Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 04.djvu/441

 the actors. Before 1662 she is always called Mrs. Saunderson. Genest, noticing the performance of the 'Villain,' 20 Oct. 1662, says Belmont — Mrs. Betterton, late Saunderson. Under the management of Charles Davenant (acting for his father's widow), Betterton, and Harris, the Duke^s Company, established (1671) in Dorset Garden, though recruited by such actors as Leigh, Jevon, and Mrs. Barry, found some difficulty in coping with the rival company at the Theatre Royal (Drury Lane). A theatre, accordingly, which could boast such actors as the Bettertons, Sandford, Underbill, and Smith, was driyen to the production of spectacular and musical pieces, such as the 'Psyche' of Shadwell (February 1673-4), on the scenery of which no less than 800l., an enormous sum for those days, was spent. Betterton, however, found opportunity to enlarge his repertory, to which, without counting characters now forgotten, he added Antony in Sedleys 'Antony and Cleopatra,' Orestes in Charles Davenant's 'Circe, Œdipus in the tragedy of Dryden and Lee, and Timon of Athens, Troilus, King Lear, &c., in adaptations from Shakespeare by Dryden, Shadwell, or Tate. In 1675 he superintended the performance at court of Crowne's pastoral, 'Calisto, or the Chaste Nymph.' So successful were the rectacular pieces at Dorset Garden that the King's Company was in turn brought into difficulties. In 1682 the two companies, probably in consequence of a royal order, coalesced. A memorandum of an agreement between Dr. Charles Davenant, Thomas Betterton, gent., and William Smith, gent., of the one part, and Charles Hart, gent., and Edward Kynaston, gent., of the other part, dated 14 Oct. 1681, given in the life of Betterton by Gildon and frequently reprinted, proves that Hart and Kynaston had been won over to the side of Betterton. So one-aided and dishonest was this agreement that it was regarded in those days as a blot upon Betterton. Gildon can only plead that the two houses were at war, and ask: 'Dolus an virtus, quis in hoste requirat?' The union of the companies was effected in 1682 according to Gildon and Downes, and 1684 according to Colley Cibber, who is followed by Dr. Burney. On the strength of a prologue of Dryden, dated 1686, the 'Biograpnia Britannica' would assign the event to 1686. The correct date is 1682, and the united companies opened at the Theatre Royal on 16 Nov. of that year in the 'Duke of Guise,' Betterton playing the Duke, Kynaston the Eang of France, Mountfort Alphonso Corso, and Mrs. Barry Marmoutier. Dorset Garden was not, however, abandoned, those pieces which required mechanical and spectacular effects being reserved for that theatre. Hart, according to Cibber, regretted so much his Judas-like action, the result of which was to hand over his former associates to their rivals, that he left the stage. He appears, however, to have taken for four years previously little part in the performances, his name not appearing in the bills after 1678. His old associate as soldier and actor, Mohun, also died immediately after the union, Colley Cibber seems to imply in consequence of it. The new management prospered, but the fortunes of Betterton suffered at this time a defeat from which they never rallied. Betterton embarked (1692) a sum of 8,000l., 6,000l. of which were advanced by the famous Dr. Radcliffe, in a venture to the East Indies undertaken by a friend, Sir Francis Watson, bart. The speculation was successful, but the vessel on the return voyage, after arriving safely in Ireland, was seized by the French in the Channel. The entire savings of Betterton appear to have been sunk in this speculation. Sir Francis Watson is said to have died of his loss, leaving a daughter Elizabeth, aged about fifteen, whom Betterton adopted and who subsequentlv married Bowman the player. The outlines of this story are supplied by Gildon; the filling up is due to a correspondent of the 'Biographia Britannica,' who elected to remain anonymous, and who was too discreet, as were all authorities of the day, to mention the name of Sir Francis. The united company was probably one of the strongest ever collected. Soon after this period dissension began to manifest itself. Fearing, it may be assumed, no opposition, and anxious to reduce expenses, the patentees, whose outlay upon spectacular pieces had involved them in heavy debt, began to reduce the salary of the principal actors. Mountfort was stabbed on 9 Dec. 1692 by Lord Mohun and died the following day. Leigh expired a week later, and Nokes, or more properly Noke, according to Malone, died about the same time. Betterton and Mrs. Barry were accordingly the chief sufferers by the new departure. To justify the reduction of salary the patentees, under the pretence of bringing forward younger actors, entrusted several of Betterton's characters to the younger Powell, and offered Mrs. Barry's chief parts to Mrs. Bracegirdle. Colley Cibber, who had joined the company in 1690, gives a full account of these transactions. As a measure of defence the principal performers, with Betterton as their head, formed a combination. An offer of a peaceful arrangement from the united actors was refused by the patentees, with results 