Dryden Night (1962)

Covent Garden, London. “The time is the 17th century, the place: London“. M/S of a cobbled street at night, man in period costume loiters outside the Lamb and Flag Inn. High angle shot of the man looking at his pocket watch, he is joined by another man. The second man shows the first a blunt heavy object which he places in his pocket, they then part. C/U of one of the men looking around a corner. C/U of feet, belonging to the poet William Dryden, walking on cobbles. The man hiding around the corner shouts Dryden’s name. M/S of Dryden turning, the men attack him, hitting him repeatedly with the blunt object. C/U of their feet during the scuffle. A barmaid comes out of the inn and the attackers run away leaving Dryden on the ground. The barmaid and the inn’s landlord help Dryden up and take him into the pub - “Dryden is believed to have been attacked because of a satirical essay on the behaviour of the Royal cycle, and in particular the Earl of Rochester, and the Duchess of Portsmouth (a mistress o