Author: Thomas Turner

Paid the Rev Mr Thomas Porter in cash 4.9.8, which with the £6 paid him the 11th instant makes together the sum of 10.9.8, which is in full for the bill I received of him the 28th November on Messrs Swainstone and Hedges, and which I then gave him my note of hand for, but have now taken it up, Paid Joseph Fuller 9d for the 2 bullock’s kidneys I received on Saturday, and for 2 lbs skirts I received by him today. Fanny Weller a-ironing for us all day. We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a skirt pudding, turnips and potatoes… In the afternoon my brother came over and I sent my mother by him one bill on Messrs Margesson and Collison… but I have not as yet received any money from my mother on the said bill.

At home all day. Master Piper and his wife drank tea with us. Paid Fanny Weller 9d for today’s work and half the day on Saturday. My wife continues very ill–I mean lame. In the evening wrote my London letters.

In the afternoon my brother came over for some napped rug, which he paid me for. At home all day. In the evening read part of Horneck’s Great Law of Consideration. My wife continues very lame. A very cold day.

We dined on the remains of Sunday, Monday and yesterday’s dinners with the addition of a light pudding and some turnips. This being St Thomas’s day, I relieved the following poor with one penny each and a draught of beer:

1	Richard Braizer	9	Will Henly
2	John Dan	10	John Durrant
3	Will Eldridge	11	Sam Jenner
4	Elizabeth Day	12	Thomas Heath
5	John Streeter	13	Richard Heath
6	Dame Burrage	14	Ed Badcock Jr
7	Richard Trill	15	Thomas Tester
8	Francis Turner	16	John Elless

17	James Emery	25	Widow Cain
18	Roger Vallow	26	Thomas Ling
19	Elizabeth Plumb	27	Will Slarkes
20	Thomas Dallaway	28	Ann Wood
21	Widow Cornwell	29	Edward Babcock
22	Susan Swift	30	Richard Vinal
23	Richard Prall	31	Widow Bristow
24	Robert Baker	32	Widow Gower

At home all day. In the evening posted part of my day book and read part of Horneck’s Law of Consideration. My wife continues very lame. Very busy all day.

Paid Joseph Fuller Jr in cash £20, being in full for the same sum paid the 19th instant by Mr Ready (on his account) to Messrs Margesson and Collison for me… Completed posting my day book. At home all day. In the evening my wife read part of Horneck’s Law of Consideration.

At home all day. We dined on a beef pudding and some boiled tripe. Wrote out Mr Coates’s bill. Pretty busy all day. And I think I may say a thorough wet day. My wife continues very lame and myself a deal disordered with a cold and a slight fever. In the evening my wife and self read part of Horneck’s Great Law of Consideration.

Paid Mr Sam Beckett…to a letter put in the penny post 0.0.1… This day sent Mr Coates’s bill by the 2 boys… We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a light pudding and turnips. At home all day and very busy. In the evening my wife read to me part of Horneck’s Great Law of Consideration.

In the morning myself, two boys and servant at church. Myself and servant stayed the communion. I gave 6d. The text in I Corinthians 10:31: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” This being Christmas Day the widow Marchant, Hannah Marchant and James Marchant dined with us on a buttock of beef boiled, a plum suet pudding and pearl barley pudding, turnips, potatoes and bouillis pie. myself, two boys and servant at church again in the afternoon; the text in Galatians 4:4,5: “But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” The widow, James and Hannah Marchant drank tea with us. Thomas Davy at our house in the evening, to whom I read two nights of The Complaint, one of which was the Christian triumph against the fear of death, which must be allowed by all Christians a noble subject, it being the redemption of mankind by Jesus Christ. I think the author has treated it in a very moving and pathetic manner.

In the morning sent Mr Robert Plumer (by the post) one bill…23.10.6 of which is in full on my account, and the remainder, 17.4.6, is in full on my mother’s account, which sum I received from my mother by my brother the 12th instant. About 11:20 my brother William came to see me, who dined with us (the two boys dining at Joseph Fuller’s) on the remains of yesterday’s dinner…

About 3:20 I was sent for down to John Jones’s, there being a public vestry for the choosing surveyors of the highways for the year ensuing. The present surveyors, William Piper and Joseph Durrant, wanted me to draw up an account for them to carry to the sitting, which I did; viz.,

By sundry disbursements	3.4.0
By cash received of several defaulters and others	3.4.0

Now they had disbursed in reality but 2.18.0; so there remains in the surveyors’ hands 6/-, with which they are to secure the arch of Scallow Bridge and put up some posts etc. I then wrote the nomination of the surveyors for the ensuing year, which were Richard Hope and John Vine Jr. The electioners were Jeremiah French and Joseph Burgess. I came home about 6:10. Master Bull at Whitesmith stayed about an hour or two with me in the first of the evening. And when the vestry broke up, Will Piper, Thomas Fuller and Mr Hutson called at our house in their way home, according to their annual custom; that is, of Mr Piper and Thomas Fuller. They stayed till 12:20 and, I may say, still continued encroaching for liquor till they two were as drunk as they could walk. Oh, that mankind should give way so much to this pernicious vice which incapacitates his reason so that he may more justly be ranked amongst the brute creation.

My brother stayed all night. I received by the post from Mr Plumer a receipt for the bill I sent him today, which he says is in full of mine and my mother’s account.

Gave the following boys (as box-money):

The post	0.1.0
Thomas Turner	0.0.6
Sam Tooth	0.0.3
Thomas Smith	0.0.3
	0.2.0

and Dame Trill on the parish account.2/-. Paid Mr Will Piper 4/- tor my highway tax. Very busy (thank God) all day. Gave some boys who came a-singing 3d.

Rec’d of Mr John Vine Jr in cash 5.5.0 on account. Paid Mr Heaver the miller at Isfield in cash 0.10.6 for 1½ bushels oatmeal received by him today. My brother dined with us on the remains of Sunday’s dinner and stayed with me until near 4 o’clock. Thomas Davy at our house in the evening, to whom I read one of the nights of The Complaint. Gave the following as box-money:

To James Trill	0.0.6
To Stephen Starnes	0.0.6
	0.1.0

At home all day

At home all day. We dined on the remains of Sunday’s dinner with the addition of a light pudding and turnips. Joseph Fuller, Thomas Davy and James Awcock drank tea with us… Thomas Davy and I played at cribbage in the evening; I won of him 3d. This evening Mrs Porter was safely delivered of a fine boy. Gave the followings as box money:

To James Fuller	0.1.0
To Robert Hook	0.0.3
	0.1.3