Author: Thomas Turner

My wife and I both at church in the morning; the text, Proverbs 3:17: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.” Our maid came home in churchtime. We dined on the remains of Friday’s dinner with the addition of 4 eggs. My wife, maid and self at church in the afternoon. As soon as prayers were ended, Mr Jeremiah French and I went out and searched the public-houses; to wit, John Jones’s, where we found no one person but John Jones, from whence we went to Francis Turner’s, where we found a man and his wife who came in overnight. They seemed to be very sober sort of people and not a-drinking; so we did not meddle with them. We came back just as the people came out of church. Mr French went to Jones’s and had a dram, and I a pint of beer. At home all the remainder of the day. Thomas Davy spent about one hour with us in the evening.

A very wet night; also a remarkable quantity of rain fell all the forenoon. We dined on a piece of boiled beef, and pork with a butter pudding and greens. At home all day. In the evening read the newspaper and posted part of my day hook. Paid Thomas Cornwell 2/- for looking after my horse… Very busy in the evening.

This day I drew on Messrs Margesson and Collison 1 bill, value £22…which I sent to Mr William Pooley (by Smith) in full to this day. I also drew on them a bill, value £10 …which I sent to Mr John Crouch. I gave Francis Smith in cash £15 to pay in London for me. I also balanced accounts with Francis Smith and paid him in cash 1.12.6, which is in full to the 9th April… At home all day… Master Hards married at this church today. In the evening finished posting my day book. My wife and I read 4 numbers in the Freeholder.

We dined on the remains of Monday’s dinner with the addition of a piece of pork, light pudding and greens. At home all day, and gardening in the afternoon. In the evening read several numbers of the Freeholder, which I think is a proper book for anyone to look into at this critical juncture of affairs.

At home all day. We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some greens. Sent our maid to Framfield. I this day balanced accounts with Mrs Mary Virgoe… When I have paid [her a] note of hand, there will be nothing more between us, only a 13-quart glass bottle which I owe Mrs Virgoe for. After I had balanced with Mrs Virgoe, she paid me 3/- for expenses I had been at besides. Gave 6d to a Brief for fire, which was collected from house to house. Paid Joseph Fuller 2/- for 1 stone of beef. I find myself to have got a very great cold. In the evening read part of the Freeholder. Thomas Davy here in the evening and sat with us about 2 hours.

At home all day. My uncle Hill dined with us (he coming in just as we were going to dinner). My uncle stayed and smoked one pipe with us after dinner. We dined on a piece of boiled beef, suet and light pudding with some greens. At work in my garden in the afternoon, and in the evening read Homer’s Odyssey…

At home all day and busy. We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a batter pudding baked under some beef for tomorrow’s dinner. My brother drank tea with us. This day received a letter by the post, signed “Nash, Eddows and Martin”, acknowledging the receipt of the bill sent to Mr Pooley the 27th April… Rec’d by Smith the breeches I bought of Mr Hart the 22nd April. In the evening read 3 numbers of the Freeholder.

Myself, wife and maid at church in the forenoon; the text in Zechariah 5:4: “I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name, and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.”

We dined on the piece of beef baked yesterday. All at church in the afternoon; the text in II Peter 1:10: “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” After churchtime paid the poor; viz.,

To Ann Wood	4/-
To Edward Babcock	4/-
To the widow Pilfold	6/-
To John Streeter for house-rent and looking after the widow Pilfold	3/-

We had this day two very fine discourses. That in the morning was to dissuade mankind from fraud and swearing, and in the afternoon to make it our greatest concern to prepare ourselves for a future state. Thomas Davy sat with us about 3 hours in the evening. Gave notice of a public vestry to we held on Wednesday next to put out children.

At home all day… Dame Gower of Laughton and her daughter drank tea with us… Sent Francis Smith by Thomas Hemsley in cash 11.1.0, which he in to pay in London for me.

At home all day and busy. Dame Martin and her daughter Ann dined with us on the remains of Sunday’s dinner. They stayed and drank tea with us. In the afternoon posted some London accounts, and in the evening read some old magazines wherein I find the charges of a brief in the year 1740 was 513.6.4; to wit,

Lord Chancellor’s fiat and signing	38.10.0
The patent	25.18.2
The printing	20.5.0
The stamping 9871 copies	13.10.0
The laying and collecting these at 10d each, within the bills mortality at 10d each	415.3.2

But now the charges of the fiat, patent, printer and register for stamping amounts only to 1½d per parish, and the undertaker has only 6d per parish for laying and collecting; then the charge will be 298.3.8¾

To 9871 copies at 1¼d each	51.8.2¾
To laying and collecting these at 6d Each	246.15.6