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Paid Mr Richard Holman in cash 0.18.8 in full for 11 fleeces of sheep’s wool weighing 28 lbs bought of him today at 8d a pound. James Marchant’s wife, being at my house to give my servant a vomit, dined with me on half a calf’s head boiled and some French beans…

Dame Marchant drank tea with me. At home all day and pretty busy. In the evening my brother came over in order to stand the shop for me tomorrow, and took part of my bed. In the evening wrote my London letters.

In the morning I rose early with an intention to go to the Wells, but it being a very wet morning I could not proceed on my journey. My brother stayed with me all the forenoon and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with some cucumbers, and then went away.

A very wet day, it raining excessively hard from about 2 o’clock in the morning till near — in the afternoon, and continued showery at times all the afternoon. At home all day and but very little to do. In the evening Sam Jenner, coming in and it being an exceedingly wet night, took part of my bed. Paid John Nutley in cash and goods 4/- in full for ½ bushel flour delivered to Babcock last week and l peck to German this week.

Rec’d of Mrs Elizabeth Browne in cash 10.1.10¾ on account; also received of her in cash 31.6.0 in full for principal and interest due from her to my brother William Turner on bond.

I dined on a cold veal pie and French beans. In the afternoon Mrs Atkins and her two nieces Miss Jessop and Miss Verral drank tea with me and spent part of the afternoon. At home all day and pretty busy. A great deal of rain fell again this afternoon. In the evening read part of Burnet’s History of the Reformation.

…I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some French beans. At home all day and very little to do. My servant continues very ill.

In the evening Sam Jenner sat with me some time. A very showery day. In the evening read part of one of the volumes of the Tatler. Paid Mr Richard Bristed in cash and goods £4 in full for 48 fleeces of sheep’s wool received of him today, weighing 3 tod 24 lbs at 8d. He breakfasted with me.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a piece of beef stewed and some broth. At home all day and not busy. This day Mr Porter’s house, now a-building, was reared, and in the evening there was an entertainment at Mr John Vine’s, an occasion to which I went and came home about 11:20, but not quite sober.

Master Jenner, hatter at Hailsham, dined with me on a cold beef pie and cucumbers. At home all day, but not very busy. Master Holman, coming just at breakfast time, breakfasted with me. Very unpleasant and irksome to myself today; the punch taken in too great a quantity last night occasions my head to ache violently today. A very fine pleasant day.

Myself at church in the morning… Just after I was gone to church my brother Will came to see me and came to me church. He and Sam Jenner dined with me on a piece of beef roasted, French beans and cucumbers. Myself, brother and servant at church in the afternoon, the text in John 13:17: “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” My brother went away immediately as soon as we came out of church.

In the evening took a walk to see Mr Porter’s new house. Sam Jenner, being to set out tomorrow for Canterbury in order for to be employed as a hop-assistant, in company with Thomas Davy, for the convenience of being ready in the morning, took part of my bed. A great deal of rain fell in the evening.

Oh, the irregularity of my life when compared to that in my dear Peggy’s life.

…Paid Mr Porter in cash £20 in full for the draft received of him the 2nd instant, and took up my note of hand that I then gave him. Mr Merrick, a grocer in Southwark, called on me today and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with some cucumbers, and stayed and smoked a pipe or two with me after dinner.

At home all day and pretty busy. A great deal of rain fell in the afternoon. In the evening wrote my London letters, and afterwards went down to Joseph Fuller’s, where I stayed and spent the evening till near 1 o’clock in company with their family, Mr Bannister and Thomas Durrant. But I cannot say I came home sober. How do I lament my present irregular and to me very unpleasant way of life, for what I used to lead in my dear Peggy’s time — then was home of all places the most agreeable, but now the most unpleasant and irksome; then did I not know the want of a virtuous and pleasant companion, whose good sense was always pleasing and made life in that respect agreeable: but now, alas! I know not the comfort of an agreeable friend and virtuous fair — No, I have not spent hardly one agreeable hour in the company of a woman since I lost my wife, for really there seem very few whose education and way of thinking is agreeable and suitable with my own.
 

Paid Thomas Cayley in cash and goods 5/7 in full for 4 fleeces of sheep’s wool weighing 6 ½ lbs at 8d and 3 lbs lamb’s wool at 5d. Paid Elizabeth French by her son Samuel cash 6.10.6 in full for 95 fleeces of sheep’s wool weighing 5 tod 30 lbs at 8½ d. I

dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some cucumbers. At home all day and but very little to do. In the evening read part of Owen’s Weekly Amusement. A great deal of rain fell today. A very dull time for business, and which way to turn myself or alter my present situation I cannot tell. Lent the widow Marchant in cash 1.1.0.

Paid John Cayley in cash and goods 16/1½ in full for 32¼ lbs of butter bought of him today. Mr Cleaver, brother and rider to Messrs Joseph and Richard Cleaver, called on me today and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some cucumbers.

At home all day, but not busy. A very wet day at times. In the evening did some writing.