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At home all day… We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Read the 31st, 32nd and 33rd of Tillotson’s sermons. Paid John Streeter 6d, which was a wager I laid with him concerning a cricket and lost. Thomas Davy supped with me and stayed until 11:25

At home all day and indifferently busy. We dined on the remains of Monday’s dinner and an eel pie and a veal pie. In the evening my brother called on me in his road from Lewes in order to take home some prints, tomorrow being their fair… Drank tea at Mrs Virgoe’s.

At home all day. My brother came over about 11 o’clock; stayed and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. After dinner my brother went down to Osborne’s at Whitesmith to get in their debt for me, but could not. My brother stayed until near 3 o’clock. In the evening read part of the The History of England. It is a sad, melancholic life to live alone and be confined in. Paid the gardener at Halland 6d for 1 peck gooseberries received today.

At home all day. My brother Moses called on me in his way to Mayfield, but did not stay. We dined on the neck of veal roasted in the oven and a cauliflower. The post, coming in just at dinnertime, ate some dinner with us, Joseph Mepham, having got a rabbit, I did not send him that I bought for him, but in lieu of it sent him 3 eels, which were sent me on Saturday by James Fuller from Mr Tucker. Very bad in the evening with the tooth-ache.

My brother Moses came to my father Slater’s about 9:10. We breakfasted there. Then my father, wife, brother, self and my sister Ann Slater went to church where we heard a sermon preached by the Rev Mr Davis; the text in Matthew 11:29,30: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” We dined at my father Slater’s on a leg of tag mutton boiled, a piece of bacon and greens and a plum pudding. I agreed to take of my father Slater about 6 pieces of poking at 20/- per piece. After dinner Mr Bachelor came down to my father Slater’s, and with him we left my mother’s mare in order for him to dispose of it the best manner he could. At the same time he lent my brother a horse to come home upon.

Samuel Slater came to bring us going on our road as far as Coman’s Hatch where we had a bottle of cider and ¼ of brandy, 5¼d of which I paid. From thence we came to Witch Cross where I called to buy a rabbit for Joseph Mepham, but there being none, we had a half a pint of red wine, which my brother paid for. We called also at Mr Rose’s at Danehill, but he was not at home. We came to Chailey about 6:10, it being 4 when we set out from Hartfield. We stayed at Chailey about 2 hours and came home about 10:25. I bought of Mr Beard 4 pieces of poking at 20/- per piece. Left my wife at Hartfield. When I came home I found T. Davy at our house, who lay there all night. Bought at Chailey a rabbit, which cost me 8d. Our maid dined at home on a piece of pork and a piece of the neck of veal.

A very great tempest of thunder, lightning and rain, but in particular of lightning. It began about 12 o’clock in the morning and continued until near 2. This morning about 7:30 Mrs Porter was safely delivered of a girl. This day Francis Smith and I balanced accounts, and I paid him in cash 1.12.1, being in full to this day, carriage excepted…[including] 4 gals. brandy and 2 gals. of gin, which I got for Will Eldridge, 1.1.4. Upon examining the fore-going account, I find a mistake made of 11d which is there is due to him…the credit account being larger than the debit by 11d.

We having fixed on this day for my wife and I to go to Hartfield, my wife endeavored to borrow a horse (being doth disappointed of having one as we expected from Hartfield or Francis Smith) or Joseph Fuller, Thomas Fuller, William: Piper, Joseph Burgess and Richard Bridgman I believe they had no other reason for not doing it but want of good nature and a little gratitude, but I make no doubt they will, some one or other of them, be so good-natured as in a little time to come [to ask me] to write this land tax or window tax book for us [them]. And then I always find good nature enough to write them and at the same time to find them in beer, gin, pipes and tobacco while I am a-writing them. And then, poor ignorant wretches, they sneak away and omit to pay for paper. But God bless them. I’ll think it proceeds more from ignorance than ill nature.

After Francis Smith and I had balanced accounts today, I gave him £2, which he is to pay in London for me. I sent our maid to hire a horse of William Sinden, who replied he had never horse able to carry us (though I should not have sent, had not his man told me he had a very good double horse I could have which daily carries a man almost as heavy as us both, beside a sack of wheat). My wife then applied to John Watford, who hired us his horse. My brother came over to stand the shop for us in my absence (about 3 o’clock). And about 4 o’clock we set out on our journey for Hartfield where we arrived about 8:10. As we were a-riding along near to Hastingford, no more than a foot-pace, the horse stood still and continued kicking up until we were both off. Our fall happened to be in a very dirty hole, but thanks be given to God, we received no hurt. My wife was obliged to go into Hastingford House to clean herself. Gave the woman of the house 6d.

Called at Mr Browne’s at Withyham to know about hop-bagging, but he was not at home. His man told me he had not as yet bought any. This day received of Joseph Fuller 1 neck of veal, at 3d per lb. My wife and I spent the evening at my father Slater’s. We dined off some rashers of pork and green salad.

At work in my garden in the forenoon. We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a batter pudding. After dinner my brother John from Tunbridge Wells came in to see us, he having [been] down at the Moat a-fishing of a pond, or at least a-seeing one fished. He stayed and drank tea, and afterwards I went almost as far as Eason’s Green with him to bring him going on his way to Framfield. Otherwise at home all day. In the evening read the 30th of Tillotson’s sermons.

In the forenoon I went down to see Peter Adams; found him in bed and determined to prosecute the men that abused him. Stayed and smoked one pipe and came home about 1 o’clock. We dined on the remains of Tuesday’s dinner with the addition of a piece of pork, butter pudding, and spinach. Lent Peter Adams in cash £1, which…makes £2, and for which I have his note of hand. After the post came back, sent our maid over to Framfield with a dozen of buttons. My brother brought over a pair of breeches for little Darby and drank tea with us this day. Our parish played at cricket with Chiddingly parish on Broad Oak and had not time to play it out, but to all appearance it was in the favor of this parish. At home all day except for going to Peter Adams’s. In the evening read the 29th of Tillotson’s sermons. Dr Snelling called on us in his way to Ticehurst, but did not get off.

At home all day… In the evening read the 28th of Tillotson’s sermons. In the afternoon very busy a-altering and cleaning the feathers in a bolster.

At home all day. We dined on the best end of the neck of veal bought on Saturday roasted. Rec’d of my mother by my brother 1.6.5, being for goods got from Mr Madgwick’s for her, but charged to my account. My brother drank tea with us. Nothing more of moment. In the evening read the 27th of Tillotson’s sermons. Lent Peter Adams by his daughter Hannah in cash £1, for which I received his note of hand.