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…In the afternoon Molly and Bett Fuller drank tea with us and stayed and played at cards; my wife and I lost 4d. This day received of Francis Smith by his brother Josias the receipt from Mr John Crouch for the £10 sent him by Smith the 18th January last. This day paid James Marchant 6d for mending some old clothes…

In the morning my brother Moses came over and breakfasted with us. I gave him in cash 7.7.6… for Mr John Smith of Hempstead. This day paid Mr Thomas Smith, carrier of Eastbourne, £2 in order for him to pay Mr Will Ashmore in full for 10 gallons of spirits I had last week. He accordingly gave me a receipt for the same on Ashmore’s bill. Dame Prall a-washing for us all day… Thomas Tester brought me the copy of a process which he had served on him by Thornton for Savage’s debt, also a summons from George Courthope Esq to appear before him either on Wednesday or Thursday next to show cause for not relieving him. In the evening gave the poor creature 6d. At home all day. Nothing to do. Mr Francis Elless drank tea with us. Mr French being at our house in the evening, he appointed me to go to Uckfield with Thomas Tester tomorrow…

At home all day. In the forenoon Thomas Fuller Jr killed the hog for me, which Mr Elless and I bought of Mr French the 3rd instant, and breakfasted accordingly with us… Gave John Dan on the parish account 12d… John Watford and his father a-gardening for me all the afternoon. Joseph Fuller, his wife, and son’s wife, together with Bett Fuller and my brother Moses drank tea with us. (My brother did not stay). Mr Fuller and the above-mentioned, except my brother, stayed and spent the evening with us and played at cards; my wife and I lost 10½ d. They stayed and supped with us on bread and cheese etc. I have taken no more than £8 this week. A terrible time…

Just before churchtime my brother Will came in, and he and I stayed at home. My wife and maid at church. My brother and Thomas Davy dined with us on a hog’s cheek boiled, a plain batter pudding, turnips, parsnips and cabbage. My brother informed [me] that my uncle Hill had just received a letter from his son Charles on board the MONARCH, man-of-war in Portsmouth harbor. I and Thomas Davy agreed to take a walk to see the contents; so accordingly, while they were at church in the afternoon, he and I set out for Horsted, leaving my brother to keep house, my wife and maid being at church. We got to my uncle’s about 4:10, where we found my uncle at home and my brother Moses and Mr Abraham Whapham and the Isfield miller, the two latter of which went away about 6:10. My uncle showed me my cousin’s letter wherein he informed him of his health etc. and also that Admiral Byng was now confined under sentence of death on board their ship, that he was in high spirits for a man in his circumstances, and that he was about 5 feet 5 inches, somewhat corpulent and had received a reprieve for 15 days on the 5th instant. But it was his and the officers’ opinion that he would undoubtedly be shot. He also said it was computed he was worth £300,000. My brother and we came away about 7:20 and came together as far as Horsted Church, where we parted. Thomas Davy and I came home about 8:30. My brother Will stayed till our maid came from church. My wife drank tea at Mrs Virgoe’s.

At home all day. Joseph Fuller Jr and Mr French cut out our hog and weighed it. Mr Elless’s half weighed 8 stone 5 lbs and mine 8 stone 7 lbs. I paid Mr Jeremiah French in cash 3.11.3 for the above half hog and the hog received the 8th of January of him. Master Watford being a-hedging about ¾ of a day etc. for me, he dined with us on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Gave Dame Trill 2/- on the parish account… This day agreed with Dame Trill to allow her husband 6/- every calendar month and also to allow her 12d in every calendar month more towards the keeping of Ann Braizer. In the evening read part of Homer’s Odyssey. In the morning walked up to John Vine Jr’s with some bonnets for his wife.

In the morning after breakfast I walked over to Framfield where I dined at my mother’s on part of a cold sparerib and some cold beef and potatoes… I cut out for my mother 18 round frocks. I drank tea there and came home about 6 o’clock. I agreed to take Philip Turner of my mother at £5 a year to board and clothe him, that being the sum my father left by will to maintain him till he is l4 years of age. Dame Vinal here a-washing half the day. In the evening wrote to my cousin Charles Hill on board the MONARCH man-of-war at Portsmouth…

Dame Vinal a-washing for us all day. We dined on hog’s foot, ear, a heart pudding, pork, cabbage and turnips. After dinner I walked over to Framfield to get of my mother some white linsey. I stayed and drank tea there and came home about 5:45. In the day read part of Homer’s Odyssey. In the evening Thomas Davy at our house. He and I played at cribbage; I lost 6d…