Author: Thomas Turner

Our maid and two boys at church in the morning. Myself and wife neither at church partly on the account of my being bleeded just as they were a-going to church and partly on account of my wife’s being not very well. We dined on a knuckle of veal boiled, a piece of pork and a plain rice pudding. Myself, wife and the two boys at church in the afternoon (our servant going to Laughton Church)… After we had drank tea, we walked down to Whyly where we stayed till near 9 o’clock. Came home and read one of Tillotson’s sermons, and also read 2 in the day.

Took physic today. Paid Mr Heaver’s servant, the miller at Isfield, in cash 2.1.0, being in full (4d excepted) for a sack of flour received by him today… In the evening Mr Elless and I walked down to Sinden’s. Came home about 8:15. In the evening Mr Elless read one of Tillotson’s to us. This day received of Mr French 1 hundred of very indifferent house faggots.

About 4:20 in the morning Master Durrant and I set out on foot for Lewes (today being the visitation at Lewes) where I arrived about 6:30, Master Durrant going to Ashcombe. I breakfasted with my brother at his lodgings.

About 11 o’clock we went to St Michael’s church, the visitation sermon being preached there. The service was read by the Rev Mr Bristed, clergyman at Slaugham, and the sermon was preached by the Rev Mr Jeffries, vicar of Ditchling. The text in Matthew 11:5: “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them.” After churchtime and the clergy were all called over, I was sworn into my office of churchwarden (with a great many more), for which I paid 4/6.

I dined at the White Horse with 16 persons more on a knuckle of veal, bacon and greens boiled, a leg of lamb boiled and spinach, a rib of beef roasted and green salad and two pond currant puddings (my family at home dining on the best end of the shoulder of veal roasted in the oven with a batter pudding under it).

After dinner we sat and smoked one pipe, and then I met with Mr Harraden with whom I smoked another at the White Horse. I drank tea with my brother in company with Mr Tucker and Will Bennett. I came home about 9:10, thank God very safe and sober. Mr Thomas Scrase brought me going on my road home as far as Ringmer Green, and my brother and Mr Tucker as far as the Broyle gate. I spent today as under, half a crown of which I am to be allowed by the parish:

In the morning before breakfast 1 pt of beer	0.0.1½
At the White Horse with Mr French and Mrs Stemp	0.0.9
To my dinner	0.1.0
After dinner	0.0.7
With Mr Harraden and Mr Tanner	0.0.6
With my brother and Mr Tucker at the White Horse	0.0.1½
To mending a pair of buttons	0.0.3
	0.3.4
Allowed	0.2.6
Spent on my own account	0.0.10

I called to see Thomas Scrase and Will Bennett. This visitation was held by the Rev Dr D’Oyly, archdeacon of this diocese, who tendered the oath to the churchwardens.

My mother’s servant came over in the morning, who breakfasted with us. Just as we were at dinner, Sam Hunt and John Wickham of Wadhurst came in, who dined with us on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day. Joseph Fuller smoked a pipe with us in the evening. Read part of Locke on Education.

Took physic today. At work in my garden all the forenoon, Rec’d of Mrs Atkin’s 7/8 in full… In the afternoon borrowed a horse of Mr Burgess to go to Lewes upon for things for the funeral of Mr Richard Goldsmith, widower, late of this parish, but died this morning at the house of Master Gladman at Laughton and was aged 80 years. I accordingly set out for Lewes about 4:45 and came home about 8:10 without ever eating or drinking or being off my horse. I spent 2½d for the turnpike etc.

In the morning at work in my garden. Drew off in the forenoon 2 barrels of cider, and a-corking of it broke a bottle and cut one of my fingers prodigiously with it… Mr Richard Comber and Charles Diggens drank tea with us. The finger which I cut in the morning bled to such a degree that I tried all possible means to staunch it but could not till I applied to Mrs Porter for some styptic. Thomas Davy at our house in the evening, to whom I read 2 of Tillotson’s sermons…

In the morning got up and packed my rags, which weighed 5 cwt 3 quarters 10 lbs, and which I sent to Francis Smith for him to dispose of at Maidstone Fair for me. Rec’d today of Mr James Bristed 1.4.6 in full for poor tax. We dined on a veal pudding. About 6:10 I walked over to Framfield for my mother’s pall and came again about 8:10. This day we had a tempest of thunder, lightning and rain which began about 2 o’clock and continued with some intervals of time between till near 6 o’clock.

In the morning George Richardson called on us in his road to Dallington. He breakfasted with us, and my wife and him and the 2 boys were at church in the morning. While they were at church, I and Joseph Fuller and Mr Stone went to the funeral of Master Goldsmith (I riding on a horse of Master Fuller’s) where I read the deceased’s will to the relations, by which will he constituted Mr Joseph Fuller and Mr Richard Stone sole executors, and gave to them all that was at his own disposal. I served the said funeral and save the following people gloves:

Women’s 2d chamois:

1	Dame Kitchener	9	Dame Diplock
2	Dame Gladman	10	Thomas Goldsmith’s wife
3	Hannah Danell	11	Thomas Cornwell’s wife
4	Mary Axell	12	Thomas Cornwell’s mother-in-law
5	Sarah Price	13	Dame Inkpin
6	Dame Butler	14	Mrs Starnes
7	Sarah Welsh	15	Richard Goldsmith’s wife
8	Mrs Gurr	16	John Goldsmith’s wife
		17	Richard Goldsmith’s wife

Men’s 2d chamois

1	Master Kitchener	19	Will Starks
2	Master Gladman	20	Thomas Diplock
3	Master Butler	21	Thomas Dallaway
4	Robert Jewhurst	22	Will Eldridge
5	Master Price	23	John Fotter
6	John Goldsmith	24	Edward Starnes
7	Will Goldsmith	25	Barnaby Goldsmith
8	Richard Goldsmith	26	Thomas Goldsmith
9	The Rev Mr Hamlin	27	Will Goldsmith
10	John Goldsmith	28	Thomas Cornwell
11	Will Gurr	29	John Goldsmith
12	Richard Goldsmith	30	John Goldsmith
13	Will Inkpin	31	John Vine Jr
14	John Jenner	32	Will Piper
15	John Watford Sr	33	Joseph Durrant
16	John Watford Jr	34	The Rev Mr Shenton
17	Thomas Tester	35	Thomas Turner
18	John Streeter	36	John Westgate

In all 53 pairs men’s and women’s gloves. About 1:20 we set out from the house; viz., from Master Gladman’s. I rode home and left my horse and walked with the corpse to Waldron where we arrived about 3:10 just as the people were gone to church. We had a funeral sermon preached by the Rev Mr Hamlin from Job 5:7: “Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” I came home about 6 o’clock in company with Thomas Davy and Thomas Dallaway. George Richardson stayed and dined with my family on a leg of mutton boiled, cauliflower and a currant rice pudding, and went away immediately after dinner. I dined on the remains of the above when I came home.

My whole family at church in the afternoon. Thomas Davy drank tea with us, and to whom I read 5 of Tillotson’s sermons… N.B.: I think this to have been the merriest funeral that ever I served, for I can safely say there was no crying.

This is my birthday and the day in which I enter into the twenty-ninth year of my age, and may I, as I grow in years, so-continue to increase in goodness that, as my exit must every day draw nearer, so may I every day become more enamored with the prospect and happiness of another world that I may be entirely dead to the follies and vanities of this transitory world.

We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the afternoon I walked up to the common with an intent to see a cricket match played between an eleven of the Street quarter and an eleven of the Nursery quarter, but when I came there, they not having enough to play, I was constrained to play for one, which I did, and we had the good fortune to beat the Nursery eleven 72 runs. I went down to Jones’s with the rest of the gamesters and stayed till 11:15. I spent only my shilling as a gamester. George Richardson called on us in his road to Lewes, but did not tarry. Papered out part of a bag nails today.

In the morning very busy in the shop. Gave Mr Ed Smith in cash 7.5.6 for him to pay Mr John Wathen, hatter, in full for me. We dined on a piece of pork and a rice pudding. In the afternoon my wife went down to Whyly to pay a visit to Mrs French, and about 8 o’clock I went down. We supped there and stayed and played at cards there with their family and Thomas Fuller. My wife and I won 4½d. We came home with Thomas Fuller about 1 o’clock. I papered out today part of 2 bags of nails…