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. Symcottes, Mr. Vinter, Robert Ethell, and many more friends, and at last Mr. Davenport, Phillips, Jaspar Trice, myself and others at Mother-----over against the Crown we sat and drank ale and were very merry till 9 at night, and so broke up.  I walked home, and there found Tom Trice come, and he and my father gone to Goody Gorum’s, where I found them and Jaspar Trice got before me, and Mr. Greene, and there had some calm discourse, but came to no issue, and so parted.  So home and to bed, being now pretty well again of my left hand, which lately was stung and very much swelled.