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After breakfast my brother went home. …At home all day. In the afternoon my wife paid a visit to Mrs Vine the younger. In the evening read about 100 pages in Mead on poisons, which I think an excellent book, for I think his way of demonstrating is very clear wherein he proves the nervous fluid is first affected with the bite of any venomous animal. Also his method of cure for the bite of a mad dog is very reasonable.

In the morning got up and rode over to Framfield. Dined at my mother’s… My family at home dined on the remains of Sunday’s dinner with the addition of some bloated herrings. After dinner my brother and I walked over to Uckfield to commit the getting in of Peter Adams’s debt to Mr Thornton. As Mr Adams has failed of his word, I am fearful I shall lose it. Mr Thornton was not at home. I spent 3d at Uckfield. A-coming back to Framfield, we met with Mr Smith of Hempstead, who asked us to go into his house and drink a bottle of beer, which we readily accepted of. We drank tea at my mother’s, and after tea my brother came and walked home along with me and spent the evening with me, as did Thomas Davy part of it. My brother stayed all night. N.B.: Thomas Durrant came home very safe today…

In the morning Mr Burfield and I settled the accounts as under: I paid him for John Streeter…37/6, in full for 1 year’s rent due at Lady Day, 1756, and Thomas Durrant paid him in cash 2.15.8 and by land tax receipts £1 and by bills etc. for repairs 6.4.4, which together makes £10 and was in full for 2½ years’ rent due from his father at Lady Day last. Then Mr Burfield and I treated of Burrage’s affair and settled it as under: As there were 2½ years’ rent due from Burrage, Mr Burfield agreed to abate the half-year if I would agree to pay or give security for the 2 years’, which I accordingly did by paying him in cash today 2.7.6 and by giving him my note of hand payable at Easter next for the sum of 2.7.6, which together makes the sum of 4.15.0. When Dame Paris has paid the parish her 40/- as she has agreed, there will upon the whole be 55/- for the parish to pay. I also gave Mr Burfield my note of hand to be answerable to him for the rent of the said house so long as Dame Burrage shall continue to live in it. After this we must walk up to Steyning Town with Mr Burfield where he had us about from one of his friends’ houses to another until we became not very sober. But, however, we got back to Mr Burfield’s and dined there…

After dinner, knowing my wife would be very uneasy if I did not get home tonight, and also that my business would want me, and thinking myself capable to undertake such a journey, I came away, leaving Thomas Durrant there, who actually was past riding, or almost anything else. I arrived at home through the providence of God very safe and well about 7 o’clock. I spent in the whole journey 4/-. To give Mr Burfield his just character in the light wherein he appears to me, he is a very good-tempered man, a kind and affectionate husband, an indulgent and tender parent, benevolent and humane to a great, degree, and one who seems to have a great capacity and judgment in his business. Honesty seemingly is his innate principle. But after all he is a man very much given to drink. When I came home, Dame Durrant was like to tear me to pieces with words for leaving her son behind. But, there, poor woman, she and I were both in one pickle. But however Master Durrant and she and Henry Weller of Eastbourne and Fanny Weller spent the evening at our house when it all came to right with the assistance of 2 or 3 drams of her beloved Nantz [brandy from Nantes].

Rec’d of the gardener at Halland 12 bushels apples and ½ bushel potatoes. Steyning I think is but a small town, though both a borough and market town; there is also a free grammar school there.

Mrs Vine the elder breakfasted with us. My brother brought over our mare about 10 o’clock, and I gave him a draft…payable to my mother…value: 11.5.0. About 11:30 Thomas Durrant and I set out on our journey to Steyning. We called at Falmer and Patcham to bait our horses and arrived at Steyning in the evening. Mr Burfield was not at home, but we spent the evening and lodged at his house. N.B.: My family at home dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner.

In the morning Mr Darby made me a present of a pig, and I in return gave him about a pound of sugar, value 8d. About 9:45 my brother and sister came over. Dame Burrage breakfasted with us. My brother, sister, nephew and myself were at church in the forenoon…

I called a vestry, when it was agreed I should go and treat with Mr Burfield concerning Burrage’s rent. We dined on the pig (given us by Mr Darby) roasted, a piece of beef boiled, a plum rice pudding and turnips. My maid and nephew at church in the afternoon. My brother and sister went away about 5:40. At home all day. In the evening read 5 of Tillotson’s sermons. Master Piper smoked a pipe with us in the afternoon. I got Joseph Fuller to pay the poor, which he did, and I accordingly gave him the money before churchtime; viz., 22/-.

Paid Sarah Prall by a book debt and cash 4/10 in full for post letters etc. to this day… A remarkable cold day. In the evening I received advice from Joseph Durrant by Dame Burrage that he had orders from Mr James Burfield, owner of Burrage’s house, to distrain the goods in the said house immediately for the sum of 5.18.9, being for 2½ years’ rent, due the 5th October; viz., £2 from the widow Paris (Burrage’s wife’s mother), and the remaining 3.18.9 due from Burrage, the one paying 31/6, and the other 16/- per year. I upon hearing this sent to Master Durrant, who gave me the letter which empowered him to distrain the said goods. I then went down to Mr Porter’s and communicated it to him and informed him, as Burrage had little or no goods, and the goods that were there being the old women’s, I thought it would be very unjust to let her suffer for her son-in-law, which she must inevitably do if the landlord were suffered to distrain. I proposed to him to go and treat with Mr Burfield and to offer him to be paid at Easter next 2 years’ rent; viz., 3.3.0, and to promise to continue paying the said rent for Dame Burrage, (which he assented to) and for me to call a vestry tomorrow and to make the same proposal at the vestry… In the evening read one of Tillotson’s sermons.

In the morning went to church, and about 2 o’clock I went to Mr Porter’s tithe feast where I dined (in company with Mr Porter, Mr Coates, Mr Piper, Mr Burgess, Joseph Fuller, Joseph Durrant, Francis Turner, Richard Bridgman, Edmund Elphick, Mr Jenner and John Vine Jr) on a buttock and brisket of beef boiled, 5 or 6 ribs of beef roasted, 3 boiled plum puddings, carrots and turnips. I paid Mr Porter 8/- for 1 year’s tithe due at St Michael last… I came away about 11:10 when the company all broke up. Mr John Mugridge was remarkably drunk, but I think all the others were very sober, some few excepted.

There was in the evening a very strong argument between Mr Porter and Mr Adams concerning the unhappy affair of poor Elizabeth Elless. I think it must astonish almost any thinking person to see with what audaciousness the poor hardened wretch behaves, for he seems to glory in and give encouragement to crimes of the deepest dye. And his chiefest discourse consists in obscene words and oaths. Oh, may the poor unhappy creature think upon his vicious course of life and the Almighty Disposer of all events mar graciously grant him divine grace that he may repent and be converted and return unto the Lord his God.

N.B.: My family at home dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Mrs Piper was this day about 1 o’clock delivered of a fine girl, but the poor old man her husband sat with us very easy both before and after the news was brought to him of his wife’s delivery, contenting himself with saying he should get home soon enough to kiss the old woman, for they were no starters.

Query: Did the old man’s actions show he felt any inward pleasure at his wife’s safe delivery or his being blessed with a fine daughter?

In the morning Mr Jeremiah French and I signed the certificate for James Simonds and Ann his wife and Ann his daughter to the parish of Chart Sutton in the County of Kent. It was dated, I think, the 15th September and attested today by Mr Will Piper and John Streeter Jr. I paid John Streeter l/- for the said certificate, being what I received of Simonds on Sunday last… About 2 o’clock my wife went down to Whyly to pay Mrs French a visit, and I drank tea at Mrs Weller’s and talked with her about my leaving the shop. About 6:30 I went down to walk home with my wife, I stayed until near 9 o’clock and had the good fortune to get away indifferently sober. While we were at Mr French’s, Mr Piper came to call Mrs French to his wife, who, it seems, had sent for the midwife and many more good women now–the poor old creature’s purse!

Very wet all the forenoon. We dined on the whiting sent me yesterday from my brother, a few rashers of bacon and some pea broth for my dinner, Paid Francis Smith in cash 1.12.7 as under:

For 20¾ lbs bacon	0.8.2
Carriage of do.	0.0.7
For 1 white wine pipe	0.10.6
For 1 pk. gin for myself	0.5.0
For 2 gals brandy for Will Eldridge	0.8.4

At home all day, and in the afternoon read part of Chesselden’s Anatomy. In the evening read a sermon written by the Rev Robert Warren D.D. entitled, “The Churchman’s Daily Companion”, being the second sermon on this subject, and which I think a very good one; he fully explains the necessity and usefulness of frequenting public prayer.

…We dined on the remains of Sunday’s dinner with the addition of some pea broth. In the afternoon sent my maid to Framfield, and my brother sent me a present of 5 fine whiting. Paid Dame Trill 3/- in full for keeping Ann Braizer, due yesterday. At home all day. My wife and I papered up 24 lbs tobacco. In the evening wrote out several bills and also read a sermon written by the Rev Robert Jarren D.D. entitled, “The Churchman’s Daily Companion”, which I think an excellent one, on the subject of constantly frequenting public prayers.