this time he was seventy-eight years of age. He
was educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and called to the bar at
the Middle Temple in 1605. He was M.P. for Cambridge in 1625, and
Recorder of Cambridge from 1624 to 1660, in which year he was
succeeded by his son Roger. He died of the plague, March, 1666,
aged eighty-three.]

sitting all alone, like a man out of the world: he can hardly see; but
all things else he do pretty livelyly. Then with Dr. John Pepys and
him, I read over the will, and had their advice therein, who, as to the
sufficiency thereof confirmed me, and advised me as to the other parts
thereof. Having done there, I rode to Gravely with much ado to inquire
for a surrender of my uncle's in some of the copyholders' hands there,
but I can hear of none, which puts me into very great trouble of mind,
and so with a sad heart rode home to Brampton, but made myself as
cheerful as I could to my father, and so to bed.

16th, 17th, 18th, 19th. These four days we spent in putting things in
order, letting of the crop upon the ground, agreeing with Stankes to
have a care of our business in our absence, and we think ourselves in
nothing happy but in lighting upon him to be our bayly; in riding to
Offord and Sturtlow, and up and down all our lands, and in the evening
walking, my father and I about the fields talking, and had advice from
Mr. Moore from London, by my desire, that the three witnesses of the
will being all legatees, will not do the will any wrong. To-night
Serjeant Bernard, I hear, is come home into the country. To supper and
to bed. My aunt continuing in her base, hypocritical tricks, which both
Jane Perkin (of whom we make great use), and the maid do tell us every
day of.

20th. Up to Huntingdon this morning to Sir Robert Bernard, with whom I
met Jaspar Trice. So Sir Robert caused us to sit down together and began
discourse very fairly between us, so I drew out the Will and show it
him, and [he] spoke between us as well as I could desire, but could come
to no issue till Tom Trice comes. Then Sir Robert and I fell to talk
about the money due to us upon surrender from Piggott, L164., which he
tells me will go with debts to the heir at law, which breaks my heart on
the other side. Here I staid and dined with Sir Robert Bernard and his
lady, my Lady Digby, a very good woman. After dinner I went into the
town and spent the afternoon, sometimes with Mr. Phillips, sometimes
with Dr.