greve in a few Months, gave up his Share and Intereft in the Government of it, wholly to Sir John Vanbrugh. But Sir John being fole Proprietor of the Houfe, was at all Events obliged to do his utmoft to fupport it. As he had a hap pier Talent of throwing the English Spirit into his Tranflation of French Plays, than any former Author who had borrowed from them, he in the fame Seafon gave the Publick three more of that Kind, call'd The Cuckold in Conceit, from the Cocu imaginaire of Moliere; Squire Trelooby from his Monfieur de Pourceaugnac, and the Mistake, from the D'epit Amoureux of the fame Author. Yet all thefe, however well executed, came to the Ear in an undistinguish'd Utterance, owing to the bad Contrivance of the Houfe, by which almost all their Plays had equally fuffer'd; for what few could plainly hear, it was not likely a great many could applaud.

It must further be confidered too, that this Company were not now, what they had been, when they first revolted. Kynafton, Sandford, and Leigh were dead, and Mrs. Betterton and Underhill being at this Time fuperannuated Penfioners; Nor could it be expected that Betterton himself at past seventy, could retain his former Force, though he was far diftant from any Rival.

It was now the Town talk, that nothing but a Union of the two Companies could reftore the Theatre to its former Reputation; which Opinion was certainly true: But it is as certain, that the close Master of Drury Lane had no fuch In

tention.

Sir John Vanbrugh, in order to make a Union worth his while, found himself under a Neceffity of letting his Theatrical Farm to fome industrious

Tenant,

Tenant, that might put it into better condition. At this time then, the Mafter of Drury-Lane happen'd to have a fort of primier Agent, in his Stage-Affairs, that feem'd in Appearance as much to govern the Mafter, as the Mafter himself did to govern his Actors: But this Perfon was under no Stipulation or Sallary for the Service he render'd;: but had gradually wrought himself into the Mafter's extraordinary Confidence and Truft, from an habitual Intimacy, a chearful Humour, and an indefatigable Zeal for his Intereft. This Perfon was Mr. Owen Swiney, and that it was to him Sir John Vanbrugh, in this Exigence of his Theatrical Affairs, made an Offer of his Actors under fuch Agreements of Sallary, as might be made with them; and of his Houfe, Cloaths and Scenes, with the Queen's Licence to employ them, upon Payment of only the cafual Rent of Five Pounds every acting Day, and not to exceed 7001. in the Year. Of this propofal, Mr. Swiney defired a Day or two to confider; for he would not undertake it without the Confent of his Patron, the Master of Drury-Lane. But he immediately confented that Swiney fhould take the Hay-Market Houfe, &c. and continue that Company to actTM against him; but the real Truth was, that he had a mind both Companies fhould be clandeftinely under one and the fame Interest. What flatter'd him, that he had this wholefome project, and Swiney to execute it, both in his power, was that at this time, Swiney happen'd to ftand in his Books Debtor to Cafh, upwards of Two Hundred pounds But here we fhall find he over-rated his Security. However, Swiney as yet follow'd his Orders, he took the Hay-Market Theatre, and had farther the private Confent of the Patentee, to take fuch of his Adors from Drury Lane,

as

as either from Inclination or Difcontent, might be willing to come over to him in the Hay-Market.. The only one he made Exception of was myfelf. For tho' he chiefly depended upon his Singers and Dancers, he faid it would be neceffary to keep fome one tolerable Actor with him, that might enable him to fet thofe Machines a going. The Actors that came to him from Drury-Lane, were, Wilks, Eftcourt, Mills, Keen, Johnfon, Bullock, Mrs. Oldfield, Mrs. Rogers, and fome few others. of lefs Note: This project was form'd and put in Execution in a very few Days, in the Summer Scafon, when no Theatre was open, to all which I was entirely a Stranger.

The firft Word I heard of this Tranfaction, was by a Letter from Swiney, inviting me to make. one in the Hay-Market Company, whom he hop'd I could not but now think the strongest party.. But I confefs I was not a little alarm'd at this Revolution: For I confidered, that I knew of no vifible Fund to fupport thefe Actors, but their own Industry; that all his Recruits from Drury Lane would want new Cloathing; and that the warmest Industry would be always labouring up Hill, under fo unneceffary an Expence, fo bad a Situation, and fo inconvenient a Theatre. Upon thefe Confiderations, I was only thankful for the.. Offers made me from the Hay-market, without accepting them; and foon after came to Town towards the ufual Time of their beginning to act, to offer my Service to our old Mafter. But I found our Company fo thinn'd, that it was almost impracticable, to bring any one tolerable play up. on the Stage. When I ask'd him where were his Actors, and in what manner he intended to proceed? he replied, Don't you trouble yourself, come along, and I'll fhew you, He then led me

about

about all the By-places in the Houfe, and fhew'd me fifty little Back-doors, dark Closets, and narrow Paffages; in Alterations and Contrivances of which kind he had bufied his Head moft part of the Vacation; for he was fcarce ever, without fome notable Joiner, or a Bricklayer extraordinary, in pay, for twenty Years. But to fpeak of him seriously, and to account for this Difregard to his Actors, his Notion was, that Singing and Dancing, or any fort of Exotick Entertainment, would make an ordinary Company of Actors too hard for the best Set, who had only plain plays to fubfift on. Now, though I am afraid too much might be faid, in favour of this Opi nion, yet I thought he laid more ftrefs upon that fort of Merit than it would bear; as I therefore found myself of fo little Value with him, I could not help fetting a little more upon myself, and was refolved to come to a fhort Explanation with him. In fhort, I looked gravely in his Face, and, told him, that I expected either my cafual pay to be advanced, or the payment of my former Sallary made certain, for as many days as we had acted the Year before: Upon which I took my Leave. By this time, the Hay-market Company had begun acting, to Audiences fomething better than ufual, and were all paid their full Sallaries, a Bleffing they had not felt in fome Years, in either Houfe before. Upon this Succefs, Swiney prefs'd the Patentee to execute the Articles they had as yet only verbally agreed on. But foft and fair! Rafhnefs was a Fault, that had never yet been imputed to the Patentee certain payments were Methods he had not of a long, long time been us'd to; that point ftill wanted time for Confideration. But Swiney was hafty as the other was flow, ftood upon his Right

as

of

ling

of having me added to that Company, if I was wilto come into it. But this was a point "as abfolutely refused on one fide, as infifted on, on the other. In this Conteft high Words were exchanged on both fides, till in the end, this their laft private Meeting came to an open Rupture: But before it was publickly known, Swiney, by fairly letting me into the whole Tranfaction, took effectual means to fecure me in his Intereft. When the Mystery of the Patentee's Indifference to me was unfolded, and that his flighting me was owing to the fecurity he relied on, of Swiney's not daring to engage me, I could have no further Debate with myfelf, which fide of the Question I fhould adhere to. To conclude, I agreed, in two Words, to act with Swiney; and from this time every Change that happened in the Theatrical Government, was a nearer step to that twenty Years of Profperity, which Actors, under the Management of Actors, not long afterwards enjoyed. What was the immediate Confequence of this laft Defertion from Drury Lane, fhall be the Subject of another Part.

PART