Author: Thomas Turner

…Busy at work in my garden all day at times. In the afternoon posted my day book and wrote up Mr Thomas Balcombe’s bill. In the evening Mr Elless and I walked down to Thomas Lewer’s in order to get in his debt, but found him not at home. Read in the evening one of Tillotson’s sermons. This has been an extreme fine day, being the first, fine day we have had since the 15th instant.

…We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a piece of pork boiled, a damson batter pudding, white cabbage, carrots and garden beans… Thomas at our house in the evening, to whom I read one of Tillotson’s sermons.

John Watford a-gardening for me all day… In the forenoon my brother came over, but did not stay. I gave him 7/6 to pay for the keeping of my colt due on Tuesday next. Dame Smith of Laughton and her daughter drank tea with us, they buying many things in the shop… At home all day and at work in my garden the greatest part of the day. In the evening wrote out a list for John Watford of people in this parish properly qualified to serve in the militia; viz., all such as are between the ages of 18 and 50, parish and peace officers and apprentices excepted, which in our parish, according to the said list amount to 45 persons. I also wrote him out a list of the persons properly qualified to serve on juries in this parish, which are but 6. In the evening read one of Tillotson’s sermons.

About 6:45 Mr Joseph Burgess and I set out for Lewes on foot, to ask advice whether we could remove Elizabeth Day, a certificate person to our parish (but now big with child), but none of the justices being in town, their clerk, Mr Ed Verral, informed us that we could not remove her. But the child, though born a bastard, would not belong to this parish… When I came back, I dined on the remains of what my family left; viz., some cold duck and some cold bullock’s heart pie…

After I came back from Lewes, wrote a letter for Joseph Fuller to Mr George Tomlin, hop-factor, with 1 pocket hops. Rec’d by the post today from Mr John Collison 4 Lottery. tickets. No. 66612 is Mrs Atkins’s; No. 66546 is my wife’s, in which two tickets my wife and Mrs Atkins are to be share and share alike if it should be their fortune to have a prize in either of the tickets; No. 6643 between my brother and self; and No. 66611 is to be between Thomas Davy and our servant. N.B.: I received 10/6 of my brother the 22nd instant for his half of mine. In the evening Thomas Davy at our house to whom I read a sermon preached by the Rev Mr James Hervey, A.M., rector of Weston-Favell in Northamptonshire, being preached on some of the late fast days. I bought 3 of them today at Lewes, being lately published and stitched together. John Watford at work a-gardening for me all day…

My whole family at church in the mornings. We dined on a cold bullock’s heart pie and cucumbers. My whole family at church in the afternoon; the text in Job 31:3: “Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?” From which words we had an excellent sermon, setting forth to us in a very expressive and persuasive manner the danger which every sinner runs of incurring the punishment of Hell, and also, how severe the punishment of Hell will be. Oh, may the good God give me his grace that the words I have this day heard may sink deep into my heart and produce in me a thorough reformation, and that I may every day bring forth fruits meet for repentance! In the evening Thomas Davy at our house, to whom, and in the day, I read 2 of Tillotson’s and of Hervey’s sermons.

In the morning my brother came over to inform me that Mr Stone of Stonebridge was dead (and that he died. very suddenly). After staying at my house about a quarter of an hour, he went to Stonebridge to ask for the funeral, and I walked over to Framfield where I had not been long before [he came back], but without any success, for he could not get to serve the funeral. I dined at my mother’s in company with Mr William Bennett on some cold beef, French beans and a butter pudding cake… I came walking home. My brother and Mr Bennett came and brought me going on my road part of the way. At home all the remaining part of the day. In the evening read one Tillotson’s sermons. Now let me reflect on the sudden death of Mr Stone, who went to bed in seemly good health about 9 o’clock and was found dead about 11. Oh, what a sudden change is here! What a lesson of mortality to teach mankind always to be in a state prepared to meet death!…

[89 words omitted].

Rec’d of Joseph Fuller 1 sheep’s head and bell 6d. We dined on the sheep’s liver fried and some rashers of pork. In the afternoon my brother came over, but did not stay. At home all day. Thomas Davy at our house in the evening, to whom I read 2 of Tillotson’s Sermons. A very dull time; nothing to do. Dame Hook owes me 10/6 in the way of change; viz., I going there to get silver for a guinea, gave them the guinea, but they had no more in silver than 10/6, which I had and left them the guinea.

In the afternoon I set out with Mrs Virgoe on one of her brother’s horses to Mr John Burgess’s at Brook House in Rotherfield in order to ask his advice in regard to selling and letting her house at Lewes… We arrived about 12:25; we dined there on a: piece of pork and white cabbage, 2 stinking plaice boiled, and a cold lamb pie. (My family at home dined on a sheep’s lights boiled and minced, the head, tongue, brains and French beans).

We stayed and drank tea at Mr Burgess’s and, came home about 7 o’clock. Mr Burgess has a sister to keep his house, whose name is Jael, and I think the greatest oddity I ever saw. It’s her misfortune to be deformed by nature; i.e., squint-eyed, a great stammering in her speech, and very much on one side. But yet her greatest misfortune is that of her unhappy temper, for she even appears to be so miserable that we may justly say she is poor in the abundance of riches. In the evening read one of Tillotson’s sermons. In the morning Dr Snelling and his father called on me, but did not stay. I paid Dr Snelling 18d on account for my brother Moses.

…Mr Breeden of Pevensey called on me in his road from London and dined with us on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a sheep’s heart, pudding, some mutton chops and French beans. He stayed about an hour after dinner. My brother came over in the afternoon, but did not stay. I received of him the 18d I paid Dr Snelling yesterday. Mr Bulpit, Messrs Heywood and Blake’s rider, called on me, and my brother and he, together with myself, went down to Jones’s and stayed about half an hour. At home all day. In the evening read one of Tillotson’s sermons.

We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some beef boiled and carrots with an apple-pudding… Paid Mr Samuel Beckett… to 5 lbs gingerbread for my mother, 0.2.6… At home all day and busy. In the evening read one of Tillotson’s sermons.