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Mr Will Francis, partner with Mr Barlow and Wigginton, called on me in the morning and breakfasted with me, and to whom I gave orders for a parcel of linen goods.

I dined on a shoulder of venison roasted, and some gravy sauce. At home all day and but very little to do in the shop. I think I never knew trade so dull in my life, every day continually — losing some bad debts, and no taking any ready money.
 

In the morning Mr John Dennett and his servant my old acquaintance Mr Tucker came to see my wool and breakfasted with me, and after breakfast I sold my wool to Mr John Dennett, together with my brother’s, at 9.0.6 a pack delivered in Lewes, to be weighed in a month from this day, and to pay for it on weighing.

In the forenoon Mr Will Davis, broad-clothier at Shepton Mallet, called on me and I paid him 1 bill on Mr Will Margesson…value 15.19.0, which bill when paid is in full on my account with Mr Davis. Paid Joseph Fuller Jr 6d for a lamb’s head and pluck bought of him today.

I dined on some lamb’s liver and rashers of pork fried and cucumbers. In the afternoon Mr Matthew Terry rider to Messrs Kendal and Rushton, called on me and drank tea with me. I paid him 1 bill on Mr William Margesson…value 11.9.0, which bill, when paid is in full…to the 18th of Apr last. I gave Mr Terry an order.

Mr Sam Gibbs sent me a present of a shoulder of venison, for which I gave his son 12d. At home all day and not very busy. A remarkably fine day. In the evening busy a-writing. This day were married at our church Mr James Fuller and Miss Ann Newington.

A servant of Mr Heath, tobacconist and haberdasher, called on me, to whom I gave an order for a small cask of tobacco. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some cucumbers.

In the evening Mr Jacob Fender, rider to Mr James Blake, called on me and I paid him 1 bill on Mr William Margesson…value 30.7.0, which bill when paid is in full… There was also another gentleman with Mr Fender, a hosier living in Cheapside.

At home all day and not very busy Mr Bannister’s wife being delivered this morning, he took part of my bed, his own house being full. In the evening wrote my London letters. A pretty fine day. In the evening read part of the Weekly Amusements.

Myself and servant at church in the morning. I dined on a bullock’s tongue salted and boiled and some French beans.

After dinner I rode to Lewes in order to consult Mr Baley about Mr Vine’s affairs, whom I saw and stayed with some time. Came home by Framfield and stayed with my brother some time and came home about 9:50… When I set out for Lewes I was not certain if I should come back in the evening or go to Newhaven; therefore my servant got Thomas Durrant to stay in the house all night, who took part of my bed.

A prodigious wet afternoon or at least the latter part of it.

Paid Mr —– , a needle-maker at Chichester, 17/- in full for the following needles bought of him today:

3 m in quarters	0.9.0
1 m best do.	0.4.0
2 gross wire buttons	0.4.0

Lent John Nutley in cash four guineas; also lent Thomas Overing in cash two guineas. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a suet pudding. At home all day and thank God very busy. A very wet day at times.

Dame Akehurst, a-brewing for me today, dined with me on a piece of beef boiled, an apple pudding and French beans. Paid Mr Peter Gilbert in cash 4/6 in full for the following corks bought of him today:

3 gross vial corks	0.0.6
6 do. quarts	0.4.0

At home all day and but very little to do. A very fine day. In the evening read some of Owen’s Weekly Amusements. Paid Dame Akehurst 9d for her day’s work.

Paid Richard Bray in cash 8/- in full for 5 fleeces of sheep’s wool weighing 12 lbs bought of him today at 8d a pound. Paid William Geal in cash 11/- in full for 9 fleeces of sheep’s wool weighing 16 1/2 lbs at 8d a pound, bought of him today.

John Watford a-cutting my grape vine in the forenoon, he and my father Slater, who cane in just before dinner, dined with me on a piece of beef boiled, a few carrots and an apple pudding… My father Slater went away immediately after dinner. At home all day and very little to do. A very dull time indeed for trade.
 

Paid John Cayley in cash and goods 16/1½ in full for 32¼ lbs of butter bought of him today. Mr Cleaver, brother and rider to Messrs Joseph and Richard Cleaver, called on me today and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some cucumbers.

At home all day, but not busy. A very wet day at times. In the evening did some writing.

Paid Thomas Cayley in cash and goods 5/7 in full for 4 fleeces of sheep’s wool weighing 6 ½ lbs at 8d and 3 lbs lamb’s wool at 5d. Paid Elizabeth French by her son Samuel cash 6.10.6 in full for 95 fleeces of sheep’s wool weighing 5 tod 30 lbs at 8½ d. I

dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some cucumbers. At home all day and but very little to do. In the evening read part of Owen’s Weekly Amusement. A great deal of rain fell today. A very dull time for business, and which way to turn myself or alter my present situation I cannot tell. Lent the widow Marchant in cash 1.1.0.

…Paid Mr Porter in cash £20 in full for the draft received of him the 2nd instant, and took up my note of hand that I then gave him. Mr Merrick, a grocer in Southwark, called on me today and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with some cucumbers, and stayed and smoked a pipe or two with me after dinner.

At home all day and pretty busy. A great deal of rain fell in the afternoon. In the evening wrote my London letters, and afterwards went down to Joseph Fuller’s, where I stayed and spent the evening till near 1 o’clock in company with their family, Mr Bannister and Thomas Durrant. But I cannot say I came home sober. How do I lament my present irregular and to me very unpleasant way of life, for what I used to lead in my dear Peggy’s time — then was home of all places the most agreeable, but now the most unpleasant and irksome; then did I not know the want of a virtuous and pleasant companion, whose good sense was always pleasing and made life in that respect agreeable: but now, alas! I know not the comfort of an agreeable friend and virtuous fair — No, I have not spent hardly one agreeable hour in the company of a woman since I lost my wife, for really there seem very few whose education and way of thinking is agreeable and suitable with my own.