Eliza Haywood (ca. 1695? – 1756)

Timeline

  • Birth

    Eliza is born in London. Usually this date is given as “1693?”

  • On stage in Dublin

    “Mrs. Haywood” appears on stage as Chloe in Shadwell’s Timon of Athens; or, the Man-Hater at the Theatre Royal in Smock Alley, Dublin.

  • On stage in London

    Haywood appears on stage at Lincoln's Inn Fields as the Countess of Nottingham in John Banks’s The Unhappy Favourite: or, the Earl of Essex.

  • The Hillarian Circle

    Aaron Hill establishes a literary coterie dubbed the "Hillarian Circle" after Haywood's playful name for him, "Hillarius." The group includes Walter Bowman, James Thomson, Joseph Mitchell, John Dyer, Edward Young, Benjamin Mitchell, Richard Savage, Martha Fowkes, Haywood, Hill's wife Margaret, and several pseudonymous female writers.

  • Friendship with Richard Savage

    Haywood meets Richard Savage, who writes a prefatory poem for the second part of Love in Excess. By 1722 she is satirizing Savage in her novel The Injur'd Husband through the character of DuLache, a "Pimp," "Wretched Pander," and "Procurer of ... Pleasures" for the lustful baroness de Tortillee.

  • Love in Excess, Part One

    Part One of Haywood’s Love in Excess; or, The Fatal Enquiry. A Novel is published by William Chetwood at Cato's Head in Russel Court near the Theatre Royal, and Richard Francklin at the Sun against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleet Street, and sold by James Roberts in Warwick Lane.

  • Love in Excess, Part Two

    Part Two of Haywood’s Love in Excess; or, The Fatal Enquiry is published by William Chetwood at Cato's Head under Tom's Coffee-house in Russel Street, Covent Garden, and sold by James Roberts in Warwick Lane.

  • Love in Excess, Part Three

    Part Three of Haywood’s Love in Excess; or, the Fatal Enquiry is published by William Chetwood at Cato's Head (the Post Office) in Great Russel Street, Covent Garden, and sold by James Roberts at the Oxford Arms in Warwick Lane.

  • Letter to a potential subscriber

    Haywood writes a letter seeking a subscription for Letters from a Lady of Quality to a Chevalier, in which she explains, “The Stage not answering my Expectation, and the averseness of my Relations to it, has made me Turn my Genius another Way.”

  • South Sea Bubble bursts

    The rapid expansion in value of stock in the South Sea Company peaks before suddenly collapsing. The "bubble" begins to burst in October and November, resulting in panic selling and the ruin of many investors in the company.

  • Letters from a Lady of Quality to a Chevalier

    Haywood’s Letters from a Lady of Quality to a Chevalier. Translated from the French. is published by William Chetwood at Cato's Head in Russel Street, Covent Garden.

  • Letter to a potential patron

    Haywood writes a letter to an unnamed recipient, identifying her maiden name as Fowler; she claims she is related to Sir Richard of the Grange; mentions her unfortunate marriage; and notes her need to support two children, the oldest of whom is no more than seven years old. The play in question is likely The Fair Captive, a Tragedy. An extra benefit performance for Haywood was held following the first three performances.

  • The Fair Captive premier

    Premier of Haywood’s tragedy The Fair Captive at the Theatre in Little Lincoln’s Inn Fields. Haywood had extensively revised the play, originally written by Captain Robert Hurst, at the request of theatre manager John Rich.

  • The Fair Captive

    The Fair Captive is published by T. Jauncy at the Angel without Temple Bar, and H. Cole at Rowe's Head next the Fountain Tavern in the Strand.

  • The Fair Captive revived

    Haywood’s tragedy The Fair Captive revived for a single night “at the Desire of several Persons of Quality For the Benefit of the Author.”

  • The British Recluse

    Haywood's The British Recluse. A Novel. is published by Daniel Brown, junior at the Black Swan without Temple Bar; William Chetwood and J. Woodman in Russel Street, Covent Garden; and Samuel Chapman in Pall Mall.

  • Memoirs of a Certain Island Adjacent to Utopia

  • The Works of Mrs. Eliza Haywood

    The Works of Mrs. Eliza Haywood, Consisting of Novels, Letters, Poems, and Plays in four volumes is published by Daniel Brown junior at the Black Swan without Temple Bar, and Samuel Chapman at the Angel in Pall Mall.

  • Secret Histories, Novels and Poems

    Haywood's Secret Histories, Novels and Poems in four volumes is published by Daniel Brown junior at the Black Swan without Temple Bar, and Samuel Chapman at the Angel in Pall Mall. Identified on the title page as the "Second Edition," it is actually the first edition of this work.

  • Adventures of Eovaai

  • The Sign of Fame

    Haywood opens a pamphlet shop, the Sign of Fame in the Great Piazza of Covent Garden, where she offers anti-ministerial works among other wares.

  • The Female Spectator

  • The Fortunate Foundlings

  • The Parrot

  • Epistles to the Ladies

  • Seditious Libel

    Haywood is arrested on suspicion of seditious libel in connection with a political pamphlet, A Letter from H—G---g ... to a Particular Friend (1749). In her deposition in 1750 she signs her address as Durham Yard in the Strand.

  • The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless

  • The History of Jemmy and Jenny Jessamy

  • The Invisible Spy

  • Death of Eliza Haywood

    Haywood dies at the age of 60 after a severe illness of three months.

  • The Husband

    Haywood's The Husband. In Answer to the Wife. is published by T. Gardner at Cowley's Head, facing St. Clement's Church in the Strand.