Author: Thomas Turner

Rec’d of Thomas and Sarah Prall by the payment of Thomas in cash 1.19.0 in full for poor tax. I dined on a piece of beef boiled and some greens.

In the evening went to Lewes where I called at Mr Plumer’s and some other places where I had business and then back to Malling where I drank tea with Molly Hicks and many others. I stayed and spent the evening with her till past 5 in the morning. Came home about 6:45. Paid and spent as under:

Mr Robert Plumer for a parcel	0.1.9
Mr Stephen Tasker for do.	0.2.8
Turnpike a-going	0.0.2
Do. coming home	0.0.2

Received of Will Wenham by the payment of his wife 1.12.6 in full for poor tax. Rec’d of James Bristed by Joseph Durrant 2.10.0 in full for 1 year’s poor tax due at Easter and 1 year’s land tax due at Lady Day last. Rec’d of Richard Hope 3.14.9 in full for poor tax. Rec’d of Mr Joseph Burgess 9/9 in full for poor tax. I then paid him 7/6 in full for money spent at the vestry last night.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a sausage pudding. In the afternoon my brother Moses came over to take up some cloths and stayed and drank tea with me, as did Mr Carman and Richard Page. Sam Jenner coming in the evening, we played a few games of cribbage; I lost 6d.

Paid Joseph Fuller Jr 3/6 in full for 13 lbs of beef bought and received of him today at 2/2 per stone… I received of Mr Blackman the 10th instant in payment for poor tax [a] bank bill [for £15.]… A very fine pleasant day.
 

Delivered to Ben Shelley in cash by my servant £100 in order to pay in London for me, the money as under:

2 thirty-six shilling pieces	3.11.0
1 moidore	1.7.0
63 guineas	66.3.0
42 half-do.	21.10
20 quarter do.	5.5.0
1 eighteen-shilling piece	0.18.0
1 thirteen-and-sixpence	0.13.6
1 half do.	0.6.9
4 shillings	0.4.0
6 halfpence	0.0.3

Rec’d of Mr Carman 3.13.1½ in full for poor tax. I then paid him 4.15.2 in full for his parish bill brought in and passed in the account last Wednesday. Rec’d of Lord Viscount Gage from Mr Hall by Robert Hook in cash 0.14.6 in full for poor tax due at Easter, and 1 year’s land tax 8/-, due at Lady Day last.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. After dinner Mr Carman and I walked down to Whyly to ask Mr Blackman how he did, but did not stay, he being excessive ill. In the evening we had a vestry at Mr Joseph Burgess’s to put out poor children. John Watford took Ann Thomas Vinal for 6d a week till next Lady Day. Our vestry was Mr Carman, myself, Mr Thomas Walls, John Watford, Richard Page, George Stace, Robert Hook and James Fuller. Spent 7/6 on the parish account and came home about 1:10, sober.

This day were married at our parish church Thomas Bristow and Mary Carpenter (by publication of banns).
 
 

Rec’d of Mrs Atkins in cash 4.13.6; viz.,

A Book debt	2.5.0
Poor tax	2.8.6

 Rec’d of Mr Coates 1.3.6 in full for poor tax. Rec’d of Thomas Davy in cash 1.2.9 in full for poor tax. In the forenoon I set out for the sitting at Maresfield in order to verify the parish accounts for the preceding year. I called at my brother’s at Framfield, but did not stay. I dined at the second table on part of a buttock of beef boiled, a piece of beef roasted, a ham and greens, in company with my father Slater and near 30 more. After dinner I verified the accounts upon oath. Paid the justice’s clerk 6/-; viz.,

Warrant	0.2.0
Summons	0.2.0
Veryfying account	0.2.0

Spent as under:

Horse	0.0.2
Dinner	0.0.6
Spent	0.0.8
	0.1.4

Came home by Framfield where I stayed with my brother about an hour. Came home about 7:20. In the evening wrote my London letters. Sam Jenner sat with me some time in the evening. My father Slater came with me as far as Uckfield where we parted.

Myself and brother at church in the morning… Joseph Burgess dined with me on part of a calf’s head boiled, a piece of bacon and greens.

After dinner I set out for [South] Malling to pay Molly Hicks my intended wife a visit, with whom I intended to have gone to church. But there was no afternoon service there (My brother and servant at church in the afternoon). I spent the afternoon with a great deal of pleasure, it being very fine pleasant weather and my companion very agreeable. I drank tea with her and came home about 9:30. Spent today 8d: viz., turnpike 2d and the servant 6d.

Now perhaps there may be many reports abroad in the world of my present intentions, some likely condemning, other approving my choice. But as the world cannot judge the secret intentions of my mind and I may therefore be censured for want of knowing the true motives of my proceedings, I will take the trouble to relate what are really and truly my intentions and the only motive from which they spring (which may be some satisfaction to those who may happen to peruse my memoirs). To do the first I shall begin with the latter, as thinking it most necessary. As to the motives which spur me on to think of marriage, first I think it is a state agreeable to nature, reason and religion and in some manner the indispensable duty of Christians. For I think it the duty of every Christian to serve God and perform his religious services in the most calm, serene and composed manner, which if it can be performed more so in a married state then in a single one, it must then be an indispensable duty.

Now as to my own present situation, my house is not at all regular, neither is there any family devotion performed in that serious manner as formerly in my wife’s time, nor have I one friend in the world; that is, I have not anyone whom I can thoroughly rely upon or confide in. Neither have I anyone to trust to trust the management of my affairs to that I can be assured in their management will be sustained no loss. I have not one agreeable companion to soften and alleviate the misfortunes incident to human nature.

As to my choice I have only this to say: the girl I believe as far as I can discover is a very industrious, sober woman and seemingly endued with prudence and good nature, and seems to have a very serious and sedate turn of mind. She comes of reputable parents and may perhaps one time or other have some fortune. As to her person I know as plain (is my own), but she is cleanly in her person and dress (which I will say is something more than at first sight it may appear to be towards happiness). She is I think a well-made woman. As to her education, I own it is not liberal, neither do I think it equals my own, but she has good sense and a seeming desire to improve her mind, and, I must in justice say, has always behaved to me with the strictest honor and good manners, her behavior being far from the affected formality of the prude, nor on the, other hand anything of that foolish fondness too often found intend the more light part of the sex. Now for my real intentions; it is that of marriage and of the strictest honor, having nothing else in view but to live in a more sober and regular manner, and to be better able to perform my duty to God and man in a more suitable and truly religious manner, and with the grace of the Supreme Being to live happy and in a sincere union with the partner of my boson.
 

Paid Ben Shelley (by his brother John) in cash 2.7.8, which with the £70 sent, or at least delivered, to him the 9th instant makes together the sum of 72.7.8 and is in full for the same sum paid in London for me as under:

By cash paid the 10th instant to Mr William Margesson	70.0.0
By do. the 3rd instant to Messrs Cluer Dicey & Co. in full on my account	0.12.0
By do. the 10th instant to Messrs Smith and Isherwood in full on my account	1.15.8

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Rec’d of Mr Porter the sum of 12.5.4½ in full for poor tax. Rec’d of Thomas Reeve by the payment of his daughter in cash 4.17.6 in full for poor tax… Rec’d of Mr George Bannister the sum of four guineas, which I lent him the 29th December last, and gave him the note of hand I received of him upon lending the money.

At home all day and thank God very busy. In the evening smoked a pipe or two at Mr Joseph Burgess’s, Joseph Fuller, T. Durrant and Sam Jenner treating me with a glass or two of punch. Paid John Nutley in cash 14/- in full for 2 bushels flour, I delivered to Will Sinden, the other to Starkes [Slarkes].

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a piece of beef boiled and greens. In the afternoon Mr Carman called on me again, and we rode down to Sam Washer’s, where Mr Carman agreed to take all the effects by Mr Verrall’s appraisement and enter upon the premises tomorrow, signing a note to resign the same, he only to have the use of one room for a month…

From thence we, together with Mr Chester and Mr Hutchens, rode to Mr Peckham’s in order to obtain his consent for a continuation of the license, which he granted. We stayed and smoked a pipe or two and came home about 8:20. My brother in my absence received of Roase Page 12/5 (by the payment of Mrs Browne) in full. Mrs Browne drank tea at my house. Rec’d of butcher Fuller in cash 3.14.6 in full for poor tax.
 

Delivered to Mr George Bannister a receipt for £8 in full for a year’s land tax for his salary which he is to receive for me today of the collector. After breakfast Mr Carman called on me-to walk with him to Sam Washer’s in order to take the house for his nephew. We dined there on some rashers of bacon broiled… We did not any business, but spent 6½d and came home about 5:20.

My brother out upon the wild order again today. Paid Mrs Burgess 2/11 in [cash] for what he spent.
 

Paid Mrs French in cash 3/7½ in full for a ¼ cord of wood delivered to Lucy Williams. Paid Mr Joseph Fuller Jr in cash 1.13.0½ in full for a bill due to his father on the parish account. Paid Mrs Elizabeth Browne by her brother John Hutson in cash 1.5.8 in full as under:

½ year’s rent due from the parish at St Michael last for Slarkes’ end of a house	0.17.6
To a bill on my landlord for repairs	0.8.2

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the afternoon went to Mr Joseph Burgess’s, where there was a public vestry held for to settle the yearly accounts of the overseers and choose new overseers etc. Mr Carman and myself made up our accounts with the inhabitants, and there was due to the parish the sum of 17.7.3¼. The new officers chosen: myself churchwarden, Simonds Blackman electioner; Thomas Garman overseer and Ed Foord electioner. Paid the widow French by Sam French 9.9.3 in full on the parish account. Rec’d the following poor tax in full to this day:

Edward Hope	2.8.9	Francis Turner	1.12.6
John Nutley	2.10.4½	Edward Foord	6.0.3
Do. for parish linen	1.8.0	Charles Vine	1.12.6
James Fuller	3.3.4½	Ann Page per son Richard	5.10.6
Do. for parish linen	2.10.0	John Cayley	2.5.6
Mr Thomas Walls	5.14.0	Mr French’s widow by son Sam	13.2.9
Mr Simonds Blackman	14.0.0
John Watford	2.3.3
Joseph Durrant	1.15.9	Richard Bristed	8.2.6
Thomas Pelham Esq by do.	0.16.3	George Stace	4.2.0

Paid Mr Burgess 10/- in full for money spent on the parish account. We stayed till near 3 o’clock. Spent 6d.
 

Delivered to Ben Shelley by my servant in cash £70 in order for him to pay in London for me… Sent Mr Will Lee in Nottingham enclosed in a letter 1 bill on Mr William Margesson… 4.6.0 in full on my account… Sent Mr Will James at Ashwick near Shepton Mallet in Somersetshire enclosed in a letter one bill on Mr Will Margesson…value £10.9.6. Both the above bills enclosed in letters were enclosed in one to Mr John Perchard in Crooked Lane in order for him to forward by the post, and both sent by Ben Shelley, delivered to himself by my servant. Also sent enclosed in a letter by Ben Shelley, delivered to himself, to Mr Will Margesson the bill value 17.3.2. I received of Joseph Fuller Jr yesterday.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Paid John Watford in cash 9.17.0 in full on the parish account. He then paid me in cash £1.16.11 in full for a book debt. Paid Thomas Davy in cash 2.4.2 in full for the parish bill. Paid Thomas Durrant 3/- in full for a bill on the parish. Paid him also in cash 1.17.6 in full for 1 year’s rent due from the parish to Mr James Burfield of Steyning for John Durrant’s end of a house due at Lady Day last (0.S.).

In the evening went over to Mrs French’s and paid her in cash 3.14.0 in full on my own account. After I came home Thomas Davy and I balanced accounts and I received of him in cash 4.16.0½ in full of all demands (as to my own private affair). We played a few games of cribbage; I won 5d.