Category: Uncategorised

This day balanced accounts with Mr Will Piper and received of him 1.18.0 in full. My brother stayed and dined with us on the remains of Saturday’s dinner and then away to Framfield, by whom I sent their Pall etc. Gave James Fuller 12d to his box. Just as my brother was gone, my brother Moses, Sam Elphick and my cousin Moses Bennett came in. Sam Elphick went down to Whitesmith; my brother and cousin drank tea with us. Sam Elphick came back, and they spent the evening at our house till near 9 o’clock when my brother and Sam Elphick went home; my cousin Bennett stayed all night.

After breakfast my cousin, self and Mr Elless took a walk, I in order to collect in some small debts, and they for company. We called on Thomas Lewer where I got fair promises; then on Thomas Page where I received 5/- in full; then on Joseph Fitness, who was not at home; then on Thomas Wittersham where I had fair promises; then on Robert Warriner, who was not at home; and then on John Akehurst where I had fair promises. We drank 1 mug of beer at Gregory Markwick’s. We came home and dined on the remains of Saturday’s dinner. Mr Hutson made me a present of 2 partridges. My wife paid a man in my absence 4/- for 24 quire of paper he brought today. My cousin Bennett stayed all night. My mother sent me in cash by my brother today (who was at our house in my absence) £4.

After breakfast my cousin and I walked over to Framfield where we dined at my mother’s on some short bones boiled and a cold beef pie… I came home about 5:30. Thomas Davy supped at our house, and he and I played at cribbage; I won 4d. This day gave William Bristow 6d to his box. Read part of The Complete Letter-Writer. My brother called at our house today in my absence in his road to Lewes.

In the morning our servant went to see her friends. We dined on the remains of Saturday’s dinner with the addition of a partridge pudding. Joseph Fuller smoked one pipe with us in the afternoon, and I got him to pay the poor tomorrow, I having promised to go to Framfield to serve a funeral there for my mother. But in the evening received a letter from my sister that the person was not to be buried tomorrow as appointed, but is to be buried on Monday. In the evening gave Master Dan on the parish account 12d, he being very ill. In the evening Thomas Davy at our house. He won 2d of me at cribbage…

In the morning received of Mr Jeremiah French the £10 I lent him the 23rd December and gave his note of hand accordingly. Myself, wife and nephew at church in the morning… We dined on a piece of boiled beef, a plain butter pond pudding and turnips. Myself at church in the afternoon (but neither my wife or nephew, he not being very well)… Between churchtime Thomas Tester petitioned me for some corn to fat his hog. I on this called a vestry; the result of the vestry was that I should do what I think most prudent in the affair. After churchtime I paid the poor as under:

To Widow Pilfold	0.6.0
Do. John Streeter for house rent etc. for do.	0.3.0
To Ann Wood	0.4.0
To Ed Babcock	0.4.0
To Richard Trill	0.5.0
	1.2.0

After churchtime my brother Moses and cousin Moses Bennett came over to acquaint me that my mother wanted me to tie up 12 favors for her in order for me to carry tomorrow to the funeral, and accordingly my wife tied them up in the evening. They both stayed and drank tea with us and stayed till about 6:30. In the evening Thomas Davy sat with us 2 or 3 hours, to whom, and in the day, I read 6 of Tillotson’s sermons. Gave Richard Fuller 6d to his box. A very remarkable cold day.

In the morning went over to Framfield where I arrived about 9:45. After eating a mouthful or 2 of buttered toast and drinking a few dishes tea, and also looking over and tallying and taking an account of the gloves, hatbands, favors etc., I set out for the funeral of Alice Stevens, otherwise Smith, natural daughter of Ben Stevens (at whose house she died). I got to the funeral house about 11:50 where my brother Moses came to me soon after, in order to learn to serve a funeral and also to give me what assistance he could. The young woman’s age was 28 years, and I think I never saw any person lament the death of anyone more than Ben Stevens did for this poor girl, his daughter. After serving the funeral, as soon as it was possible we could, we set out for Buxted Church where she was to be buried, with a large company of people (she being carried on men’s shoulders). We arrived about 4:20 where we had an excellent sermon preached by the Rev Mr Lawson, Curate of Buxted, from Hebrews 9:27: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” The young woman was laid in the ground about 5:50 after staying at the grave about 15 minutes, it being dug too small. When all was over, my brother, Charles Diggens and myself came to Framfield. I stayed at my mother’s and baited; then my brother came home with me and stayed and spent the evening with us, and stayed all night. We came home exactly at 8 o’clock. I received of my mother in cash 4/- and by old gold and silver 16/-, which, with the 4 pounds sent me the 30th December, makes together £5 which I have borrowed of her. My mother gave me 12d for my gloves given me at the funeral and for silk used in tying up the favors. I gave away hatbands, favors, gloves etc. at the funeral for my mother’s use as under:

Hatbands in all, 9; viz.,

Ben Stevens Sr	Sam Smith
Henry Stevens Sr	Arthur Knight
Will Stevens Sr	Ed Willet
Richard Stevens	Thomas Ware
John Newnham

Favors in all, 12; viz.,

1.	Mary Ware
2.	Jane Stevens
3.	Elizabeth Willet
4.	Mary Ware
5.	Francis Smith
6.	Sarah Colgate
7.	Henry Stevens Jr
8.	Ben Stevens Jr
9.	Ed Willet
10.	Richard Savage
11.	John Staply
12.	Richard Figg

2d chamois gloves, 1 pr.; viz., Benjamin Stevens Sr.

Women’s white lamb gloves in all, 24 prs:

1.	Mrs Willet
2.	Mary Ware
3.	Lucy Diggens
4.	Mary Ware [again?]
5.	Mrs Attree
6.	Mrs Ware
7.	Elizabeth Willet
8.	Sarah Willet
9.	Mrs Stevens
10.	Mrs Stevens
11.	Jane Stevens
12.	Elizabeth Stevens
13.	Mary Russell
14.	Sarah Colgate
15.	Mary Colgate
16.	Frances Smith
17.	Mrs Stevens
18	Dame Newman
19.	Elizabeth Ware
20.	Dame Stevens
21.	Dame Limpass
22.	Hannah Simonds
23.	Dame Belton
24.	Mary Devonish

Men’s white lamb gloves in all 35 prs:

1.	Thomas Attree
2.	Ed Willet Jr
3.	John Staply
4.	John Buckwell
5.	Ben Stevens Jr
6.	Richard Tealing
7.	John Stevens
8.	Thomas Starr
9.	John Cornwell
10.	Charles Diggens
11.	Robert Diggens
12.	Richard Savage
13.	John Smith
14.	Henry Stevens Jr
15.	John Cornwell
16.	Will Cornwell
17.	Will Novice
18.	Ben Stevens Jr
19.	Will Stevens Jr
20.	Richard Figg
21.	John Evans
22.	John Shelly
23.	Thomas Card
24.	Henry Stevens Sr
25.	Will Stevens Sr
26.	Richard Stevens
27.	John Newnham
28.	Sam Smith
29.	Arthur Knight
30.	Ed Willet Sr
31.	Thomas Ware
32.	The Rev Mr Lawson
33.	Will Devonish
34.	Thomas Turner
35.	Moses Turner

John Newnham’s 2 sons to have each a pair…

My brother stayed and breakfasted with us and then went home. I sent Francis Smith by his servant Joseph Page in cash 16.4.0… which he is to pay in London for me… Elizabeth and Molly Hutson drank tea with us and stayed and spent the evening with us, as did Mr Hutson, Thomas Fuller, Fran Weller and Thomas Davy. We played at cards; my wife and I lost 3/3. Mr Hutson, E. and M. Hutson, T. Davy and F. Weller supped with us on bread and cheese and apple-pie. Paid a man in goods and cash 2/1 for 13 quires of paper received today.

In the morning sent my servant to Bentley’s in order to get in their debt, but could not get it… In the afternoon about 3 o’clock my wife went to pay a visit to Mrs Burgess. Robert Diggens called at our house and stayed and smoked a pipe with us. About 7:10 I went up to Mr Burgess’s to my wife. We both stayed and spent the evening there and supped and played at cards; my wife and I won 6d, which I gave their servant. We stayed till 2:10. I got Thomas Davy to stay with our servant in my absence.

After breakfast went down to Whyly to acquaint Mr French with my intentions of allowing John Durrant only ½ bushel wheat a week and also to get him to go along with me to look at Mr Burgess’s roots, which I had thoughts of buying for the use of the parish. He did, and if we like to have them, Mr Burgess has given us the offer of them at 12/- in the place. We were in at Mr Burgess’s and Mr Hutson’s. I came home and dined on a flour pudding and potatoes. About 3:40 my wife went to pay a visit to Mrs Fuller, and I went up about 6:20. We drank tea there and stayed and played at cards; my wife and I won 3d. We came home about 12:10.

…In the afternoon went down to Whyly to inform Mr French farther about the roots. In the evening James Marchant and Thomas Davy came to see us and supped with us and also stayed and played at whist with my wife and self; we won of both 8d. They stayed till 2 o’clock.