Author: Thomas Turner

As soon as we arose, Mr Collison and I walked over to Framfield (sending his horse to Uckfield by Thomas Davy). We breakfasted at my mother’s, and after breakfast my mother paid Mr Collison in cash 15.7.6, which left due to balance £18. Mr Collison went away about 10:10. I stayed and dined at my mother’s on a roasted sparerib, apple sauce and cold butter pudding cake… I stayed and drank tea at my mother’s and came home about 5:10. My brother came home with me for some coffin letters, but did not stay, going home again directly.

My wife in my absence today received of Mr Jeremiah French the £12 I lent him the 2nd instant. But as I was not at home, he did not take up his note. My wife also in my absence paid Clymson the glover in cash 0.15.10 for the following goods received by him today:

19 pairs men’s outseamed tan	0.9.6
12 pairs boys’ do.	0.4.0
2 pairs cuffs	0.2.4

Thomas Davy at our house this evening, to whom I read part of Sherlock on death and the book of the prophet Joel. An extreme sharp frosty day and a very remarkable thick rime all day.

At home all day. Posted my day book. Paid Joseph Fuller 0.2.9 for 11 lbs beef received by him today. We dined on the remains of Tuesday’s dinner with the addition of a plain suet pudding and some Savoy greens. In the afternoon our servant went over to Framfield for some currants. In the evening finished reading of Horneck’s Great Law of Consideration, which I think a very good subject, and I am thoroughly persuaded that the only motive the author had in writing it was the salvation of men’s souls. But in my own private opinion it is not written so well as many pieces of divinity which I have read, there being too great a redundancy of words to express one and the same thing.

A very sharp frost today, and a considerable quantity of snow fell. Our servant sat up with Mrs Porter.

Gave Mr Jeremiah French the note of hand he gave me the 2nd instant, value £12, which he paid to my wife the 18th instant. We dined on a hot beef pie and a baked rice pudding. My brother came over this afternoon, but did not stay. A very sharp day; a considerable quantity of snow fell today.

In the day read part of The Universal Magazine for December, and in the evening read a pamphlet entitled “Primitive Christianity prepounded or an Essay To revive the Antient Mode or manner of Preaching the Gospel“. This is a pamphlet which I imagine to be written by a Baptist preacher in favour of preaching without notes. I must in my own private opinion say that I can see no harm consequent on our method of reading, as the author is pleased to call it. But I must acknowledge the idle lazy way of preaching, which many of our clergy are got into, seeming rather to make self-interest the motive for the exercising their profession than the eternal happiness and salvation of men’s souls. To which if we add the intolerable degree of pride and covetousness predominant in too many of our clergy, we need not wonder at our degeneracy from the strict piety with which our fore-fathers worshipped God in the first ages of Christianity. I would not by this digression be thought to derogate from the Established Church of England. No! but only I think the precept and practice in most (that is, in too many of us) are opposite to each other.

…We dined on the remains of Tuesday’s and yesterday’s dinners with the addition of a light pudding and some potatoes. At home all day. Sure an extreme sharp day; some small snow fell today. Thank God indifferently busy all day. Master Bull of Whitesmith sat an hour or two with us in the evening.

Myself and two boys at church in the morning… John Hide, Mr Will Bennett’s apprentice, called on me after churchtime, but did not stay. Just as we were a-going to dinner, my brother Will came in, who dined with us on a piece of beef boiled, two raisin suet puddings and some potatoes. Just after we had dined Mr Tucker came in, who dined on the remains of what we left. My wife, two boys and servant at church in the afternoon. Just as they came from church, my brother Moses came. About 5 o’clock. Mr Joseph Hill’s servant called for my brother Will, and both went away immediately. Mr Tucker and my brother Moses stayed and drank some coffee with us, and both went away about seven o’clock. A very sharp frosty day; a great deal of snow upon the ground. In the evening and in the day read the first Sunday in The Whole Duty of Man.

Rec’d of Joseph Fuller in cash 10½d and 1 lb mutton, 3¼d, which together makes l4d and is in full to this day. Sent by John Streeter to Mr Sam Durrant in Lewes in cash £17; viz.,4 36-shilling pieces, 1 27-shilling piece, 3 guineas, 10 half-guineas and 1 shilling in order for him to send me a bill for the said sum.

We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a pound of mutton stewed and some turnips and potatoes. Balanced accounts with Mrs Virgoe, widow, and received of her 0.18.3 in full… Rec’d back by the post from Mr Sam Durrant (in lieu of the cash sent him today) one bill, value £17, on Sir Joseph Hankey and partners… My brother came over in the afternoon. He, Mrs Virgoe and Joseph Fuller Jr drank tea at our house. In the evening about 7:20 I went down to James Marchant’s, there being a concert of three violins and a German flute. I came home about 11:10. Our company was Mr Welman, Joseph Fuller, Thomas Durrant, James Marchant, Mr Elless, Thomas Daw, James Awcock, Joseph Smith, James Holden and myself.

…We dined on the remains of Sunday’s dinner with the addition of some mutton broth. This day gave a man 6d who came to the door under pretence of [being] a broken chandler, whose misfortune appeared to proceed from being surety for a friend. James Marchant drank tea at our house and stayed and spent part of the evening with us. Thomas Davy also sat with us a while in the latter part of the evening. This day began a very mild thaw.

Mr Francis Elless supped with us (we eating no dinner) on a piece of beef and a duck roasted, a light pudding and greens. Mr French this day made me a present of a fine goose and gave my wife and me an invitation to come and see him and Mrs French tomorrow. In the afternoon wrote out part of Mr James Hutson’s bill. At home all day. Thomas Fuller Jr came in by accident to our house, and he stayed and supped with us. He with Mr Elless stayed and spent the evening with us. In the day read part of the Medical Essays. A very fine, gentle thaw continues.

…We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a boiled duck and some turnips. About 3:20 Thomas Fuller Jr went with my wife down to Whyly, she riding on one of Joseph Fuller’s horses, and about 6:30 I walked down to Mr French’s, where we stayed and supped (in company with Joseph Fuller, his wife, two daughters and son Joseph) on three boiled ducks, two rabbits roasted, part of a cold loin of roasted pork, sausages, hog’s pudding and pear pie. We played at cards; my wife and I won 7½d. We gave their servant 6d each; that is, 12d between us. We came home between twelve and one o’clock, and I may say quite sober, considering the house we were at, though undoubtedly the worse for drinking, having I believe contracted a slight impediment in my speech, occasioned by the fumes of the liquor operating too furiously on my brain.

At home all day. We dined on the remains, of Wednesday and yesterday’s dinners with the addition on a cheap kind of soup, the receipt for making of which I took out of The Universal Magazine[1] for December as recommended (by James Stonehouse MD at Northampton) to all poor families as a very cheap and nourishing food. The following is the receipt:

“Take half a pound of beef, mutton, or pork, cut into small pieces; half a pint of peas, three sliced turnips, and three potatoes cut very small, an onion or two, or a few leaks; put to them three quarts and a Pint of water; let it boil gently on a very slow fire about two hours and an half, then thicken it with a quarter Pound of ground Rice, and half a quarter of a Pound of oatmeal(or a quarter of a Pound of Oatmeal and no rice); Boil it for a quarter of an hour after the thickening is put in Stirring it all the time; then season it with salt, ground Pepper or pounded ginger to your taste.”

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This in my opinion is a very good palatable cheap nourishing diet. John Watford and his wife and James Marchant drank tea at our house. In the evening read part of the 6th volume of Medical Essays.

[1] https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015021715092&view=1up&seq=9