In the morning sent Mr Robert Plumer (by the post) one bill…23.10.6 of which is in full on my account, and the remainder, 17.4.6, is in full on my mother’s account, which sum I received from my mother by my brother the 12th instant. About 11:20 my brother William came to see me, who dined with us (the two boys dining at Joseph Fuller’s) on the remains of yesterday’s dinner…
About 3:20 I was sent for down to John Jones’s, there being a public vestry for the choosing surveyors of the highways for the year ensuing. The present surveyors, William Piper and Joseph Durrant, wanted me to draw up an account for them to carry to the sitting, which I did; viz.,
| By sundry disbursements | 3.4.0 |
| By cash received of several defaulters and others | 3.4.0 |
Now they had disbursed in reality but 2.18.0; so there remains in the surveyors’ hands 6/-, with which they are to secure the arch of Scallow Bridge and put up some posts etc. I then wrote the nomination of the surveyors for the ensuing year, which were Richard Hope and John Vine Jr. The electioners were Jeremiah French and Joseph Burgess. I came home about 6:10. Master Bull at Whitesmith stayed about an hour or two with me in the first of the evening. And when the vestry broke up, Will Piper, Thomas Fuller and Mr Hutson called at our house in their way home, according to their annual custom; that is, of Mr Piper and Thomas Fuller. They stayed till 12:20 and, I may say, still continued encroaching for liquor till they two were as drunk as they could walk. Oh, that mankind should give way so much to this pernicious vice which incapacitates his reason so that he may more justly be ranked amongst the brute creation.
My brother stayed all night. I received by the post from Mr Plumer a receipt for the bill I sent him today, which he says is in full of mine and my mother’s account.
Gave the following boys (as box-money):
| The post | 0.1.0 |
| Thomas Turner | 0.0.6 |
| Sam Tooth | 0.0.3 |
| Thomas Smith | 0.0.3 |
| 0.2.0 |
and Dame Trill on the parish account.2/-. Paid Mr Will Piper 4/- tor my highway tax. Very busy (thank God) all day. Gave some boys who came a-singing 3d.