Author: Thomas Turner

Delivered to Ben Shelley per my servant forty-two guineas in order for him to pay in London for me. Gave Mr Joseph Burgess in cash £10 in exchange for a bank bill of the same value, payable to Sam Dash Esq or bearer, dated 30th March 1763, drawn by John White, entered per W. Rawlins, No. H 223.

I dined on a hog’s knuckle boiled, an apple pudding and greens. Mr Long drank tea with me. Rec’d of Charles Diggens 2.15.6. At home all day and very busy. Paid Mrs Elizabeth Browne in cash £20 in part of her parish bills. My servant very ill today. Paid Mr Richard Stone per his servant Thomas Collins 3.13.10 in full for his parish bill.

My servant very ill. Molly Hook came to assist me with the house and dined with me on some broiled sausages and eggs boiled. At home all day but very little to do.

Rec’d of William Wenham 16/- in full for Poor tax. Rec’d of him also 6/4, and from Mrs Browne 19/- which I am to send to the excise office for their hop duty, the day of payment being tomorrow. I accordingly sent both the said sums enclosed in a letter to Mr Thomas Scrase at the White Hart, Lewes, for him to pay the same and delivered it to Mr George Bannister to carry for me.

In the evening read part of The Universal Magazine for March…
 

…I dined on some beef boiled and broth. At home all day and very busy. My servant very ill…In the evening Thomas Davy and I played a few games of cribbage; I won of him 6d.

In the forenoon walked down to Halland with some silver. Rec’d of Mr James Bristed by Joseph Durrant in cash 1.6.0 in full for poor tax and half a year’s land tax due at Lady Day last. Rec’d of Mr French 4.3.0 in full for poor tax.

I dined on some boiled sausage, a plain batter pudding and greens. My brother came over in the afternoon, and he, James Marchant and Dame Alcorn drank tea with me…

–I dined on some calf’s liver fried. Rec’d of Thomas Reeve by the payment of his daughter 21/- in full for poor tax.

Samuel Jenner, coming in the evening, took part of my bed. At home all day and pretty busy. My servant quite indifferent all day.

In the morning I set out for Ticehurst with James Marchant in order to carry him to his parish, which he had sworn upon the said parish, and which Mr French had yesterday taken out an order to remove him to. I arrived at Ticehurst about 9:50 and delivered him to Mr Fuller, a glover there.

I went to church and heard a sermon preached by the Rev Mr Medlicott, vicar of the same parish, from Matthew 5:17: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”

I dined at Mr Noakes’s on a calf’s head and bacon boiled. I must pass over anything more than this I got so very drunk that I came no farther than the Half Moon where I lodged all night, and in coming there I received a fall and hurt myself very much. Had it not been for an overruling Providence I must I think inevitably have been lost. May this, oh, may it for ever prevent my drinking anything stronger than water as my brains were so weak that even the smell of liquor almost makes me drunk.
 

Came home about 10:50. I am such a terror and burden to myself I can say no more than this: was I possessed of the Indies, I think I would dispose of them in exchange for that peace of mind I enjoyed on Saturday evenings more than now.

Delivered to Mr Ben Shelley in cash 40 guineas for him to pay in London for me. I dined on part of a calf’s pluck. Oh, my insupportable mind! Who can support the terrors of a wounded conscience? Oh! do I detest myself! Let me fly to divine justice for mercy and humbly ask grace to prevent my misdoing again.

At home all day. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. But, alas! who can describe–no, imagination itself can’t paint the anxiety of my mind. I loathe, abhor and even detest myself. Oh, the infirmities and frailty of nature!

At home all day. I dined on some boiled sausages. Oh, how bad are I! Nothing, no, nothing but tumult and outrage is in my breast. May it please God to bless me with a true and real piety that I may never more be guilty of that sin of intemperance.

Mrs Fuller and her 2 daughters drank tea with me.