In the morning Mr Burgess brought me a summons which Richard Braizer has lately been at Mr Courthope’s for, and he desired I would go and appear at Uckfield in his room, he being obliged to go to the funeral of John Carter, which was uncle to Mrs Burgess, to which I agreed upon condition he would lend me his mare to ride, which he did. The reason of Braizer’s complaint was: the parish has for several years past paid for keeping 2 of his girls, one about 10 and one about 12 years of age, one of which was kept by Richard Trill, the other by William Elphick. Both of these girls have for some time past been very saucy and impertinent, and Elphick, upon account thereof, corrected her by the order of a public vestry at Easter last, which so affronted Braizer that he declared she should live there no longer, pretending she was abused. Accordingly he took her home where she has been near 3 months and has lately demanded pay or relief for keeping her, which we refused; so he thereupon got a summons.
About 9:20 I set out for Uckfield, calling at the Nursery and taking Edmund Elphick along with me. I laid the story impartially before Mr Courthope, who severely reprimanded Braizer and told him all that he could do was to advise him to beg of the parish officers to put her out again to the same place. I came home about 1:50; after staying a short time, I went down to Mr Porter’s, this being the day of his tithe feast, and dined there on a buttock and piece of brisket beef boiled, a sirloin of beef roasted, turnips, carrots and a fine raisin bread suet pudding (my family at home dining on the remains of yesterday’s dinner) in company with Mr Porter, Mr Coates, Mr Jeremiah French, Mr Joseph Fuller, Mr Will Piper, John Vine Jr, Joseph Durrant, John Cayley, Ed Hope and Richard Hope. I paid Mr Porter 8/- in full for 1 year’s tithe, due at St Michael last. I stayed and smoked one pipe after dinner and then came home.
About 5:40 I set out to the house from which John Carter this day was buried in order to read the will of the deceased (by desire of Mr Burgess) to his relations, they all being all met to hear the same. I read the same to them, and in all their presence. The will of the deceased was, I think, dated the 6th May, 1754, and he thereby gives all his lands, movables and whatever he should die possessed of to his relict Susanna Carter during the time of her natural life or widowhood, and immediately after her decease or marriage, he gives his lands to his nephew Richard Carter and niece Elizabeth Carter, son and daughter of his brother Richard Carter, in trust for them to sell the same for the best price that can be gotten; and after taking out of the same five pounds apiece for their own over above their share, as shall hereafter appear, they are divided the same with the moneys arising from the sale etc. of the personal estate into 9 parts or shares, which he gives to the following: his nephews John and Harbour Wickersham, his nephews and nieces John and Joseph Seaman, Sarah Seaman and Elizabeth Jenner, and to the natural daughter of his niece Mary Seaman; and if any of the aforenamed should die before they come to enjoy their said share, then their issue is to enjoy the share of such parent so dying before they shall have enjoyed their said part. He also made his wife whole and sole executrix of his last will, contained on one sheet of paper, and which I believe was made by Mr Dungate, he being one of the witnesses.
I came home about 8:20 in company with Mr and Mrs Burgess. Thomas Davy at our house, in the evening, who supped with us. I Spent at Uckfield today on the parish account 14d, and I paid for shaving on my own account 3d.
