Thomas Turner

In the morning my brother came over and breakfasted with us… About 1:20 my wife walked down to Halland where she dined, myself and servant dining on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. About 2:30 Mr John Collison came in, and he and I balanced our accounts. We balanced the cash account, and there was due to Messrs Margesson and Collison 17.18.9, which I paid him. We then balanced our account of goods, and there was due on that account to Messrs Margesson and Collison 69.19.11½. I paid him on this account £23 and by sundry overcharges and returns £2, which together makes £25; so that there now remains due to Messrs Margesson and Collison 44.19.11½.

Mr Collison spent the evening with me, but about 7:30 word came that I must go down to Halland; so I was obliged to leave Mr Collison alone. I supped at Mr Coates’s on some cold chicken pasty, some boiled chickens and oyster sauce, cold tongue, some hashed duck, a shoulder of mutton roasted, a old buttock of beef and tarts, in company with Mr and Mrs Porter, Mr and Mrs French, Mr and Mrs Gibbs, Thomas Fuller and his wife, Mr Calverley, Mrs Virgoe and Joseph Fuller. We played at brag in the evening; my wife and I won 3/8. We gave the servants 18d. We came home in good order about 2:15. Mr Collison lodged at our house all night…

We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a sheep’s heart pudding and some potatoes. The widow Cornwell and her daughter drank tea with my wife. Oh, how does my heart rejoice to think I have been very busy all this day!

My wife, self and servant at church in the morning… We dined on sheep’s lights and mint boiled and minced. In the afternoon Thomas Durrant and I walked over to Framfield where we drank tea at my mother’s, and from thence we walked round by John Midmire’s at Barnet Wood to ask him for some money, when I received the comfortable news of his keeping out of sight for debt. Sure I am a most unfortunate man what will become of me I cannot think. I must certainly fail and leave off trade. We came home about 6:10. Mr John [Collison?] called on me in my absence. My wife and servant at church in the afternoon. In the evening read two of Tillotson’s sermons and part of Young’s Night Thoughts.

…We dined on a sheep’s head boiled and some turnips. At home all day. In the evening Joseph Fuller Jr chatted a while with us. In the evening read part of Martin’s Philosophy in his magazine. Gave some men that came a-singing 3d.

…A very wet day. Thomas Davy, Mr Elless, James Marchant and my wife and self played at loo in the evening; my wife and self lost 4½d. They supped with us on some content, it being a wager which was lost among us.

About 1:20 my wife went up to Thomas Fuller’s, where she dined… About 7:30 I walked up to Thomas Fuller’s, where I supped on 2 roasted rabbits, a cold giblet pie, some cold goose, a neck of veal roasted and tarts, in company with Mr and Mrs Porter, Mr William and John Piper, Mr Sam Gibbs and his wife, Mr and Mrs French, Mr Calverley, Mrs Vine and Joseph Fuller. We played at brag in the evening; my wife and I won 2/2½ and gave Mr Fuller’s servant 6d apiece. We came home in very good order about 12:45, but sure a very dark night.

This day John Streeter the post brought up the 12d I gave him the 28th ult. and told me it was [not] enough, which I gladly received and then gave him just nothing.

…A melancholy headache today, but nothing more of moment except giving some boys who came a-singing 3d and smoking a pipe or 2 with Mr Elless in the evening.

In the forenoon walked to the Nursery to get a debt of Edmund Elphick’s, but could get no money. About 1:25 my wife went down to Mr Porter’s, where she dined. Charles Diggens came in and dined with me… He stayed and spent the afternoon with me. About 7:30 I went down to Mr Porter’s, where I supped on some veal cutlets, 3 roasted chickens, a cold ham, sausages, a cold chicken pasty and tarts, in company with Mr and Mrs Coates, Joseph Fuller, Mr French and his wife, Mr Calverley, Thomas Fuller and his wife, Mrs Atkins and Mrs Elizabeth Hicks. We played at brag in the evening; my wife and I won 12d, which we gave to the servants. We came home about 2:30 in the morning, but cannot say quite sober; that is, in regard to myself…

…Gave James Fuller 12d for his Christmas box. In the evening went down to Jones’s to a public vestry where there was Mr French, Mr Vine, Mr Piper, Joseph Durrant, Richard Page, Thomas Fuller and myself. I came home about 7:30 and read part of Young’s Night Thoughts.

Myself, wife and servant at church in the forenoon… We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some turnips and potatoes. Myself, wife and servant at church in the afternoon… In the evening read two of Tillotson’s sermons. A very cold day, there being a sharp frost in the morning.