After breakfast walked down to Halland. Mary Heath a-washing for us all day, and dined with us on a piece of beef boiled, an apple pudding, turnips and potatoes. After dinner set out for Alfriston in company with James Marchant, Thomas Durrant and Thomas Davy (they on foot and myself on horseback). The intention of our journey was purely to see Mr Elless (and by his desire). We got to Alfriston about 4:30. We supped with Mr Elless at his lodgings on a fine piece of beet roasted, a currant pond pudding, a currant suet pudding and a butter pudding cake.
We, together with Mr Elless and the person at whose house he lodges, played at brag in the evening, and notwithstanding we played as low a game as possible it was my unhappy lot to lose 3/-. (I think almost to give over ever playing at cards again, for I think it quite inconsistent with that which is right, for if we reflect how much more service this 3/- would have done had it been given to some necessitous but industrious poor then to be fooled away in this manner, therefore of consequence if there could have been more good done with what I lost I was not a-doing right when I was a-losing it).
We spent the evening and night till past 3 o’clock and, excepting my loss, extreme agreeable, for we had plenty of good liquor and a hearty welcome and no swearing or quarrelling, but all seemed prodigiously delighted with each other’s company, and at the same time went to bed sober. Wo all lodged at Mr Elless’s lodgings. My wife in my absence paid Mary Heath 18d for 2 days’ washing.