Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the King's house, and there saw The Humerous Lieutenant: a silly play, I think; only the Spirit in it that grows very tall, and then sinks again to nothing, having two heads breeding upon one, and tihen Knipp's singing, did please us. Here, in a box above, we spied Mrs Pierce; and, going out, they called us, and so we staid for them; and Knipp took us all in, and brought to us Nelly, a most pretty woman, who acted the great part of Coelia to-day very fine, and did it pretty well: I kissed her, and so did my wife; and a mighty pretty soul she is. We also saw Mrs Hall, which is my little Roman-nose black girl, that is mighty Pretty: she is usually called Betty

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: With my wife by coach to the Duke of York's play-house, expecting a new play, and so stayed not no more than other people, but to the King's house, to The Mayd's Tragedy; but vexed all the while with two talking ladies and Sir Charles Sedley; yet pleased to hear their discourse, he being a stranger. And one of the ladies would, and did sit with her mask on, all the play, and, being exceeding witty as ever I heard woman, did talk most pleasantly with him; but was, I believe, a virtuous woman, and of quality. He would fain know who she was, but she would not tell.... By that means lost the pleasure of the play wholly, to which now and then Sir Charles Sedley's exceptions against both words and pronouncing were very pretty

Event Comment: This performance is on the two L. C. lists, 5@139, p. 129, and 5@12, p. 17. The second list states that the King attended the play. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 343. The play may have continued its run on 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, and 13 March, as it was certainly given on 14 March

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: My wife and I and Sir W. Pen to the King's playhouse, and there saw The Mayden Queene, which, though I have often seen, yet pleases me infinitely, it being impossible, I think, ever to have the Queen's part, which is very good and passionate, and Florimel's part, which is the most comicall that ever was made for woman, ever done better than they two are by young Marshall and Nelly

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: All alone to the King's playhouse, and there did happen to sit just before Mrs Pierce, Mrs Knepp, who pulled me by the hair; and so I addressed myself to them, and talked to them all the intervals of the play, and did give them fruit. The play is Brenoralt, which I do find but little in, for my part. Here was many fine ladies--among others, the German Baron, with his lady, who is envoye from the Emperour, and their fine daughter, which hath travelled all Europe over with them, it seems; and is accordingly accomplished, and indeed, is a wonderful pretty woman. Here Sir Philip Frowde, who sat next to me, did tell me how Sir H. Belasses is dead, and that the quarrel between him and Tom Porter, who is fled, did arise in the ridiculous fashion that I was first told it, which is a strange thing between two so good friends. The play being done, I took the women, and Mrs Corbett, who was with them, by coach, it raining, to Mrs Manuel's, the Jew's wife, formerly a player, who we heard sing with one of the Italians that was there; and, indeed, she sings mightily well, and just after the Italian manner, but yet do not please me like one of Mrs Knepp's songs, to a good English tune, the manner their ayre not pleasing me so well as the fashion of our own, nor so natural

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's house, all alone, and there saw Sir Martin Marr-all again, though I saw him but two days since, and do find it the most comical play that ever I saw in my life

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: And went twice round Bartholomew fayre; which I was glad to see again, after two years missing it by the plague

Event Comment: For performances in Sept. 1667 preceding this date, see the season of Pepys, Diary: I fell in talk with Tom Killigrew about musick, and he tells me that he will bring me to the best musick in England (of which, indeed, he is master), and that is two Italians and Mrs Yates, who, he says, is come to sing the Italian manner as well as ever as he heard any: says that Knepp won't take pains enough, but that she understands her part so well upon the stage, that no man or woman in the House do the like!

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the King's playhouse, my eyes being so bad since last night's straining of them, that I am hardly able to see, besides the pain which I have in them. The play was a new play; and infinitely full: the King and all the Court almost there. It is The Storme, a play of Fletcher's; which is but so-so, methinks; only there is a most admirable dance at the end, of the ladies, in a military manner, which indeed did please me mightily....And there comes my wife home from the Duke of York's playhouse. Two songs, printed somewhat later in Choice Songs and Ayres, The First Book, 1673, may have been prepared for this revival: Hark the storm grows, set by Robert Smith; and Cheer up my mates, set by Pelham Humphrey

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: Mrs Pierce tells me the two Marshalls at the King's house are Stephen Marshall's, the great Presbyterian's daughters [an erroneous rumor]; and that Nelly Gwin? and Beck Marshall, falling out the other day, the latter called the other my Lord Buckhurst's whore, Nell answered them, "I was but one man's whore, though I was brought up in a bawdy-house to fill strong waters to the guests; and you are a whore to three or four, though a Presbyter's praying daughter!" which was very pretty

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. In view of two certain performances in the next week, it seems likely that The Tempest was acted continuously through 14 Nov

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: [After looking in at the Nursery] and therefore to the other two playhouses into the pit, to gaze up and down, to look for them, and there did by this means, for nothing, see an act in The Schoole of Compliments at the Duke's house

Event Comment: The Journal of Sir Richard Bulstrode (p. 19): This evening is repeated in the great Hall by foure persons of quality the Indian Emper, but the Company is made very private, soe as few attempt to gett in. Jean Chappuzeau, Le Theatre Francois (Paris, 1675), p. 55, states that in 1668 he saw a revival of The Indian Emperor in London. Pepys, Diary: 14 Jan.: They fell to discourse of last night's work at court, where the ladies and Duke of Monmouth and others acted The IndianEmperour; wherein they told me these things most remarkable: that not any woman but the Duchesse of Monmouth and Mrs Cornwallis did any thing but like fools and stocks, but that these two did do most extraordinary well: that not any man did any thing well but Captain O'Bryan, who spoke and did well, but, above all things, did dance most incomparably. That she did sit near the players of the Duke's house; among the rest, Mis Davis, who is the most impertinent slut, she says, in the world; and the more, now the King do show her countenance; and is reckoned his mistress, even to the scorne of the whole world; the King gazing on her, and my Lady Castlemayne being melancholy and out of humour, all the play, not smiling once. The King, it seems, hath given her a ring of #700, which she shews to every body, and owns that the King did give it her; and he hath furnished a house for her in Suffolke Street most richly, which is a most infinite shame. It seems she is bastard of Colonell Howard, my Lord Berkshire, and that he do pimp to her for the King, and hath got her for him; but Pierce says that she is a most homely jade as ever she saw, though she dances beyond any thing in the world

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Downes (p. 29): It took well, but Inferior to Love in a Tub. Pepys, Diary: I to the Duke of York's playhouse; where a new play of Etherige's called She Would if she Could; and though I was there by two o'clock, there was 1000 people put back that could not have room in the pit: and I at last, because my wife was there, made shift to get into the 18d. box, and there saw; but, Lord! how full was the house, and how silly the play, there being nothing in the world good in it, and few people pleased in it. The King was there; but I sat mightily behind, and could see but little, and hear not all. The play being done...here was the Duke of Buckingham to-day openly sat in the pit; and there I found him with my Lord Buckhurst, and Sidly, and Etherige, the poet; the last of whom I did hear mightily find fault with the actors, that they were out of humour, and had not their parts perfect, and that Harris did do nothing, nor could so much as sing a ketch in it; and so was mightily concerned: while all the rest did, through the whole pit, blame the play as a silly, dull thing, though there was something very roguish and witty; but the design of the play, and end, mighty insipid. Thomas Shadwell, Preface to The Humorists (1671): The last (viz.) imperfect Action, had like to have destroy'd She Would if she could, which I think (and I have the Authority of some of the best Judges in England for't) is the best Comedy that has been written since the Restauration of the Stage: And even that, for the imperfect representation of it at first, received such prejudice, that, had it not ben for the favour of the Court, in all probability it had never got up again; and it suffers for it, in a great measure, to this very day

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: [Mercer] and I to the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw The Tempest, and between two acts, I went out to Mr Harris, and got him to repeat to me the words of the Echo, while I writ them down, having tried in the play to have wrote them; but, when I had done it, having done it, withour looking upon my paper, I find I could not read the blacklead. But now I have got the words clear, and, in going in thither, had the pleasure to see the actors in their several dresses, especially the seamen and monster, which were very droll. So into the play again. But there happened one thing which vexed me, which is, that the orange-woman did come in the pit, and challenge me for twelve oranges, which she delivered by my order at a late play, at night, to give to some ladies in a box, which was wholly untrue, but yet she swore it to be true. But, however, I did deny it, and did not pay her; but, for quiet, did buy 4s. worth of oranges of her, at 6d. a-piece. Here I first saw my Lord Ormond since his coming from Ireland, which is now about eight days

Event Comment: [The King's Company. Settings by Alphonso Marsh the Elder of two of the songs are in Choice Songs and Ayres, 1673. This performance, which may have been the first one, is one the L. C. list 5@139, p. 129: An Evening Love his Mate and the Queene at the Theatre. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 344

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: [Creed] and I to the King's playhouse, and saw an act or two of the new play again, but like it not. Calling this day at Herringman's, he tells me Dryden do himself call it but a fifth-rate play

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: I with my wife and two girls to the King's house, and saw The Mad Couple, a mean play altogether

Event Comment: The King's Company. This play is on L. C. list, 5@12, p. 17: ye king here. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 344. The play was apparently designed for the opening of the Bridges St playhouse in November 1666 but was not then acted. The edition of 1667 gives a intended cast. Bonhomme-Cartwright; Valerio-$C. Hart; Ergasto-$W. Winterson [$Wintershall]; Don Buisson-Burt; La Fleur-$E. Keninston [$Kynaston]; Sganarelle-J. Lacy; Mascarillio-$M. Moon [$Mohun]; Jodelet-R. Shatterel; Housekeepers-$Alexander, $Wilbraham; Mary and Anne-$The Two Marshalls; Isabella-$Mrs Rutter; Lysette-$Nel Guin; Prologue Intended for the Overture of the Theatre, 1666; Epilogue. [In this list the names Alexander and Wilbraham are not otherwise known and may represent errors in the printed list.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: Carried The. and my wife to the Duke of York's house, to Macbeth,...and I to the Duke of York's house and saw the last two acts.... This day The. Turner shewed me at the play my Lady Portman, who has grown out of my knowledge

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: To the King's playhouse, thinking to have seen The Heyress, first acted on Saturday [Friday (?)] last; but when we come thither, we find no play there; Kinaston, that did act a part therein, in abuse to Sir Charles Sedley, being last night exceedingly beaten with sticks, by two or three that assaulted him, so as he is mightily bruised, and forced to keep his bed

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the King's playhouse...and there saw The Faithfull Shepherdesse. But, Lord! what an empty house, there not being, as I could tell the people, so many as to make up above #10 in the whole house! The being of a new play at the other house, I suppose, being the cause, though it be so silly a play that I wonder how there should be enough people to go thither two days together, and not leave more to fill this house. The emptiness of the house took away our pleasure a great deal, though I liked it the better; for that I plainly discern the musick is the better, by how much the house the emptier

Event Comment: See 27 Feb. and 4 March. Pepys, Diary: [Sir W. Coventry] told me the matter of the play [The Rehearsal] that was intended for his abuse, wherein they foolishly and sillily bring in two tables like that which he hath made, with a round hole in the middle, in his closet, to turn himself in; and he is to be in one of them as master, and Sir J. Duncomb in the other, as his man or imitator: and their discourse in those tables, about the disposing of their books and papers, very foolish. But that, that he is offended with, is his being made so contemptible, so that any should dare to make a gentleman a subject for the mirth of the world; and that therefore he had told Tom Killigrew that he should tell his actors, whoever they were, that did offer any thing like representing him, that he would not complain to my Lord Chamberlain, which was too weak, nor get him beaten, as Sir Charles Sidly is said to do, but that he would cause his nose to be cut

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance, apparently the premiere, is on the L. C. list at Harvard. See VanLennep, "Plays on the English Stage", p. 14. Downes (p. 28): After this my Lord Orrery, Writ Two Comedies: The first call'd Guzman...took very well

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: Hearing that The Alchymist was acted, we did go, and took [Pierce] with us to the King's house; and it is still a good play, having not been acted for two or three years before; but I do miss Clun, for the Doctor. But more my eyes will not let me enjoy the pleasure I used to have in a play