Thomas Turner

After breakfast I walked over to Framfield where my brother Moses and myself and sister Sally settled the accounts of the expenses etc. attending the keeping Philip up to the 1^st day of January 1762, and I received of Sally 10/6 in full for her part and also of my brother Moses 21/- in full for his and my brother Richard Turner’s part, which is in full (with my own part included) for all the money that I have paid or any otherwise ex-pended on the said account. My brother and I then balanced the accounts between us in regard to the goods etc. which have passed from one to the other… Now what more remains due to me from my brother is only what is due as executor to my mother, which I believe to be about £230.

I dined at my brother’s on some sausages, hog’s puddings and cold chine (my family at home dining on a piece of pork and turnips boiled). I stayed and drank tea with my brother and came home about 6:40, my brother coming along with me for company part of the road… A truly melancholy time; trade extremely dull and money more so, and what still makes my situation appear and really be melancholy is I have not a person to whose prudent management I can entrust the care of my affairs… [49 words omitted]… What adds to it more, my wife it must be owned (without partiality) was possessed of all sociable and domestic talents fit for to direct and carry into execution anything necessary for the prudent care of my affairs.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day; in the evening Joseph Fuller Jr smoked a pipe with me. A most melancholy time, hardly anything to do in the shop.

…In the afternoon James Marchant came to take up a coat for me and also balance accounts, which we did, our accounts on both sides being the same. He stayed and drank tea with me and he, together with Sam Jenner, Thomas Davy and myself played at cribbage in the evening; I won 5d.

…I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of two eggs boiled. In the evening wrote out some bills and also balanced all the accounts of what kind soever between Mr Robert Hook and myself and received of him in cash 1.18.7½ in full of all accounts to this day. Master Hook sat with me some time in the evening. Very little to do all day.

Rec’d of John Dapp by the payment of his wife 1.19.0 in full. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of some broth. At home all day. In the evening wrote my London letters. Pretty busy all day.

Myself and both servants at church in the morning We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of some broth. In the afternoon myself and both servants at church…Sam Jenner drank tea with me and to whom and Joseph Fuller and in the day I read [ ] of Tillotson’s sermons.

The thoughts of that most amiable creature, the best of wives, has this day overspread my mind with a melancholy gloom. Oh, how severely do I feel the loss! To give her a character which her merits justly deserved and which they have a just claim to demand requires a pen more nervous than my own. She was undoubtedly superior in wisdom, prudence and economy to most of her sex and I think the neatest and most cleanest woman in her person I ever beheld. Therefore to describe my loss by words I cannot. No, it is impossible my inward anguish of mind is more expressive than words ever could be, and that I almost daily feel I doubt not but my anguish of mind may be deemed (by some) timidity and proceeding from pusillanimity of temper (and that perhaps justly) for my reason stands convicted that whatever happens to us frail mortals here on earth by the providence and guidance of the Supreme Being (who knows what is better for us than we can for ourselves) is always right, is best and happy perhaps might it be for me could I bring my will to act in subjection to my reason… [77 words omitted]…I think word can convey but a faint idea of the pleasure and happiness that a husband finds in the company of a virtuous, prudent and discreet woman, one whose love is founded not on the basis of sensual pleasures but on the more solid foundation of friendship and domestic happiness, whose chief delight is to render the partner of her bosom happy. For whatever the libertines may say or think of marriage, I believe they never felt that secret pleasure which is to be found in it, notwithstanding their boast of freedom and I know not what… [104 words omitted].

Paid Ben Shelley in cash 8.2.6 which, with the £50 delivered to him the 12th instant, is in full for the same sum he paid in London etc. for me this week… I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of some broth. At home all day. In the evening Charles Diggens smoked a pipe or two with me. Pretty busy in the day.

Mr Francis Elless dined with me… He also stayed and drank tea with me. In the evening Joseph Fuller Jr and I balanced the accounts between his father and myself and I received of him in cash 5/6 in full on account of his father.

In the forenoon walked down to Halland with some salt. At home all day, except as before. A very dull time for trade, and money I think never so scarce. Oh how pleasant is my mind with respect to coming home sober last night.

I walked down to Halland about 1 o’clock, where I dined on 2 chickens boiled, 1 roasted, a sirloin of beef roasted, a ham boiled, 2 ducks roasted and some mince pies (in company with Mr James Michell, Mr and Mrs Porter, Mr and Mrs French and Mr and Mrs Gibbs)…

I stayed and drank tea and coffee there and also stayed and supped there, in company with the aforesaid, Mr James Michell excepted, on part of a cold sirloin of roast beef, a neck of mutton roasted, cold duck pie, a gooseberry tart and potatoes. We played at brag in the evening; I won 15½d and gave Mr Coates’s servant 12d. We came home about 10:50, and I came home sober. Oh how comfortable does the word ‘sober’ sound in my ears. Let it be my earnest and constant endeavor always to do the same. Then will my thoughts in this particular yield a pleasure (not to be expressed in words) in the retrospect view.

…I dined on part of a neck of mutton boiled, a piece of pork, turnips and a plain pudding. In the evening walked down to Mr Coates’s, but did not stay. At home all day. Wrote out several bills. In the evening balanced accounts with Joseph Durrant and received of him 5/11 in full on all accounts between us to this day. Joseph Durrant smoked a pipe with me in the evening.