Mr John Long dined with us on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the afternoon wrote my London letters. In the evening went up to Mr Will Piper’s, in order to make his will, but finding it required some person of more knowledge then myself to make it according to form and the testator’s meaning, I declined making it, for fear I should make some mistake that might bring trouble into the family, and [cause] the effects of the testator to be thrown away amongst the lawyers, or the testator’s intentions frustrated; though I believe I was rather over-timorous.
Came home about 12:10 and left Mr Piper very ill. My wife, poor creature, very ill indeed. Mr Porter and myself gave Mr Piper the liberty to put us in as trustees and guardians to his children, as he could not prevail on anyone else.