Event Comment: Among the Instrumental Performers are C. Ashley, Patria, Sarjant, Mahon, Boyce, Mountain, Lavenu, Simpson, Gwilliam, Purney, Munro, Leander, Kaye, Sharp, Wood, &c. &c. Double Drums, Bass Trumpets, &c. The whole under the Direction of Ashley. Boxes 6s. Pit 3s. 6d. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. No Money to be returned. Places to be had of Brandon at the Box-Office in Hart-Street. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same throughout oratorio season]. Books of the Performance, 6d. each, may be had at the Theatre. The Director's Books have these words at the bottom of each Title Page: "Printed by H. Macleish, Recorder Office, Duke's-court, Drury-lane.

Event Comment: John Dryden to Lord Latimer, July 1677: But the Kings Comedy [probably Mr Limberham] lyes in the Sudds till you please to send me into Northamptonshyre: it will be almost such another piece of business as the fond Husband, for such the King will have it, who is parcell poet with me in the plott; one of the designes being a story he was pleas'd formerly to tell me; and therefore I hope he will keep the jeast in countenance by laughing at it...I have a farther honour to beg, that my Tragedy [All for Love], which will be acted at Michaelmasse, & is already written, may have the honour to be addressed to my Lord Treasurer; & that your Lordship and My Lord Mulgrave wil I hope beg together for me (The Letters of John Dryden, ed. Ward, pp. 11-12)

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the separately printed Prologue and Epilogue bear a licensing date of 17 March 1689@90 suggests a first performance near that date, as on many Previous occasions the separately-printed prologues and epilogues appeared almost simultaneously with the first performance. The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 287-89. A song, I once had virtue, wealth, and fame, the music by R. King, is in The Banquet of Musick, The Fifth Book, 1691

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but Dryden, on 12 Dec. 1693, reported that it had then been acted eight times. If these performances were consecutive, the premiere probably occurred in November; but the fact that the play was advertised in the London Gazette, 4-7 Dec. 1693, suggests tnat the premiere was near the end of October or early in November. Henry Purcell composed the overture and act tunes. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XVI (1906), xxxi. Two of the songs whose music he composed are in Thesaurus Musicus, 1694: Cynthia frowns when e're I woo her, sung by Mrs Ayliff; and Ancient Phillis has young Graces, sung by Bowman. See also 12 Dec. 1693 and 22 March 1692@3

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, for the play was apparently not printed until 1704. Nevertheless, some details indicate a performance early in the early in the season of 1696-97. In the first place, the presence of Verbruggen in the cast indicates that it must have been acted before 1 Jan. 1696@7, when Verbruggen was permitted to act at Lincoln's Inn Fields. The play also parodies the works of Mrs Manley, whose The Royal Mischief had been staged (probably) in April 1696, and it is likely that the company would emphasize the pertinence of the parody by presenting it soon after the appearance of the original. Although The Female Wits may not have been acted until later in the autumn, it seems likely that it was acted first in the late summer or early autumn. Preface, Edition of 1704: [The] Success of this Play has been such...having been Acted six Days running without intermission....Among the rest, Mr Powel and his Wife excell'd in the Characters they represented, as did Mrs Verbruggen, who play'd the Chief Character....The Lady whose Play is rehears'd, personated one Mrs M-ly [Manley]

Event Comment: [By Colley Cibber. Premiere. For Cibber's account of the play, see Cibber, I, 308-9, and dedication ot 1705 edition.

Event Comment: The Prologue was published on 10 March

Event Comment: Third piece: an entire New Act [introduced into Tom Thumb, By T. Cooke]. Daily Journal, 30 Nov.: Whereas it hath been advertised, that an entire New Act, called, The Battle of the Poets, is introduced into the Tragedy of Tom Thumb; This is to assure the Town, that I have never seen this additional Act, nor in any ways concerned therein. Henry Fielding

Event Comment: Mainpiece: In it The Pleasures of the Town. With great Additions. Afterpiece: a new Farce of two Acts. [By Henry Fielding.]

Event Comment: Benefit Paget and Jarvis, Housekeeper. Receipts: money #12 19s. 6d.; tickets #138 17s. [In an advance bill in The Craftsman, 15 May, Paget states that he has been so dim-sighted that he does not distinguish individuals on the street or at the table and begs their indulgence.]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never Acted before. [By John Hewitt.] Preface to edition of 1737: This Comedy made it's Appearance under many Disadvantages:...It was read for the first Time to the Performers, Tuesday the 15th, and acted Monday the 21st. Mrs Giffard, who had been Ill the Whole Season, undertook the Character of Lady Betty Manly, but finding herself indisposed, returned the Part on Thursday Evening. It was then given to Mrs Hamilton, who on Saturday about one in the Afternoon declared she could not do it unless it was cut, which the Nature of that Part not admitting, there was a Necessity to ask the Favour of Miss Hughes to undertake it, who with a great deal of good Nature, studied and played it perfect, tho' at so short a Warning

Event Comment: By the Great Mogul's Company of Comedians. Mainpiece: Written by the Author of George Barnwell. Afterpiece: A new Dramatick Satire: With freshest Advices Foreign and Domestick. Written by the Author of Pasquin [Henry Fielding]. These Characters will all be seen cheap; 1n the Boxes at 5s.; in the Pit at 3s.; in the Gallery at 2s. Note, None will be admitted after the House is full; for which Reason, the sooner you come, or secure your Places, the better. All Persons are desir'd to cry at the Tragedy, and laugh at the Comedy, being quite contrary to the present general Practice. Mr Hen gives Notice, that if any Joke is both Hiss'd and Clapp'd, such Division will be consider'd an Encore, and the said Joke be put up again. Daily Advertiser, 22 March: Last Night the two new Performances at the Hay-Market...were receiv'd with the greatest Applause ever shown at the Theatre