[A scholar appointed to make a satirical and jesting speech at an Act in the University of Oxford.  Mr. Christopher Wordsworth gives, in his “Social Life at the English Universities in the Eighteenth Century,” 1874, a list of terra-filii from 1591 to 1713 (pp. 296- 298, 680).  The ‘terrae filius’ was sometimes expelled the university on account of the licence of his speech.  The practice was discontinued early in the eighteenth century.]

and two children, whereof one a very pretty little boy, like him, so fat and black.  Here I saw the organ; but it is too big for my house, and the fashion do not please me enough; and therefore will not have it.  Thence to the ’Change back again, leaving him, and took my wife and Deb. home, and there to dinner alone, and after dinner I took them to the Nursery,—­[Theatre company of young actors in training.]—­where none of us ever were before; where the house is better and the musique better than we looked for, and the acting not much worse, because I expected as bad as could be:  and I was not much mistaken, for it was so.  However, I was pleased well to see it once, it being worth a man’s seeing to discover the different ability and understanding of people, and the different growth of people’s abilities by practise.  Their play was a bad one, called “Jeronimo is Mad Again,” a tragedy.  Here was some good company by us, who did make mighty sport at the folly of their acting, which I could not neither refrain from sometimes, though I was sorry for it.  So away hence home, where to the office to do business a while, and then home to supper and to read, and then to bed.  I was prettily served this day at the playhouse-door, where, giving six shillings into the fellow’s hand for us three, the fellow by legerdemain did convey one away, and with so much grace faced me down that I did give him but five, that, though I knew the contrary, yet I was overpowered by his so grave and serious demanding the other shilling, that I could not deny him, but was forced by myself to give it him.  After I come home this evening comes a letter to me from Captain Allen, formerly Clerk of the Ropeyard at Chatham, and whom I was kind to in those days, who in recompense of my favour to him then do give me notice that he hears of an accusation likely to be exhibited against me of my receiving L50 of Mason, the timber merchant, and that his wife hath spoke it.  I am mightily beholden to Captain Allen for this, though the thing is to the best of my memory utterly false, and I do believe it to be wholly so, but yet it troubles me to have my name mentioned in this business, and more to consider how I may be liable to be accused where I have indeed taken presents, and therefore puts me on an enquiry, into my actings in this kind and prepare against a day of accusation.