two champions, and with very little bloodshed : his Serene Highness was extremely pleased, and expressed his entire satisfaction, and ordered them a handsome gratuity."
A Theatre was erected in Goodman's fields by Thomas Odell in 1729; his property in which was purchased 1731 by Henry Giffard. In 1732 the latter person opened a subscription, and received 2,300l. for rebuilding it, and soon after divided the property into twenty-three shares, which he assigned by indentures to the subscribers, allowing them 1s. 6d. each night of performance, and free admissions, with a mortgage on the Theatre as security. The means of building thus secured, Giffard contracted with Sir William Leman for a piece of ground for 61 years at a rent of 45l. per annum , and proceeded with the building, expending several thousand pounds on scenes, dresses, and decorations.
In the month of April 1730, Mr. Odell, proprietor of the New Theatre in Goodman's-fields, waited on the King, requesting his licence to act there; but met with a decisive refusal.
Covent-garden Theatre was built by subscription under the direction of Mr. Rich; in the month of January 1731, 6000l. had been obtained, and a design for the building was prepared by James Sheppard, Esq. which met with general approbation. It appears from the public papers that the Crown was then in treaty for
Lincoln's-inn-fields Theatre, to use as an office for the Commissioners of the Stamp-duties. In February workmen begun to take down several old houses on the site of the intended Theatre.
The validity of a patent intended to be granted by the King for R. Wilks, C. Cibber, and Barton Booth, for Drury-lane Theatre was argued in April 1732 before the Lord Chancellor, Lord Chief Justice Raymond, and Mr. Baron Comyns; when it was decided to be a lawful grant, and it passed the great seal accordingly.
Prince Frederick of Wales gave a grand entertainment to the Nobility at the Opera-house in 1732. The same Royal personage formed a company of Soldiers, consisting of Courtiers sons, to which he declared himself Corporal; and as such relieved guard between the acts of the Indian Emperor, performed before their Majesties and the Court in the grand ball room at St. James's by noble youths of both sexes.
The first notice of Vauxhall-gardens that I recollect to have seen in the Newspapers was in June 1732, when a Ridotto al fresco is mentioned. The company were estimated at 400 persons, and in the proportion of ten men to one woman , who generally wore domino's, lawyers gowns, and masks, but many were without either. The company retired between three and four in the morning, and order was preserved by 100 soldiers stationed at the entrance.
The Tottenham-court Fair was unusually brilliant that year, and Lee, Harper, and Petit's droll of Whittington was attended by many of the Nobility, and the son of Ach Mahomet, Envoy from the Dey of Algiers.
The Theatre in Goodman's-fields opened for the season of 1732, encouraged by the subscription of several merchants and others, and was decorated by two pieces of painting, representing the King supporting Liberty, and Apollo and the Muses—the works of Hayman and Oram.