ABSTRACT
Date and publication. James arrived in London from Scotland on 8 April 1682; on 20 April he was given a dinner in the City, and on 21 April attended a performance of Venice Preserv’d at the Duke’s Theatre. The specially written Prologue by D. and Epilogue by Otway were immediately printed, and on 27 April were advertised in The Observator as ‘recommended to A ll Men of Sense and Loyalty'. Otway’s play (first staged in February) has reflections on the Plot and on Shaftesbury, which made it a natural choice, and Otway’s Epilogue is strongly partisan (Danchin no. 322). A single folio half-sheet headed Prologue To H is Royal Highness, Upon H is first appearance at the Duke's Theatre since his Return from Scotland was published by Tonson in 1682 (MS date 20 April on Ashley copy (BL), 21 April on Luttrelľs (Huntington)); there were two issues.
