Author: Thomas Turner

Rec’d of Joseph Fuller 1 lb of beef. My brother came over to stand the shop for me in the afternoon and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some beefsteaks broiled.

In the afternoon I went up to the dwelling-house of the late Mr Will Piper, where Mr Porter and I settled the affairs relating to our trust, and upon making the balance of our account, there remains in my hands the sum of 5.5.4. I received my bill for goods delivered for the use of the family. We drank tea there and came home about 7:20. My brother went away immediately.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Pretty busy all day. At home all day. In the evening down to Mr Porter’s, where I stayed and supped; came home about 10:20, sober. Paid Mr Porter 8/- in full for 1 year’s rent for tithes due St Michael last.

I dined on a beef pudding and turnips. At home all day and pretty busy. In the evening my very much respected friend: and cousin Mr Hill came to see me and stayed with me all night.

In the morning my friend Mr Hill and I balanced accounts, and the balance due to me now remaining is £30, for which he gave me his note of hand…with interest for the same after the rate of five pounds percent per annum from the 1st day of April last.

After breakfast Mr Hill set out for home. At home all day and pretty busy. In the evening went into Joseph Durrant’s, where I stayed till about 12 o’clock and spent the evening in company with their own family and Mr Thornton, formerly an of officer of excise in this round and their boarder, but now an officer of excise at Spoondon in the county of Derby.

I cannot but say my stay was too long, for the liquor was too powerful for my brain, so that I was somewhat in liquor, though not very much, but however too much, and in reality more than is consistent with the Christian religion, and what I greatly lament as a great weakness in myself.

Myself at church in the morning… After churchtime Thomas Durrant and myself walked over to Framfield where we dined with my brother on a leg of mutton boiled, a piece of bacon, two chickens roasted, a batter pudding and cabbage. We stayed and spent the afternoon at my brother’s and came home about 5:20. We called in at Joseph Fuller’s, where we stayed and smoked a pipe or two.

…In the forenoon I, in company with John Piper, rode to Maresfield, there being a sitting of justices for the a surveyors of the highways’ business. Mr T. Carman, one of our surveyors, being a man young in office and I presume willing to show his power, had purposed to return several people in this parish as defaulters in their work on the roads. As many of the number were poor indigent people, I, at the desire of Mr Porter and several more of the principal inhabitants, went in order to plead in their behalf. Some of them I persuaded him not to return, and upon the whole there was a warrant granted for only three.

I stayed and dined there with a great number of people at a second ordinary; viz., on roast beef, a boiled leg of mutton, plum pudding, a ham of bacon, carrots, turnips and cabbage. We came home about 5:40… After I came home I went down to Mr Porter’s, where I stayed the evening. Came home about 10:10, after which I wrote my London letters.

…I dined on a piece of beef boiled and an apple pudding and turnips. At home all day and pretty busy.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Rec’d of John Sturt by the payment of his wife in cash 2.14.6 in full. At home all day and pretty busy.

Rec’d of Thomas Braizer of Laughton in cash £9, of which 4.10.0 is in full for 1 year’s interest due the 26th June last on a freehold mortgage, and the remaining 4.10.0 is in full for l year’s interest due on a copyhold mortgage the 24^th day of November last, both of which I received for the use of myself and the other devisees in trust of Mr Will Piper deceased…

At home all day and not very busy. In the evening Joseph Fuller Jr sat with me some time. Let me once more describe my uneasy situation, but at the same time acknowledge the many blessings of Providence which I enjoy far superior to many of my fellow creatures perhaps far more deserving of them than myself. But alas! what afflicts me is the loss of my dear Peggy,though in this I in no ways repine at the allwise dispensations of Providence. For I am well assured whatever is by the appointment of heaven is best for us, and I think it my duty to cheerfully submit… [131 words omitted]…

No one but a servant to trust the care of my concerns to or the management of my household affairs, which are now all confusion. My affairs abroad are neglected by my confinement at home, and were I to be more from home, my affairs there perhaps might still suffer a greater injury from my absence… [16 words omitted]… and for want of the company of the more softer sex and through my overmuch confinement I know I am become extreme awkward, and a certain roughness and boistrousness of disposition has seized on my mind. So the want of those advantages which flow from society and a free intercourse with the world and a too great delight in reading have brought my mind to that great degree of moroseness that it is neither agreeable to myself, nor can my company be so to others.
 

…In the afternoon Molly French and a kinswomen of hers, Mrs Thatcher, paid me a visit and stayed and drank some coffee with me (for tea they drink none).

They also stayed and spent the evening with me, together with Joseph and Richard Fuller and T. Durrant. We played at brag an hour or two. I won 4½d. They all supped with me on some bread and cheese and bread and butter and went away about 11:20…