Author: Thomas Turner

Myself, wife and maid at church in the forenoon; the text in Zechariah 5:4: “I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name, and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.”

We dined on the piece of beef baked yesterday. All at church in the afternoon; the text in II Peter 1:10: “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” After churchtime paid the poor; viz.,

To Ann Wood	4/-
To Edward Babcock	4/-
To the widow Pilfold	6/-
To John Streeter for house-rent and looking after the widow Pilfold	3/-

We had this day two very fine discourses. That in the morning was to dissuade mankind from fraud and swearing, and in the afternoon to make it our greatest concern to prepare ourselves for a future state. Thomas Davy sat with us about 3 hours in the evening. Gave notice of a public vestry to we held on Wednesday next to put out children.

At home all day and busy. We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a batter pudding baked under some beef for tomorrow’s dinner. My brother drank tea with us. This day received a letter by the post, signed “Nash, Eddows and Martin”, acknowledging the receipt of the bill sent to Mr Pooley the 27th April… Rec’d by Smith the breeches I bought of Mr Hart the 22nd April. In the evening read 3 numbers of the Freeholder.

At home all day. My uncle Hill dined with us (he coming in just as we were going to dinner). My uncle stayed and smoked one pipe with us after dinner. We dined on a piece of boiled beef, suet and light pudding with some greens. At work in my garden in the afternoon, and in the evening read Homer’s Odyssey…

At home all day. We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some greens. Sent our maid to Framfield. I this day balanced accounts with Mrs Mary Virgoe… When I have paid [her a] note of hand, there will be nothing more between us, only a 13-quart glass bottle which I owe Mrs Virgoe for. After I had balanced with Mrs Virgoe, she paid me 3/- for expenses I had been at besides. Gave 6d to a Brief for fire, which was collected from house to house. Paid Joseph Fuller 2/- for 1 stone of beef. I find myself to have got a very great cold. In the evening read part of the Freeholder. Thomas Davy here in the evening and sat with us about 2 hours.

We dined on the remains of Monday’s dinner with the addition of a piece of pork, light pudding and greens. At home all day, and gardening in the afternoon. In the evening read several numbers of the Freeholder, which I think is a proper book for anyone to look into at this critical juncture of affairs.

This day I drew on Messrs Margesson and Collison 1 bill, value £22…which I sent to Mr William Pooley (by Smith) in full to this day. I also drew on them a bill, value £10 …which I sent to Mr John Crouch. I gave Francis Smith in cash £15 to pay in London for me. I also balanced accounts with Francis Smith and paid him in cash 1.12.6, which is in full to the 9th April… At home all day… Master Hards married at this church today. In the evening finished posting my day book. My wife and I read 4 numbers in the Freeholder.

A very wet night; also a remarkable quantity of rain fell all the forenoon. We dined on a piece of boiled beef, and pork with a butter pudding and greens. At home all day. In the evening read the newspaper and posted part of my day hook. Paid Thomas Cornwell 2/- for looking after my horse… Very busy in the evening.

My wife and I both at church in the morning; the text, Proverbs 3:17: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.” Our maid came home in churchtime. We dined on the remains of Friday’s dinner with the addition of 4 eggs. My wife, maid and self at church in the afternoon. As soon as prayers were ended, Mr Jeremiah French and I went out and searched the public-houses; to wit, John Jones’s, where we found no one person but John Jones, from whence we went to Francis Turner’s, where we found a man and his wife who came in overnight. They seemed to be very sober sort of people and not a-drinking; so we did not meddle with them. We came back just as the people came out of church. Mr French went to Jones’s and had a dram, and I a pint of beer. At home all the remainder of the day. Thomas Davy spent about one hour with us in the evening.

At home all day and busy… We dined on the remains of Thursday’s and Friday’s dinners… Rec’d of Mary Carpenter, Mr John Vine Jr’s maid, 1.7.2 in full. She and 2 of the little Vines drank tea with us. Rec’d of Francis Smith 3 receipts for money which he paid in London for me…

At home all day. My brother breakfasted with us and dined with us on a piece of pork, batter pudding and greens. Dame Barnard drank tea with us. This day I had a fire-grate set up. Our maid went in the morning to see her friends. In the evening my wife (I being busy) went up to Mr John Vine’s to tell him that I thought of leaving this place; so I would have him let the schoolhouse. After my wife came back, I went down to Mr Porter’s to tell him the same. I stayed and supped there and came home about 10 o’clock…