Category: Uncategorised

…Sam Jenner stayed and breakfasted with me and then went to Framfield with [some] veal for my sister… My old acquaintance and friend Mr Richardson came to see me in the forenoon and dined with me on some mutton chops broiled and the remains of yesterday’s dinner. He stayed and spent the whole afternoon with me and then went away about 5:20. We walked down to Halland where we stayed with Mrs Walls some time before dinner. Very busy today.

Myself at church in the morning… I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a plain batter pudding and potatoes. After dinner myself and Thomas Davy walked over to Framfield to see my sister, whom I found much better. We stayed and drank tea with my brother and sister and came home about 6:30. My brother and servant at church in the afternoon.

Rec’d of my sister today 17d for the veal sent her yesterday and two ounces of sago. Dame Akehurst, being to wash for me tomorrow, took part of my servant’s bed. A very fine day; a smart frost in the evening, as there was also a frost last night.

Dame Akehurst, a-washing, for me the whole day, dined with me on a piece of beef boiled, an apple pudding and potatoes. At home all day and thank God very busy… In the evening wrote my London letters. Sam Jenner sat with me part of the evening. A very smart frosty day. Dame Akehurst took part of my servant’s bed. In the evening read part of Homer’s Iliad…

Sent Mr Will Margesson enclosed in a letter by Ben Shelley delivered to his servant the bill value £19 received from Mr Stone the 31st ult. Dame Roase and Mr Starnes, coming in the morning to buy some things in the shop, breakfasted with me. Dame Akehurst, a-washing for me all day, dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some parsnips and potatoes.

Last night and this morning a very considerable quantity of snow fell. At home all day and very busy. A very cold day. My brother and I played a few games of cribbage in the evening; I won 6d of him.

Sent Mr Richard Stone, surgeon and apothecary at Blackboys in Framfield, by his servant Christopher Vine in cash 9.19.0, and one shilling I kept back for exchange makes together the sum of £10.0.0 and is in full for [a] bill I received by the said servant today…

I dined on a piece of pork boiled, an apple pudding and some potatoes. At home all day and thank God very busy. A very severe cold day, the frost very sharp.

Paid Mr John French 8/3 in full on account of the widow Vallow to this day. Paid Mr John Jenner, hatter at Hailsham (by his son Stephen), in cash 2.11.6 in full for the balance of my account. I dined on a beef pudding and potatoes and parsnips. After dinner in company with Sam Jenner took a walk to Lewes. I called upon Mr Burtenshaw and Mr Robert Chester, of whom I took up my note of hand which I gave him the 24^th Oct., 1764 for to deliver to him a clock I then received of him, which I have since delivered to Mr William Peters at Waldron, the person to whom Mr Chester sold the clock.

I called on Mr Plumer and received of him in cash 1.4.6 in full… Left with Mr John Madgwick 10/- in order for him to pay Mr Richard Read in full on my brother Richard’s account. Came home about 10:10. Spent today 9d. A very pleasant day, the frost seemingly a-going off. Paid Mr Madgwick 1/8 for 2 nails velvet bought of him today.

Oh, how do I lament and mourn inwardly my present irregularity of life! And which way to prevent it I know not. I have I dare say no friend in the world that I could confide in with the firm assurance of fidelity. And upon the whole I may with the most strictest truth say I know not what it has been to have one minute’s true pleasure since I lost my wife. For when I am in possession of my reason, I am always reflecting upon the pleasure I then enjoyed in a calm, sedate and regular course of life. Everything was serene, and home of all places was the most delightful and pleasant, particularly so if no one but my wife and self together. But now, alas! I am all tempest and storm within.
 

Exchanged the following draft for Mr Richard Stone, surgeon and apothecary at Blackboys, for doing of which he gave me 6/6:

£66.0.0        Lewes          8th Feb., 1765
 
Gents: Fourteen days after date please to pay to Mr Richard Stone or order sixty-six pound for value received by your humble servant
 
To                            John Burtenshaw.
 
Messrs Cardin and Day
 
Merchants in Bucklersbury, London
 
Endorsed by the said Richard Stone.

I dined on a beef pudding and potatoes and parsnips. In the afternoon Molly and Bett Carman, Mrs Browne and Thomas Durrant paid me a visit and drank tea with me, and they together with Mr Bannister, Sam Jenner and Joseph Fuller Jr and Henry Godley spent the evening with me and played at cards, some at brag and others at whist. I won about 5d or 5½d. They all stayed and supped with me on some bread and cheese and apple pie (except Mr Bannister and Joseph Fuller). The rest stayed till about 2:10. Thomas Durrant, not being very well and it being very late and excessive cold, took part of my bed. At home all day and very busy.

Oh! the want of a true, sincere and virtuous friend to entrust the management of my household affairs with.

…I dined on a sausage batter pudding baked (which is this: a little flour and milk beat up into a batter with an egg and some salt and a few sausages cut in pieces and put in it and then baked). Paid Mr Scale, a needle-maker of Chichester, 1.2.6 in full for the following goods bought of him today:

4 thousand of needles in quarters	0.12.0
12 hundred best do. in hundreds           at 4/- per m.	0.4.6
5 gross of shirt buttons	0.6.0

Paid the Rev Mr Porter in cash £4 in full for 1 year’s interest due on a bond for £100 which the parish have, that was left as a legacy to the minister and churchwarden of this parish for ever, the interest of which is to be yearly distributed among the poor in this parish at the discretion of the minister and churchwarden for the time being. At home all day and busy. The wife of James Marchant, coming in the afternoon to assist my servant iron, drank tea with me.

How do I lament in secret the loss of that valuable partner of my soul, my dearest wife!

Myself and brother at church in the morning… I dined on a beef pudding, potatoes and parsnips. Myself, brother and servant at church in the afternoon… After churchtime we distributed the £4 I paid Mr Porter yesterday as under:

Edward Babcock	0.1.6	John Durrant	0.4.0
Widow Dan	0.2.0	James Emery	0.1.0
Richard Heath	0.4.0	Sam Jenner	0.3.0
Richard Prall	0.3.0	John Streeter	0.2.0
Susan Swift	0.2.0	William Starks [Slarkes]	0.5.0
Francis Turner	0.3.0	Widow Trill	02.0
Sarah Thunder	0.3.0	Thomas Tester	0.5.0
Richard Vinal	0.3.0	Ann Wood	0.1.6
Will Eldridge	0.8.0	Thomas Ling	0.5.0
Thomas Roase	0.6.0	Widow Cain	0.2.0
Widow Cornell	0.2.0	Will Sinden	0.4.0
Thomas Dallaway	0.2.0	Peter Adams	0.4.0
Widow German	0.2.0

After this Mr Porter gave John Jones 2/- of money reserved of the Communion money. Richard Heath nor Peter Adams being at church, I kept their money, which was 4/- each. Samuel Jenner coming in the evening, and it being very wet weather, he took part of my bed.

Sam Jenner stayed and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a plain suet pudding. Paid John Nutley in cash, goods and a book debt 0.13.5½ in full as follows:

½ bushel flour Durrant 28th ult.	0.2.10
1 pack do. the same day Roase	0.1.5
The 28th ult. 1 gallon flour, Babcock	0.0.8½
The 7th inst. ½ bushel Babcock	0.3.0
8th ½ bushel flour Durrant	0.3.0
To pay for Dame Vallow	0.2.6

At home all day and not very busy. My brother Moses came over in the afternoon, and he and Mr Coates’s servant drank tea with me. In the evening wrote my London letters.

Oh my melancholy and disconsolate mind! The happiness I once enjoyed in my dear wife’s time is now, alas! no more.