tradition of the Church in which he is born, which I think to be as good
an argument as most is brought for many things, and it may be for that
among others. Thence to my brother's, and there took up my wife and
Ashwell to the Theatre Royall, being the second day of its being opened.
The house is made with extraordinary good contrivance, and yet hath some
faults, as the narrowness of the passages in and out of the Pitt, and
the distance from the stage to the boxes, which I am confident cannot
hear; but for all other things it is well, only, above all, the musique
being below, and most of it sounding under the very stage, there is no
hearing of the bases at all, nor very well of the trebles, which sure
must be mended. The play was "The Humerous Lieutenant," a play that
hath little good in it, nor much in the very part which, by the King's
command, Lacy now acts instead of Clun. In the dance, the tall devil's
actions was very pretty. The play being done, we home by water, having
been a little shamed that my wife and woman were in such a pickle, all
the ladies being finer and better dressed in the pitt than they used, I
think, to be. To my office to set down this day's passage, and, though
my oath against going to plays do not oblige me against this house,
because it was not then in being, yet believing that at the time my
meaning was against all publique houses, I am resolved to deny myself
the liberty of two plays at Court, which are in arreare to me for the
months of March and April, which will more than countervail this excess,
so that this month of May is the first that I must claim a liberty of
going to a Court play according to my oath. So home to supper, and at
supper comes Pembleton, and afterwards we all up to dancing till late,
and so broke up and to bed, and they say that I am like to make a
dancer.

9th. Up betimes and to my office, whither sooner than ordinary comes
Mr. Hater desiring to speak a word to me alone, which I was from the
disorder of his countenance amused at, and so the poor man began telling
me that by Providence being the last Lord's day at a meeting of some
Friends upon doing of their duties, they were surprised, and he carried
to the Counter, but afterwards released; however, hearing that Sir W.
Batten do hear of [it,] he thought it good to give me an account of it,
lest it might tend to any prejudice to me. I was extraordinary surprised
with it, and troubled for him, knowing that now it is ou