Sunday, January 1 1758

As soon as we arose, my brother went away home. Myself and cousin Bennetts and my nephews at church in the morning where we had an excellent sermon preached by the Rev Mr Shenton, curate of Laughton (Mr Porter at [???] the sacrament at Laughton, from the following…. “And the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, with the Lord of hosts.”

We dined on a piece of beef boiled, a raisin suet pudding, turnips and potatoes. Only Philip at church this afternoon. In the [time] the people were at church this afternoon my two cousins went [up], intending to tarry at my mother’s all night. [I gave?] my cousin John Bennett 12d in order for him to buy for me at Edmund [Ba]nker’s circulating library [at Tunbridge Wells] Burden’s Account of the Hurricane in Sussex in 1729. In the evening read part of Horneck’s Great Law of Consideration. Our servant came home in the evening and sat up all night with Mrs Porter. This has been a most remarkable Frosty day.