Author: Thomas Turner

…Paid Mrs Rebecca Weller in cash £12; viz.,

To 1 year’s interest due 5th April, 1757	4.0.0
To 1 year’s rent due 5th April, 1757	8.0.0

Paid Joseph Fuller (by Elizabeth Fuller) 6d for the lamb’s bell received the 9th instant. We dined on some pork and beans with a plain batter pudding. Just as we had dined, my father Slater came in, who dined at our house on some rashers of bacon and green salad.

My wife and I had this day borrowed Mr John Vine the younger’s horse in order for my wife to ride to Lewes upon, but as my father came, we postponed our journey to Lewes. Upon my father’s telling me that he had bid some money for wool but was quite unacquainted with the goodness of wool, I readily agreed to take a ride over and give him my sentiments about it. Accordingly about 5:50 we set out for Hartfield, my wife behind her father, and I upon my colt. We arrived at Hartfield about 9:20. We spent the evening at my father Slater’s and stayed there all night.

After breakfast my father and I walked down to Mr Medhurst’s and looked at his wool and bid him 7d per lb for it but did not buy it. We came back and dined at my father Slater’s… In the afternoon we drank tea at my uncle Woodgate’s and about 7:40 we set out for home (my brother Sam Slater bringing my wife), where we arrived, thank God, in perfect health about 11:10. My brother Sam Slater stayed all night. Thomas Davy in our absence had made us a present of 2 carps. Spent this journey as under:

Gave my father’s servant maid and apprentice	0.1.0
Spent at Hartfield in company with Mr Kelton	0.0.4
At Maresfield a-coming home	0.0.7½
Turnpike	0.0.2
Gave a Child	0.0.0½
	0.2.2

My brother Sam Slater stayed and dined with us… and stayed until near 5 o’clock. In the evening my brother and I went up and bought Joseph Fuller’s wool at 7½d per lb. This day we had a tempest of thunder, lightning and some rain, which began about 2:20 and continued about an hour, though it was but little all the time. But about 8 o’clock it came up again; though the thunder then seemed at a great distance, the lightning was very much and I understand continued all night. It rained till about 11 o’clock, though I believe the most violent part of the storm was over between 9 and 10 o’clock.

At home all day. We dined on some beans, a bread pudding and the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In reading in The Universal Magazine for June, I find the following, which I have copied word for word:

“June 25 The word [“] without [“] is properly to be regarded. A Paper intitled Meditations for every Hour in the day is now very Public; and is intitled the true state of a Nation in Europe in the year 1757

Supreme Majesty	Power
Counsellor	Abilities
Bishops	Religion
Nobels	Honour
Senators	Honesty
Manufacturies	Trade
Colonies	Protection
Seamen	Encouragement
Parading Fleets	Fighting
Great Armies	Use
The Common People	Money
The Poor	Bread

N.B.: The Introduction of the word WITHOUT is necessary to the reader’s information.”… Rec’d of Mr Sam Beckett the 5.8.0 I gave him the 12th instant, he not having paid it in London for me…

After breakfast I rode to Honington’s to look upon Mr Smith’s wool of Hempstead. Paid John Jenner, hatter at Hailsham, by cash and goods 12/- in full for 6 hats at 2/- received today. We dined on some beans and pork. In the evening my brother went home to Framfield. In the evenings read part of the Jewish Antiquities.

In the morning my wife, self and 2 boys walked over to Framfield where we arrived about 7:40. We breakfasted at my mother’s. My sister, the 2 boys and my mother’s servant at church in the morning. In churchtime my cousin Anne Ovendean and their servant came to my mother’s and we all dined at my mother’s on a small fillet of veal roasted, a cold veal pasty, a plain batter pudding and currant pie. Only my mother’s servant at church in the afternoon. We stayed and drank tea at my mother’s and came home about 8:40, where we found Thomas Davy, to whom I read one of Tillotson’s sermons. This day I took physic. Our servant at home today dined on beans and pork.

…At home all day. In the evening my brother came over to have 2 more blisters laid on behind ears, which I accordingly laid on. In the afternoon drew out part of a genealogical table for Thomas Davy.

Took physic today. Paid Mr Beckett 16/- for 1 piece of figured lawn bought of him today. Dame Prall a-washing for us all day. We dined on piece of pork and peas and a butter pudding cake for my brother. In reading Josephus’s Jewish Antiquities I find his opinion was (or at least it was a prevailing notion in his time) that the earth was the center of the planetary system. Mr Francis. Elless drank tea with us. At home all day and read part of Josephus’s Jewish Antiquities. My wife very ill. Halland gardener made me a present of 2 melons.

Dame Prall a-washing for us today… This day we had a tempest of thunder, lightning, wind and rain, which began about 12:30 and continued until about 1:20 and then went off till about 6:10 when it came up again and continued till about 10 o’clock. I believe I may say it thundered with some short intervals between from about. 8:45 in the morning until 9:45 at night. Paid Dame Prall 12d for 2 days’ washing. Read part of Josephus’s Jewish Antiquities.

Paid Robert Durrant 7/6 in full for riding my colt. Thomas Davy being taken very ill this morning, my brother rode my colt to Doctor Stone’s for him to come to him; and when he was in the Street, he came and paid my wife a visit. My brother came back and dined with us on some beans and pork. In the afternoon my brother went home again on foot. Paid Will Wenham in money and goods 12d in full for bringing of goods from Lewes for me. Mrs Virgoe drank tea with us in the afternoon, and she and I balanced accounts…