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SEASON 1691-1692 • July, 1692

409

Gentleman's Journal, May 1692: The Opera of which I have spoke to you in

former hath at last appear’d, and continues to be represented daily : it is call’d,

‘ Je Fairy Queen. The Drama is originally Shakespcars, the Music and Decorations

ar® extraordinary. I have heard the Dances commended, and without doubt the

'''hole is very entertaining. [As the May issue of the Gentleman's Journal was licensed

on 14 May, the statement that The Fairy Queen continued to be acted daily may

indicate consecutive performances from 2 May to at least 14 May 1692.]

^Ment. Gentleman's Journal, May 1692 (licensed 14 May): We are promised

,r Crown’s Regulus, before the Long Vacation ; As also a Comedy by Mr Shadwell,

"'hose Genius for that sort of Poetry, is sufficiently known to the Ingenious.

June 1692

.gUlus. [By John Crowne.] Edition of 1694: Regulus - Betterton; Metellus -

Vnaston; Fulvia - Mrs Barry; Asdrubal - Mountford; Gisgon - Leigh; Hiarbas -

nderhill ; Batto - Dogget; Hamilcar - Sandford; Xantippus - Williams. Prologue.

Pilogue spoken by her that acts Elisa’s part [Mrs Bracegirdle],

comment. The United Company. The date of the first performance is not

reciscly known, but it was certainly before 17 June 1692, as the Gentleman's

j °,<n'al, June 1692 (licensed 17 June) states : Regulus, with the Factions of Carthage,

ofy Mr Crown, was acted the last week; that Tragedy is intermixed with a vein

Comedy. You have seen his Works in both. Terence tells us, Dubiam fortunam

Ic scenicam; and if that great Author had occasion to complain, those of our Age

ay well comfort themselves if the Town deceives their expectation.

. A song, “Ah me! to many deaths decreed,” the music by Henry Purcell,

' set by Mrs Ayliff, is in Purcell’s Works, Purcell Society, xxi (1917), vii. But

see

24 Aug. 1692.

’'airy Queen. See 2 May 1692.

* I COMMENT. The United Company. Newdigate newsletters, 11 June 1692:

■m ' 0,1 Monday [the Princess Anne] comes to see the new opera (Wilson, “More

'eatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters,” p. 59).

Wednesday 15

A FAST DAT

July 1692

prin _ 1:Nt- BM Add. Mss. 34096, folio 6sr 64V, Whitehall, 15 July 1692: The

Ho- arM Princesse of Danemarke . . . yesterday . . . tooke barge to goe to yc Play

a ] Se" I Sec Benjamin Bathurst, Letters of Two Queens (London, 1924), p. 223, for

er by Princess Anne ordering boats to take her to the theatre.]

Gentleman's Journal, July 1692 (licensed 20 July 1692): We have had

ne... Play since Regulus, and ’tis very likely that we shall have none till the

c Term.

Monday 2

DC.

Saturday 14

Early June

DL

Monday 13

DG

Thursday 14

[DL or DG]

Wednesday 20