…About 11:10 Mr John Box, attorney-at-law at Hailsham, called on me in order to settle the affairs about Thomas Daw. We then went down to Mr Cayley’s at the Moat where Mr Burgess was already and John Watford and Thomas Daw came soon after. We then borrowed of John Watford the sum of twenty pound and gave him the following note written by Mr Box:
“We Thomas Turner Churchwarden of the Parish of East Hothly and Joseph Burges Overseer of the Poor of the said Parish do for ourselves Joyntly and severally and for the rest of the Parishioners of the said Parish promise to pay Mr John Watford or Order the sum of Twenty Pounds for Vallue received with Interest for the same after the rate of Four pound per. Centum per. Annum within three Months Notice thereof witness our hands this Twelfth day of November 1757.”
We then lent the same to Thomas Daw and took his note of hand till such time as Mr Box can draw up the mortgage. Thomas Daw then paid to Thomas Price, steward or servant to Mrs Browne the sum of £55 for a tenement etc. in the parish of Waldron, and had proper writings delivered to him, which Mr Box had perused and declared the title to be good. I drank there some beer which they informed us was above 60 years old. I came home about 1:40.
We dined on some boiled tripe and pear pie. …In the evening made part of the poor book. Thomas Davy at our house the latter part of the evening, to whom I read 3 of Tillotson’s sermons. Tonight there has been the greatest light in the air that I think I ever observed, being, I imagine, what is called the Aurora Borealis.