The title became extinct in 1764, upon the decease of Sir John
Gerrard Downing, the last heir-male of the family. Sir George
Downing's character will be found in Lord Clarendon's "Life," vol.
iii. p. 4. Pepys's opinion seems to be somewhat of a mixed kind.
He died in July, 1684.]

Jan. 1st (Lord's day). This morning (we living lately in the garret,) I
rose, put on my suit with great skirts, having not lately worn any other,
clothes but them. Went to Mr. Gunning's

[Peter Gunning, afterwards Master of St. John's College, Cambridge,
and successively Bishop of Chichester and Ely. He had continued to
read the Liturgy at the chapel at Exeter House when the Parliament
was most predominant, for which Cromwell often rebuked him. Evelyn
relates that on Christmas Day, 1657, the chapel was surrounded with
soldiers, and the congregation taken prisoners, he and his wife
being among them. There are several notices of Dr. Gunning in
Evelyn's Diary. When he obtained the mastership of St. John's
College upon the ejection of Dr. Tuckney, he allowed that
Nonconformist divine a handsome annuity during his life. He was a
great controversialist, and a man of great reading. Burnet says he
"was a very honest sincere man, but of no sound judgment, and of no
prudence in affairs" ("Hist. of his Own. Time"). He died July 6th,
1684, aged seventy-one.]

chapel at Exeter House, where he made a very good sermon upon these
words:--"That in the fulness of time God sent his Son, made of a woman,"
&c.; showing, that, by "made under the law," is meant his circumcision,
which is solemnized this day. Dined at home in the garret, where my wife
dressed the remains of a turkey, and in the doing of it she burned her