It is uncertain at what time the ufage of giving authors a benefit on the third day of the exhibition of their piece, commenced. Mr. Oldys, in one of his manufcripts, intimates that dramatick poets had anciently their benefit on the first day that a new play was reprefented; a regulation which would have been very favourable to fome of the ephemeral productions of modern times. I have found no authority which proves this to have been the cafe in the time of Shakspeare; but at the beginning of the prefent century it appears to have been customary in Lent for the players of the theatre in Drury-lane to divide the profits of the first representation of a new play among them".

From D'Avenant, indeed, we learn, that in the latter part of the reign of queen Elizabeth, the poet had his benefit on the fecond day". As it was a general practice, in the time of Shakspeare, to fell the copy of the play to the theatre, I imagine, in fuch cafes, an author derived no other advantage from his piece, than what arofe from the fale of it. Sometimes, however, he found

"The Tragedie of King Richard The Third. Containing his treacherous Plots against his brother Clarence: The pitiful Murther of his innocent Nephews: his tiranous ufurpation: with the whole courfe of his detefted Life, and most deferved Death. As it hath been lately acted by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine his Servants. By William Shakefpeare. 1597."

"The late and much-admired Play, called Pericles Prince of Tyre. With the true Relation of the whole Historie, adventures, and fortunes, of the faid Prince: As alfo, the no lefs ftrange and worthy accidents in the Birth and Life of his Daughter Mariana. As it hath been divers and fundry times acted by his Majesties Servants at the Globe on the Bank-fide. By William Shakespeare. 1609."

5 Gildon's Comparison between the Stages, 1702, P. 9. See The Play-Houfe to be Let:

Player.

There is an old tradition,

"That in the times of mighty Tamberlane,
"Of conjuring Fauftus and the Beauchamps bold,
"You poets us'd to have the fecond day;

This shall be ours, fir, and to-morrow yours.
"Pott. I'll take my venture; 'tis agreed,"

it more beneficial to retain the copy-right in his own hands; and when he did fo, I fuppofe he had a benefit. It is certain that the giving authors the profits of the third exhibition of their play, which seems to have been the usual mode during a great part of the last century, was an established cuftom in the year 1612; for Decker, in the prologue to one of his comedies, printed in that year, fpeaks of the poet's third day".

The unfortunate Otway had no more than one berefit on the production of a new play; and this too, it feems, he was fometimes forced to mortgage, before the piece was acted. Southerne was the firft dramatick

7

"It is not praife is fought for now, but pence,
"Though dropp'd from greasy-apron'd audience.
"Ciapp'd may he be with thunder, that plucks bays
"With fuch foul hands, and with fquint eyes doth gaze
"On Pallas' fhield, not caring, fo he gains

"A cram'd third day, what filth drops from his brains!"

Prologue to If this be not a good play, the Devil's in't, 1612. Yet the following paffages intimate, that the poet at a fubfequent period had fome intereft in the fecond day's exhibition:

"Whether their fold fcenes be diflik'd or hit,

"Are cares for them who eat by the ftage and wit;
"He's one whofe unbought mufe did never fear

"An empty fecond day, or a thin share."

Prologue to The City Match, a comedy, by J. Mayne, acted at Blackfriars in 1639.

So, in the prologue to The Sophy, by Sir John Denham, acted at Blackfryars in 1642:

Gentlemen, if you diflike the play,

"Pray make no words on't till the fecond day

"Or third be paft; for we would have you know it,
"The lofs will fall on us, not on the poet,

"For he writes not for money."

In other cafes, then, it may be prefumed, the lofs, either of the fecond or third day, did affect the author.

Since the above was written, I have learned from Sir Henry Herbert's office-book, that between the year 1625 and 1641, benefits were on the fecond day of representation.

8

"But which amongst you is there to be found,
"Will take his third day's pawn, for fifty pound?"

Epilogue to Caius Marius, 1680.

writer who obtained the emoluments arifing from two reprefentations; and to Farquhar, in the year 1700, the benefit of a third was granted'; but this appears to have been a particular favour to that gentleman; for for feveral years afterwards dramatick poets had only the benefit of the third and fixth performance 2.

The profit of three reprefentations did not become the eftablished right of authors till after the year 1720*.

To the honour of Mr. Addifon, it should be remembered, that he first discontinued the ancient, but humiliating, practice of diftributing tickets, and foliciting company to attend at the theatre, on the poet's nights 3.

9 "I must make my boaft, though with the most acknowledging respect, of the favours of the fair fex-in fo vifibly promoting my intereft on those days chiefly, (the third and the fixtb,) when I had the tendereft relation to the welfare of my play."

Southerne's Dedication of Sir Antony Love, a comedy, 1691.
Hence Pope:

"May Tom, whom heaven fent down to raise

"The price of prologues and of plays," &c.

It fhould feem, however, to have been fome time before this cuftom was uniformly established; for the author of The Treacherous Brothers, acted in 1696, had only one benefit:

"See't but three days, and fill the house, the laft,

"He fhall not trouble you again in hafte." Epilogue.

On the representation of The Conftant Couple, which was performed fifty-three times in the year 1700. Farquhar, on account of the extraordinary fuccefs of that play, is faid by one of his biographers, to have been allowed by the managers, the profits of four reprefen

tations.

2

"Let this play live; then we stand bravely fixt!
"But let none come his third day, nor the fixtb."

Epilogue to The Island Princefs, 1701.
"But fhould this fail, at least our author prays,
"A truce may be concluded for fix days."

Epilogue to The Perplex'd Lovers, 1712. In the preface to The Humours of the Army, printed in the following year, the author fays, "It would be impertinent to go about to justify the play, becaufe a prodigious full third night and a very good fixth are prevailing arguments in its behalf."

Cibber in his Dedication to Ximena or the Heroick Daughter, printed in 1719, talks of bad plays lingering through fix nights. At that time therefore poets certainly had but two benefits.

3 Southerne, by this practice, is faid to have gained feven hundred pounds by one play.

When

When an author fold his piece to the fharers or proprietors of a theatre, it could not be performed by any other company, and remained for feveral years unpublished; but, when that was not the cafe, he printed it

« Whereas William Biefton, gent. governor of the kings and queenes young company of players at the Cockpit in Drury Lane, has reprefented unto his majefty, that the feverall playes hereafter mentioned, viz. Wit without Money: The Night-Walkers: The Knight of the Barning Pefile: Father's owne Sonne: Cupids Revenge: The Bondman: The Renegado: A new Way to pay Debts: The great Duke of Florence: The Maid of Honour: The Traytor: The Example: The Young Admiral: The Opportunity: A witty fayre One: Loves Cruelty: The Wedding: The Maids Revenge: The Lady of Pleasure: The Schoole of Complement: The grateful Servant: The Coronation : Hide Parke: Pbilip Chabot, Admiral of France: A Mad Couple well met: All's loft by Luft: The Changeling: A fayre Quarrel: The Spamifo Gipfie: The World: The Sunnes Darling: Loves Sacrifice: 'Tis pity bee's a Whore: George a Greene: Loves Miftrefs: The Cunning Lovers: The Rape of Lucrece: A Trick to cheat the Divell: A Foole and her Maydenhead foone parted: King John and Matilda: A City Night-cap: The Bloody Banquet: Cupids Revenge: The conceited Duke: and Appius and Virginia, doe all and every of them properly and of right belong to the fayd house, and confequently that they are all in his propriety. And to the end that any other companies of actors in or about London fball not prefume to act any of them to the prejudice of him the fayd William Biefton and his company, his majesty hath fignifyed his royal pleasure unto mee, thereby requiring mee to declare foe much to all other companies of actors hereby concernable, that they are not any wayes to intermeddle with or act any of the above-mentioned playes. Whereof I require all masters and governours of playhouses, and all others whom it may concerne, to take notice, and to forbeare to impeach the fayd William Biefton in the premifes, as they tender his majefties difpleafure, and will answer the contempt. Given, &c. Aug. 10. 1639.". Mf. in the Lord Chamberlain's office, entitled in the margin, Cockpitt playes appropried.

5 Sometimes, however, an author, after having fold his piece to the theatre, either published it, or fuffered it to be printed; but this appears to have been confidered as dishoneft. See the pref. to Heywood's Rape of Lucrece, 1638: "I had rather fubfcribe in that to their fevere cenfure, than, by seeking to avoid the imputation of weakness, te incur a great fufpicion of honefty; for though fome have used a double tale of their labours, first to the stage, and after to the preffe," &c.

How careful the proprietors were to guard against the publication of the plays which they had purchased, appears from the following admonition,

it for fale, to which many feem to have been induced from an apprehenfion that an imperfect copy might be

iffued

monition, directed to the Stationers' Company in the year 1637, by Philip earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, then Lord Chamberlain.

"After my hearty commendations. Whereas complaint was heretofore prefented to my dear brother and predeceffor, by his majefties fervants, the players, that some of the company of printers and ftationers had procured, published, and printed, diverfe of their books of comedyes and tragedyes, chronicle hiftoryes, and the like, which they had (for the fpecial fervice of his majestye and for their own ufe) bought and provided at very dear and high rates. By meanes whereof, not only they themfeives had much prejudice, but the books much corruption, to the injury and difgrace of the authors. And thereupon the mafter and wardens of the company of printers and stationers were advised by my brother to take notice thereof, and to take order for the ftay of any further impreffion of any of the playes or interludes of his majefties fervants without their confents; which being a caution given with fuch respect, and grounded on fuch weighty reafons, both for his majefties fervice and the particular intereft of the players, and foe agreeable to common justice and that indifferent measure which every man would look for in his own particular, it might have been prefumed that they would have needed no further order or direction in the business, notwithstanding which, I am informed that fome copies of playes belonging to the king and queenes fervants, the players, and purchased by them at dear rates, having beene lately ftollen or gotten from them by indirect means, are now attempted to be printed, and that fome of them are at the prefs, and ready to be printed; which, if it fhould be fuffered, would directly tend to their apparent detriment and great prejudice, and to the difenabling them to do their majefties fervice: for prevention and redreffe whereof, it is defired that order be given and entered by the mafter and wardens of the company of printers and stationers, that if any playes be already entered, or fhall hereafter be brought unto the hall to be entered for printing, that notice thereof be given to the king and queenes fervants, the players, and an enquiry made of them to whom they do belong; and that none bee fuffered to be printed untill the affent of their majefties' faid fervants be made appear to the Mafter and Wardens of the company of printers and ftationers, by fome certificate in writing under the hands of John Lowen, and Jofeph Taylor, for the kings fervants, and of Christopher Beefton for the king and queenes young company, or of fuch other perfons as fhall from time to time have the direction of thefe com.panies; which is a courfe that can be hurtfull unto none but such as are about unjustly to peravayle themselves of others' goods, without respect of order or good government; which I am confident you will be careful to avoyd, and therefore I recommend it to your fp cial care.

And