Sent Mr Will Margesson enclosed in a letter by Benjamin Shelley delivered to his brother the bill value £12 on Baldwin, which I received the 9th instant from Mr Richard Stone. My sister dined with us on a piece of boiled beef, an apple pudding and potatoes.
In the afternoon walked down to Whyly with some stuffs in order to sell Mrs Blackman, which I did, and during my short stay there Mr William Francis, linen-draper, called there on me, but, owing him no money nor wanting any goods, I did not go home with him. Mr Robert Chester at Lewes drank tea with me and my sister.
In the evening went down to Jones there being a public vestry in order to consult what was to be done relating to John Jones’s affair, which was this: Mr Chester of Lewes. having a bill of sale of Jones’s goods to be the amount of £61 and having been lately obliged to pay £11 for arrears of rent due from Jones (to prevent the landlord’s distraining [i.e., selling all the goods to raise the £11], which one would have been attended with more expense, and must have been [would have to have been] paid from the effects), now Mr Chester, having lately advanced the above sum, was desirous there might be a vestry called, that he might attend it to know if the parish: would assist Jones with money to pay a part of it.
Upon debating the thing, it was the unanimous opinion of all present (who were myself, Mr Carman, Mr Blackman, James Fuller, Richard Hope, John Cayley and Richard Page) not to yield him any assistance, but for Chester to put his bill of sale in execution when he pleased. I next represented to the vestry that there was due from Thomas Tester to myself and the other executors and devisees in trust of Mr Will Piper 2 years’ and a half rent, which the man had informed us he was unable to pay, and begged they would take the same into consideration whether we should distrain the goods or [whether] the parish would pay part or all the rent.
It was determined by 5 voices to 1 (myself as concerned on the other party giving my voice neither way) that we should distrain the goods. We stayed till about 9:30: and then broke up. Spent on the parish account 4/3. A very cold day and not very busy in the shop. I think, of all the company I ever spent the evening with in my life, that of James Fuller is the most disagreeable, he being stupidly ignorant and withal prodigiously abusive.