Rec’d of Francis Turner in cash 15/- in full for half a year’s land tax and one year’s window tax due at Lady Day last. Myself and Mr Dodson at church in the morning… We had a brief read for rebuilding the parish church of Alverney in the county of Salop, the expense of rebuilding which amounts in the whole to the sum of £1104 and upwards; I collected upon the brief 2/- and one penny I gave myself makes collected in the whole on this brief the sum of 2/1. We had a vestry called, and we stayed in the churchyard to consult whether we should lend Francis Turner the sum of six guineas on the parish account, in order for him to discharge a debt with which he is threatened with an arrest if the same is not paid tomorrow; it was the unanimous consent of all present to lend him the said sum. The persons present were myself, Joseph Fuller, Richard Hope, Edward Foord and Joseph Durrant.
After the vestry I went into Mr Porter’s and signed the brief. I dined on a piece of beef roasted and horse radish. Rec’d of. John Vine Jr in cash 14/6 in full for one year’s window tax (3/-) and half a year’s land tax (10/-) due at Lady Day last, and the remaining 18d with a bill of carpenter’s work (30/6) brought in at Easter and passed in the yearly parish account, makes together the sum of 32/- and is in full for the same sum assessed on him by a poor rate made the 17th ult. Myself, Mr Dodson and servant at church in the afternoon… Rec’d of Charles Vine in cash 3/- in full for one year’s window tax due at Lady Day last. After churchtime Mr Dodson and I walked down to ask Sam Jenner how he did, with whom we stayed and drank tea and came home about 8:20.
A very fine pleasant day, but when I consider the nature of my circumstances, that is no one person to whom I may entrust the management of my affairs, it almost drives to distraction.