Author: Thomas Turner

In the morning I continued making the poor book, Mr Elless helping me and breakfasting with us. At home all day making up the parish accounts. My wife at church; we dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. …This day Dame Vinal brought me a summons from Mr Courthope to appear before him tomorrow morning by 10 o’clock to show cause why we use the poor so hardly. In the evening we had a public vestry when it was agreed by the consent of the majority of the said vestry to make a poor rate for the relief of the poor at the rate of 3/6 to the pound. We charged 5/- to the parish account for money spent at Jones’s tonight, but not paid.

This day gave John Jones my note of hand for 2.4.9 for money spent at Jones’s on Hyland’s affair. The people at the vestry were: Jo and Thomas Fuller, Jo Durrant, William Piper, Jo Burgess, Jer. French, T. Turner, Peter Adams, John Cayley. This day paid John Cayley in cash 2/- for 1 year’s rent for Mrs Browne’s seat in the church.

In the morning went up and called Master Piper and then proceeded on our journey to Uckfield to meet Dame Vinal. We called at my mother’s, but did not stay. When we came before Mr George Courthope, I represented the truth of Dame Vinal’s affair to him and convinced him we were not hard to our poor, or at least not in this point as Dame Vinal went about. Mr Courthope reprimanded her very much for coming to him with such a heap of lies and told us he would grant her nothing unless we liked to give her daughter’s child a pair of shoes, which I assured I would. We spent at Uckfield 12d and gave Mr Courthope’s clerk 12d for his signing our poor book.

As we came home, we called and dined at my mother’s on some short bones broiled… As we came home, we called at Whyly. I stayed there and drank tea and came home about 4:20… In the evening went up to Joseph Fuller’s to inform him how I made out. Thomas Davy sat with us in the evening, to whom I read a part of Castalio and Julia. This day Mr Samuel Durrant of Waldron delivered a certificate to me for Elizabeth Day and Ann her daughter, signed the 4th instant by Nicholas Attwood, John Smith and John Jones, allowed the 5th of this instant by Luke Spence and John Bridger Esq and attested by Samuel and John Durrant.

In the morning my whole family at church… We dined on a piece of bacon boiled, light pudding, parsnips and potatoes. My whole family at church this afternoon… After churchtime I paid the poor as under:

To Widow Pilfold	0.6.0
To Dame Trill	0.6.0
To Ed Babcock	0.4.0
To Ann Wood	0.4.0
To John Streeter etc. for house rent etc. for Widow Pilfold	0.3.0
Gave him more	0.1.0
Paid Dame Trill as by agreement	0.1.0
	1.5.0

In the evening read two of Tillotson’s sermons. Not out anywhere today except at church, nor any person to interrupt my spending the day with pleasure. A remarkable cold, frosty day and some snow fell.

At home all day. Paid Jo Fuller the 10/6 borrowed of him the 28th February, Gave John Streeter 12d for getting the poor book signed for me by John Bridger Esq. Paid Dame Trill 3/- in full for keeping Ann Braizer, due today, and then I gave her 6d over… This day Thomas Daw came to me and informed me if the parish would not find him a shop to work in or allow him 2/6 a week, he would make his complaint to a justice. I then assured him I would call a vestry next Sunday and represent his complaint to the parish.

Gave Mr Thomas Smith in cash £10 for him to pay in London for me… About 2:40 my brother called on me in order to go to Lewes to meet Mr Fletcher… About 4:50 my brother and I set off for Lewes on foot, where we arrived about 6:40. We spent the evening at the White Horse in company with Mr Fletcher, Mr George Kemp, Mr John Webb, Mr Thorn, Mr Friend, George Richardson and my brother and self. We broke up about 10:30, all very sober except my brother. We lodged at the White Horse all night. Paid Mrs Stemp 6d for 1 quart yeast and 2 bladders.

In the morning bought of Mr Fletcher a parcel of goods, and breakfasted at the White Horse in company with Mr Atree, Mr Fletcher, George Richardson, my brother and self. I called on Mr Madgwick, Mrs Roase, Mr Hook and Will Bennett. We dined at the White Horse on a leg of mutton boiled with caper sauce, potatoes, turnips and a plum bread pudding… After smoking a pipe or two after dinner my brother and I set off home where we arrived about 6:30, very sober. I paid Mrs Roase 11d for 1 m. [of] 2d hobs. Bought today as under:

1 pr muffitees	0.0.4½
1 lamp	0.1.0
Expenses this journey:
Gave the maid	0.0.3
Spent on liquor etc.	0.0.3¾
Paid reading a book	0.0.3
	0.2.2¼

My brother stayed at my house all night. Gave a soldier 12d on the parish account.

In the morning two men from Willingdon came to my house in order to take mine or my mother’s shop. After breakfasting at my house they and my brother and myself went over to my mother’s, where we stayed and dined on some beef-steaks (my family at home dined on a piece of pork and parsnips). After drinking tea at my mother’s, the two men and I came home. They stayed at our house all night.

After breakfast the two men went away. The person who wants to hire the shop, his name is Streton, about 22 years of age, and I conject never in this trade nor any other, one who has seen most parts of England and read a great deal and is extremely gay; but I believe he is in reality a very indifferent scholar; though to do him justice, I believe him to have a fine genius and an extensive capacity to attain to learning, had he but an opportunity. I doubt he has drawn in some of the Romanish principles by being intimate with a Jesuit.

The proposals I made him were that after my mother and I had taken about 14 days to consult of it, I would inform him which of the shops we were fixed on to part with, but be it which it would, I would part with it on no other terms but by his taking the goods all at prime cost, and all the fixtures, and the money to be paid down. We dined on some batter pancakes.

In the afternoon Mr Rice and Mr Trench sent for me down to Jones’s, where I stayed an hour and a half. Spent 2d but did not drink once. Joseph Fuller sat with us some time in the evening, as did Thomas Davy, to whom I read 4 of The Monitors or British Freeholder, which I think to be a very good paper if we consider it as a political composition. My wife at church in the morning. This day received of Mr Thomas Smith a receipt for £1O from Messrs Margesson and Collison, which is for the money I gave him the 8th instant.

At home all day and busy in marking up a parcel from Bancroft and Nixon…In the evening read part of the New View of London and Westminster. This week and last took in cash £16.

My maid and the two boys at church in the morning; myself and wife not at church on account that Dr Stone came in and bleeded me at churchtime. We dined on a dried hog’s cheek boiled, turnips, Jerusalem artichokes and a light and plain batter pudding. Our maid and the two boys at church in the afternoon, but neither myself nor wife. Thomas Fuller drank tea with us. Thomas Davy sat with us some time in the evening, to whom, and in the day, I read four of Tillotson’s sermons. This day the clerk gave notice of a poor rate’s being made at 3/6 in the pound, and allowed by George Courthope and John Bridger Esqrs, and also gave notice of a vestry to be held tomorrow at Jones’s about 5 o’clock.