Author: Thomas Turner

…In the forenoon my brother came over… Rec’d of Mr John Vine Jr in cash £8 on account… At home all day. My wife continues very ill, though I hope in a mending way. In the evening wrote my London letters.

Sent Messrs Barlow and Wigginton enclosed in a letter by Shelley (delivered to a person whom Shelley sent from Uckfield for the letters) 1 bill on Mr Will Margesson… to my brother Moses… (which he endorsed himself yesterday) value 7.8.6… which bill is on his account to Messrs Barlow and Wigginton and is in part of the £20 I borrowed of him the 6th instant… In the afternoon my cousin Thomas Ovendean called on me and stayed some little time at our house. At home all day and but very little to do. My wife continues very ill. Ah, how melancholy is my present situation; but let me not repine at the dispensations of providence, but let me submit with cheerfulness to the divine will.

Paid Joseph Fuller Jr in cash £5 for the note of hand I gave him the 5th instant, and accordingly took up my said note… At home all day.

My wife continues very ill. It is impossible for tongue or pen to express the trouble I now feel on account of my wife’s illness, and the constant fears that I have she will never get the better of her illness. Oh, would the God of all blessings look down upon us in this our day of adversity and trouble and restore my wife to her former health and so pour the graces of his Holy Spirit into our hearts that we may live in love and unity and every day become better Christians!

We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of a piece of pork boiled, cabbage and potatoes. At home all day. My wife continues very ill, but I hope rather better.

…Mr Godfrey drank tea at our house. At home all day and my wife something better. In the evening wrote an advertisement for Mr Thornton.

…In the forenoon my cousin Molly Hill and cousins Bett and Ann Ovendean came to see us and dined with us on some veal cutlets fried and rashers of bacon, a piece of pork boiled, an apple pudding, turnips, carrots and green salad, as did Mr Long, who came in just as we had dined. My cousins stayed and drank tea with us and then went home. Dr Poole paid my wife another visit today and wrote her another prescription. Mr Stone by Dr Poole’s order let her blood. At home all day and pretty busy. My wife not so well again. Oh, melancholy time! My brother sent me by Philip today in cash £10 in order for some bills in London when he comes over.

No service at our church in the morning, Mr Porter preaching at Laughton. We dined on a leg of mutton roasted, potatoes and turnips. Myself, servant and Bett Mepham at church in the afternoon… We had a prayer with thanksgiving read for the success with which it has pleased Almighty God to bless his Majesty’s arms in North America. In the evening my wife took a vomit, who is, I hope, something better…

Lent Joseph Fuller Jr in cash £25, for which he gave me his note of hand payable to me or order on demand; he also gave me an order for Ben Shelley to take of Mr Evans any sum of money he should have occasion for, on my account, so that it did not exceed the sum of £10…

Delivered to Ben Shelley the order I received today of Joseph Fuller on Mr Evans. Mrs Vine Jr drank tea at our house. At home all day. Thomas Davy sat with us a while in the evening, to whom I read Bishop Gibson’s sermon against intemperance in meats and drink. In the evening wrote my London letters. Bett Mepham went away today ill. My wife I hope is something better, though now really very ill.

We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Mrs Fuller drank tea with my wife. At home all day; posted part of my day book. My wife really very ill.

…In the afternoon sent Philip to Mr John Vine’s (there being an audit held today) with two bills, one of which was for goods delivered for the audit, amounting to 2.7.2½, and the other for nails, 2.14.0½, on both of which bills I had written a receipt (and which was due to me as from the executors of the Rt Hon Henry Pelham Esq)… In the evening Philip brought me from Mr John Vine’s in cash 5.1.3, in full far the two bills I sent by him today.

Dame Martin drank tea at our house. At home all day; posted part of my day book. My wife continues very ill. Oh, what a melancholy time I have!