Author: Thomas Turner

In the forenoon posted part of my day book. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the afternoon my brother came over to stand the shop for me, I being a-going to Uckfield. I set out on foot about 5:50 and called on Mr French to accompany me agreeable to appointment, but the weather being likely to prove unpleasant, I stayed and drank tea there and spent the evening till about 7:30.

Elizabeth Trill drank tea with my brother in my absence. My brother stayed and smoked a pipe or two with me and then went home.

…I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Rec’d by Philip from my brother Moses in cash 8.15.0, for which I sent him 1 draft on Mr Will Margesson…

At home all day. Almost a continual wet day. In the evening Mr Long sat with me a little time. This day agreed with John Watford to keep Elizabeth Burrage another year, the parish being to find her in clothes. Oh, melancholy time!
 

Myself and servant at church in the morning… I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Myself and servant both at church in the afternoon… Rec’d of the Rev Mr Porter £4 in full for the interest of £100 due from him to this parish the 20th Nov. last for the same sum left to this parish by the will of Samuel Atkins Esq deceased, which interest is yearly to be distributed among the poor of this parish according to the will and liking of the minister and officers of the parish.

We accordingly disposed of the said interest money as follows:

Richard Brazier	0.2.0	Susan Burrage	0.1.0
Edward Babcock	0.1.0	John Durrant	0.4.0
Widow Dan	0.2.0	Thomas Tester	0.6.0
James Emery	0.3.0	Richard Vinal	0.3.0
		Peter Adams	0.2.0
Richard Heath	0.3.0	Ann Woods	0.1.0
Sam Jenner	0.3.0	Will Eldridge	0.8.0
Richard Prall	0.3.0	Thomas Ling	0.3.0
John Streeter	0.2.0	Thomas Roase	0.5.0
Susan Swift	0.2.0	Widow Cain	0.2.0
Will Starks [Slarks]	0.5.0	Widow Cornwell	0.2.0
Francis Turner	0.3.0	Will Sinden	0.3.0
Widow Trill	0.2.0	Thomas Dalloway	0.2.0
Sarah Thunder	0.3	William Elphick	0.5.0
			4.3.0

As the sum given away did exceed the interest money, Mr Porter made it up out of the money given at the sacrament. As there were several people in the list who were not at church, I kept the money for them and they were as under:

James Emery	0.3.0
Will Elphick	0.5.0
Richard Heath	0.3.0
Peter Adams	0.2.0
	013.0

which money I stand debtor to them for.

After church I and Joseph Fuller went into Mr Porter’s, where we stayed and smoked several pipes of tobacco. Came home about 6:50. Paid Mr Porter 1/- for the burying of John Dan who was buried today. In the evening we had a great deal of snow fall, but no frost. Indeed it snowed at times all day. In the evening read one of Tillotson’s sermons.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a plain suet pudding and Savoy greens. After dinner I walked down to Halland on some business with Mrs Coates concerning the price of raisins, but did not stay.

Pretty busy all day. Master Jenner, coming in the evening, took part of my bed. In the evening wrote my London letters. A very sharp frost in the morning; a good deal of snow fell in the night, but a very fine sunny day. Ah, the continual disquietude of my mind! What course to steer I hardly know…

…A great deal of snow fell in the night and a very hard rain in the forenoon. Sam Jenner dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a piece of pork and some turnips. In the evening Thomas Davy and I played a few games of cribbage; I won of him 10d. Sam Jenner took part of my bed, it being so wet the whole day that he could not get home.

I dined on a light pudding and Savoy greens. At home all day. Posted my day book. But a most melancholy time for trade and money. What to do I hardly know.

I dined on a piece of beef boiled and turnips. Paid Richard Heath the 3/- I received for him Sunday last. At home all day, but not very busy. In the evening wrote out some bills.
 

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some onion sauce. Mrs Browne drank tea with me, to whom I put out Anne Thomas Vinal to keep for one year from new Lady Day next, for which she is to have 20/- for keeping her, from the parish.

Sam Jenner and I played a few games of cribbage in the evening; neither of us won anything. A very wet day. Oh, a melancholy time! trade prodigious bad and money–none to be got…

Mr John Robinson, servant to Mr Will Margesson, called on me, and I paid him in cash 25.4.0, and the bill value 17.18.0 received of Mr Carman the 12th ult., which leaves due to Mr Willian Margesson on my account of goods £35. I also paid Mr Robison in cash £60 on my account of cash in Mr Margesson’s hands. …

At home all day and pretty busy. Oh, how does the thought of my forever-to-be-remembered wife continually run in my mind. Her charms, her virtues justify the thought she was virtuous, truly virtuous, and that my choice and without any alloy.
 

Mr Porter preaching at Chailey, Mr Chalice, his curate at Ripe, preached at our church. My servant only at church, I being really very ill. Thomas Durrant sat with me all the forenoon. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a plain suet pudding, a piece of a roast goose sent me from James Durrant’s, and cabbage. No service at our church in the afternoon.

Thomas Durrant drank coffee with me. In the evening read 2 of Tillotson’s sermons to Sam Jenner and Thomas Durrant. I being a good deal indisposed, persuaded Sam Jenner to stop all night with me, which he did.