended for the benefit of a Widow under Misfortunes and the bill bears the heading: Gift and Pleasure. According to the announcement, the widow has been left Italian pictures, antiqees, jewels, and precious stones; and she intends, for the encouragement of her benefactors, to make a gift of all the objects, which will be placed in three hundred parcels. Tickets for the performance are advertised at five shillings, and no one is to be admitted without a ticket. The pit and boxes are to be put together at two tickets for each person, and the first and second galleries are placed together at one ticket for each spectator. The tickets are not to be left with the door-keepers as usual, but only shewn and kept. On the day following the benefit a raffle will be held, by Mr Foubert's Patent Mathematical Machine, at Hickford's Great Room in Brewers Street, Golden Square, and only holders of tickets will be admitted to the raffle, After this entry was set, an advertisement was found in the Daily Advertiser, 18 April 1738, announcing this performance for 13 May 1738. The Daily Advertiser on 5 May 1738, however, announced that the proposed performance had been cancelled.

Event Comment: [Extra night] By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit the Widow of a Baronet [Sir Richard Perrott] and a large Infant Family. [Address by John Taylor (True Briton, 21 Sept.).] Tickets to be had of the Widow, No. 28, Spring-street, Portman-square [and see 28 Jan. 1799]

Event Comment: Benefit Dr Clancy. "The Day returns, but not to me returns," Milton. This Gentleman being deprived of the Advantages of following his profession; and as the writing he had produced for the stage could not be brought out this season, the Master of the Playhouse has been so kind as to favour him with a Benefit Night: It is therefore hoped, that as this will be the first instance of any person laboring under so heavy a deprivation, performing on the stage, the Novelty, as well as the Unhappyness of his case, will engage the favour and protection of a British Audience. Note: Tickets to be had at the Temple-Exchange Coffee House in Fleet Street; Tom's Coffee House in Cornhill; St. James Coffee House, St. James's Street; Child's Coffee House, St. Paul's Churchyard and the Chapter Coffee House in Paternoster Row. Places for Boxes to be Taken at the Stage Door of the Theatre. [General Advertiser, 4 April, publish'd a fifty-six Prologue (licensed) Intended for Oedipus, acted for the Benefit of the Very Ingenious Dr Clancy, written by Mr Lockman.

Event Comment: By Desire. Afterpiece: Set to Musick by Mr Arne

Event Comment: [Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Wathen and Miss Arne will be admitted.] Receipts: #326 19s. 6d. (128.17.6; 55.0.6; 2.13.6; tickets: 139.17.0, of which Wathen sold 84.6.0, and Miss Arne 55.11.0; odd money: 0.11.0)

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: And my wife, and by coach to the King's playhouse, and meeting Creed took him up, and there saw The Scornfull Lady well acted; Doll Common [Mrs Corey] doing Abigail most excellently, and Knipp the widow very well, and will be an excellent actor, I think. In other parts the play not so well done as used to be, by the old actors. Anon to White Hall by coach, thinking to have seen a play there to-night, but found it a mistake, so back again

Event Comment: Benefit Rowland and the Widow White. Receipts: money #8 7s. 6d.; tickets #111 3s

Event Comment: At Bridges, Cross, Burton and Vaughan's Great Theatrical Booth in the George Inn Yard, will be presented an Historical Drama never acted before call'd The Northern Heroes; or, The Bloody Contest between Charles XII, King of Sweden, and Peter the Great, Czar of Muscovy, with the Loves of Count Gillensternia, a Swedish General and the Fair Elimira, a Russian Princess, Containing the most remarkable Events of that Time; and concluding with the Memorable Battle of Pultowav, and Charles's Retreat into the Turkish Dominionv. Interspers'd with a Comic Interlude (never perform'd before) called The Volunteers; or, the Adventures of Roderick Random and his Friend Strap. Also the Comical Humours and Amours of Corporal Garbage and Serjeant Slim, with Mrs Vanspriggen the Swedish Sutler's Widow; the merry Pranks of her foolish son Janny, and several other diverting incidents. Boxes 2s. 6d. Pit 1s. 6d. First Gallery 1s. Upper Gallery 6d. To begin each Day at Twelve o'clock. [This notice repeated during "the short Time of the Fair." Notice repeated 24, 26, 27 Aug.

Event Comment: At Bridges, Cross, Burton, and Vaughan's Great Theatrical Booth on the Bowling Green, Southwark, (with a company from the theatres) during the short time of the Fair will be presented an Historical Drama (lately acted in Bartholemew Fair with universal applause) the Northern Heroes with the Loves of Count Gillensternia, a Swedish General, and the fair Ellimira a Russian Princess, containing the most remarkable events of that time; and concluding with the memorable battle of Putlowav, and Charles's retreat into the Turkish dominionsv. Interspersed with a comic interlude, The Volunteers. Also the comical humours and amours of Corporal Garbage and Serjeant Slim, with Mrs Vanspriggen the Swedish Sutler's widow, the merry pranks of her foolish son Janny, and several other diverting incidents. As the Fair will be of so short continuance, we shall begin very early each day (General Advertiser). [See 24 Aug. 1748, bf]

Event Comment: Benefit for a Widow Gentlewoman and her Children, who have suffered the loss by Two Ships, to the amount of #2000. Urged at the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Tickets to be had at Mr Harper's at the Corner of Avemary Lane; Mount's Coffee-House, Grosvenor St.; Smyrna Coffee-House, Pall Mall; Sam's Coffee-House in Change Alley, Cornhill; and of Sarjant at the Stage Door, where Places for the Boxes may be taken

Event Comment: Benefit for Weller, Chapman, Mrs Burden, Miss Sledge. Tickets deliver'd by Redman, Dibdin, Miss Helm, Mrs Viviez, Miss Dawes, and Widow Dupre will be taken. [Ticket distribution from Account Book:] @Names Box Pit Gallery Value 1!2 Value@Weller 19 59 80 #21 12s. #10 16s.@Redman 2 41 44 #11 1s. #5 10s. 6d.@Chapman 51 177 87 #48 #24@Dibdin 5 24 40 #8 17s. #4 8s. 6d.@Mrs Burden 20 30 56 #15 2s. #7 11s.@Miss Sledge 6 56 72 #17 2s. #8 11s.@Miss Helm 4 27 25 #7 11s. #3 15s. 6d.@Mrs Viviez 8 53 144 #24 7s. #12 3s. 6d.@Miss Dawes 14 30 56 #13 12s. #6 16s.@Mrs Dupre 5 44 42 #12 1s. #6 6d.@Total 134 541 646 #179 5s. #89 12s. 6d.@ Receipts: #22 15s. 6d. plus half value of tickets #89 12s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. [Kemble Mem.: Miss Farren refused to act this night because she didn't like her Dress. Mrs Goodall play[ed] the Widow Bellmour for her.] Receipts: #118 18s. (73.17.0; 40.3.0; 3.5.6; tickets not come in: 1.12.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Author of the Farce [Dr Hiffernan]. Farce never perform'd in this version before [see Maiden Whim at dl, 24 April 1756]. Farce publish'd at 1s

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Dramatic Proverb with Songs [1st time; mf 2, by Charles Dibdin, based on the unpublished L'Aveugle Pretendu, by Louis Francois Archambault, dit Dorvigny. MS: Larpent 594; not published; synopsis of plot in European Magazine, July 1782, p. 67]. The Music by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 1, by John O'Keeffe and George Colman, the elder. Synopsis of action in Public Advertiser, 20 Aug.]: The Music by Dr Arnold. The Scenes by Rooker. Books of the Songs [T. Cadell] to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Lillo, Author of George Barnwell. [Prologue, which is by George Colman, the elder, is the Prologue introductory to the play, not the Prologue spoken on 31 May, &c] Afterpiece: The Music by Dr Arnold. The Scenes by Rooker. Books of the Tragedy and of the Songs in the Pantomime to be had in the Theatre

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Several of the Airs and the Overture composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin precisely at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Places for the Boxes to be had of Rice at the Theatre. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of A BOLD STROKE FOR A WIFE, advertised on playbill of 23 Dec.] Afterpiece [1st time; P 1, author unknown. MS: Larpent 1001; not published]: Partly new and partly compiled. The Music by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs [T. Cadell, 1793) to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: [Murray's 1st appearance as Dr Caius was at Bristol, 11 June 1787. In adterpiece the playbill retains Incledon, but "Last night at Covent Garden an apology [was] made for the indisposition of Incledon, and a request that Bowden might sing the Hunting Song in his stead" (Morning Herald, 29 Dec.).] Receipts: #216 15s. 6d. (208.17.6; 7.18.0)

Event Comment: Benefit Miss Arne,

Event Comment: A New English Opera after the Italian Manner. [Text by Henry Carey. Set to Musick by John Christopher Smith.] Pit and Boxes put together at 5s. First Gallery 3s. Upper Gallery 2s. 6 p.m. Receipts: For Mr Arne

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. The Musick for the Afterpiece compos'd by Mr Arne. With a New Overture founded on some favourite Irish tunes. Nothing Under Full Prices will be taken during the Performance.--General Advertiser. [See Poem by S. G. To Mrs Sybilla, on her Acting the Goddess of Dullness and persuading her to attempt Melantha in Dryden's Marriage Alamode in Gentlemen's Magazine, Feb. 1745, p. 98. Authorship of afterpiece unknown; possible a revision of Theobald's The Happy Captive. See 16 April 1741 hay.