Author: Thomas Turner

Mr Burgess’s son, at work for me in the morning, dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the evening wrote my London letters and afterwards Sam Jenner, Robert Hook, Peter Pellin and myself played a few games of double cribbage; I lost 8d. At home all day and very little to do in the shop…

Myself and sister at church in the morning. My sister dined with me upon a pig roasted and bread sauce, bullock’s tongue boiled and turnips. Rec’d of Mr Francis Hicks at Chiddingly by the payment of Mr Peter Pellin in cash 1.16.8 on account. My sister, self and servant at church in the afternoon… My brother came for my sister in the afternoon, and he and Mrs Carman and Molly drank tea with me, and then they went all away immediately. Thomas Durrant sat with me some time in the evening, to whom I read several chapters of the Bible.

Balanced accounts with Mr Sam Gibbs and received of him in cash 4.17.0 in full… Sam Jenner sawing wood for me for me all day, he and my sister dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a loin of West Indies mutton roasted and potatoes. At home all day and very busy. A very cold day. In the evening Sam Jenner and I played a few games of cribbage; I won 4d. My sister stayed with me all day. Rec’d a pig of Joseph Durrant weighing 5¾ lbs at 3d — 17¼d.

Sam Jenner, sawing wood for me all day, dined with me and my sister on a piece of beef boiled, an apple pudding and potatoes. Paid Richard Fuller 23½d for a hind quarter of West Indies mutton weighing 9½ lbs at 2½d per lb received by him today. Paid Ben Shelley by his brother John 7/9 in full for the same sum paid in London for me…

In the afternoon my sister went to pay Mrs Carman a visit, and about 6:30 Thomas Durrant and I went down to accompany her home. We together with my sister and Bett Fuller stayed and supped at Mr Carman’s in company with their own family on a piece of beef boiled, two ducks roasted, gravy sauce, potatoes, turnips and a fine plain bread pudding and some tarts. We played some time at a game called “Laugh and lay down”; I lost 7d at it. Gave Mr Carman’s maid 6d and came home very sober about 1:30. Sam Jenner took part of my bed.
 

…Sam Jenner dined with me today in company my with my sister on a beef pudding and potatoes. Sam Jenner and Thomas Durrant, a-making cider for me in the afternoon at Mr William Driver’s, came back in the evening and supped with me on the remains of dinner. Master Jenner took part of my bed.

Paid Thomas Prall 4/- in full for 4 bushels apples bought of him today. Paid Bridger at Sand-hill 2/- for carrying my apples to William Driver’s. At home all day and pretty busy. In the evening marked 5½ dozen hose. A very cold day.

My sister dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some onion sauce. In the afternoon my sister went down to pay Mrs French and Molly a visit, and in the evening Thomas Durrant and myself went to accompany her home. We two together with my sister, Molly and Sam French played at loo two or three hours; I lost 12¼d. We stayed and supped with Mrs French on a cold roast chick, a piece of cold ham, a bread and cheese and apple pie. Came home very sober about 12:15.

Sam Jenner, being come to saw wood for me tomorrow, took part of my bed. This day were married at our church Mr Simonds Blackman and Mary, his wife (alias Mary Margerison). The reason for this was, she being under age, some months ago they went into Flanders and were married at a place called Ypres, but as this marriage was not in all respects agreeable to the laws of England in regard to their issue enjoying the gentleman’s estate without a possibility of a great deal of trouble to prove the fact of their marriage, the young lady’s father in consideration of this has given his consent for this second marriage (she not being now 19 years of age) and they were agreeably [consequently] married this day by a license which styled her “Mary Margerison, otherwise Blackman.”

In my own private opinion I think instead of making laws to restrain marriage it would be more to the advantage of the nation in general to give encouragement to it, for by that means a great deal of debauchery would in all probability be in prevented and a greater increase of people might be the consequence, which I presume would be one real benefit to the nation, and I think it is the first command of the parent and governor of the universe: Increase and multiply. The observation of St Paul is that marriage is honorable in all men.

Sent Mr Will Margesson enclosed in a letter by Benjamin Shelley delivered to his brother the bill value £12 on Baldwin, which I received the 9th instant from Mr Richard Stone. My sister dined with us on a piece of boiled beef, an apple pudding and potatoes.

In the afternoon walked down to Whyly with some stuffs in order to sell Mrs Blackman, which I did, and during my short stay there Mr William Francis, linen-draper, called there on me, but, owing him no money nor wanting any goods, I did not go home with him. Mr Robert Chester at Lewes drank tea with me and my sister.

In the evening went down to Jones there being a public vestry in order to consult what was to be done relating to John Jones’s affair, which was this: Mr Chester of Lewes. having a bill of sale of Jones’s goods to be the amount of £61 and having been lately obliged to pay £11 for arrears of rent due from Jones (to prevent the landlord’s distraining [i.e., selling all the goods to raise the £11], which one would have been attended with more expense, and must have been [would have to have been] paid from the effects), now Mr Chester, having lately advanced the above sum, was desirous there might be a vestry called, that he might attend it to know if the parish: would assist Jones with money to pay a part of it.

Upon debating the thing, it was the unanimous opinion of all present (who were myself, Mr Carman, Mr Blackman, James Fuller, Richard Hope, John Cayley and Richard Page) not to yield him any assistance, but for Chester to put his bill of sale in execution when he pleased. I next represented to the vestry that there was due from Thomas Tester to myself and the other executors and devisees in trust of Mr Will Piper 2 years’ and a half rent, which the man had informed us he was unable to pay, and begged they would take the same into consideration whether we should distrain the goods or [whether] the parish would pay part or all the rent.

It was determined by 5 voices to 1 (myself as concerned on the other party giving my voice neither way) that we should distrain the goods. We stayed till about 9:30: and then broke up. Spent on the parish account 4/3. A very cold day and not very busy in the shop. I think, of all the company I ever spent the evening with in my life, that of James Fuller is the most disagreeable, he being stupidly ignorant and withal prodigiously abusive.
 

My sister dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. My sister spent the afternoon at Joseph Fuller’s. In the evening wrote my London letters, and about 6:30 went down to Mr Fuller’s to accompany my sister home. We stayed there and supped on a piece of cold roast pork, a piece of cold boiled beef and bread and cheese. We played a few games of whist in the evening; I won 8d. We came home about 12:10. Pretty busy today.

My brother, sister and myself at church in the morning, the text in Ephesians 4:14, 15: “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, my grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.”

During the time they were singing psalm, James Hutson, headborough, and myself went out and searched the ale-houses and the barber’s shop. The barber we found exercising his trade, but as it was the first time, we forgave him. The alehouses were clear of tipplers.

My brother, sister and Mr Carman dined with me on a bullock’s heart roasted and stuffed and a currant butter pond pudding. My sister and self at church in the afternoon, (my brother going away in churchtime) the text in Luke 16:31: “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

My sister and Bett Carman drank tea with me. In the evening Thomas Durrant and Joseph Fuller sat with me some time, to whom I read one of Tillotson’s sermons. A very wet day till near 6 o’clock in the evening.

Sam Jenner a-writing for me all day and he and my sister dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some boiled tripe and onion sauce.

In the afternoon walked down to the house of Francis Turner, where the coroner for the Eastern part of this county took an inquisition on the body of Matthew Lewer, a poor man and a lath-cleaver, who was last night found dead in a wood in this parish where he had been at work the whole day a-lath cleaving in company with Matthew Lewer his nephew, John the son of his nephew, John Hook and John Lavender.

The jury was myself as foreman, George Bannister, Robert Hook, Thomas Durrant, John Piper, Thomas Bristow, Edward and Richard Hope, Henry Godley, Stephen Weaver, Francis Gibbs, Will Henly and Sam Washer. The verdict we gave was that the person died a natural death by the visitation of God, for upon the examination of Matthew Lewer, John Hook and John Lavender it appeared the deceased had been ill with a cold for some days, and then even complained more particularly and left his work half an hour before any of the rest of them, on account of his being so ill. He was found dead in about hour by the people at whose house he lodged, who went in search of him, he not coming home so soon as usual, and being a pretty old man.

Upon the examination of Francis and Isaac Turner, the persons who found him, they declared that there did not seem any appearance upon the ground where he lay of more people’s footing or that there had been a scuffle with him and any other person. Nor upon the jury’s examining the dead body could we find any cut, bruise, stab or any other appearance of hurt, so that I should presume and hope to all probable appearances he died a natural death, agreeable to the jury’s verdict. We came home at about 5:40.

As soon as I came home I was sent for down to Mr Porter’s, where I immediately went and sold Mr Porter a colt, the property of the assigns of Mr Vine. Myself and Joseph Fuller, who came in soon after me, spent the evening there and supped with Mr and Mrs Porter on a roasted partridge, some boiled red herrings and bread and cheese. Betsy Fuller drank tea and spent one the afternoon with my sister. In my absence my brother William came to see me in the evening and supped at my house and stayed all night. We came home from Mr Porter’s about 11:30.