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At home all day. Paid for baking 1d. Paid James Fuller 3d for 6 lemons and 6 clamp brushes which he bought at Lewes for me; to wit, the lemons on the 27^th Dec. and the brushes on the 10th Jan. Mrs Vine the younger and my brother Moses drank tea with us. Mr Peter Adams came to balance accounts with me but could not, he being in liquor, but appointed to come tomorrow night. Mrs Virgoe sat about 2 hours with us. In the evening I posted part of my day book. Tonight there was a dance, made, I conjecture, by the servants, there being all the young people of both sexes in the parish. Paid for milk 2d.

…This day began teaching school again, being the first day since Christmas. In the evening went down to Mr Thomas Porter’s and settled accounts with him; see below. After I came home (finding Thomas Davy at my house) we went to cribbage; I won 3d. He supped with us and stayed till 12:40 — too late. I drank part of a bottle of cider at Mr Porter’s.

Rec’d of Mr Porter by his tenant Thomas Wright, paying (by Mr Porter’s order) to Messrs Margesson and Collison for my use on the 22nd Dec., 1755                      30.13.0

Do. by 11 lbs butter                        0.4.7

Do. by tithe for 1755                       0.8.0

31.5.7

My bill on Mr Porter to the 31st Jan., 1756                         27.15.9

By a mistake made to my prejudice on the 27^th Sept., 1755                      0.16.5

28.12.2   28.12.2

2.13.5

I gave Mr Porter my note of hand for 2.13.6 payable to him or order on the 23rd January next, dated today, which, when paid, will be in full for the balance of the account due to Mr Porter. Paid for butter 3d. Paid for 12 brooms 10d. Read The Merry Wives of Windsor wherein I think the genius of the author shows itself in a very conspicuous manner as to humor. But I cannot find in my heart to say I think there 1s one good moral character. Gave Francis Smith’s man 6d for his box.

My wife and I both at church in the morning; the text was in the 15th Psalm, 9th verse: “The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.” Mr Porter made an excellent sermon on the goodness of the Supreme Being. When we came home, we found Mr Thomas Scrase and Mr John Tucker at our house, being come in churchtime. They dined with us. Mr Scrase brought me a new wig. I did not pay him for it. They stayed until 7 o’clock. About that time Master Diggens came in and stayed till about 7:35. My wife and I neither at church in the afternoon.

At home all day. Paid Mrs Virgoe the 1 shilling I borrowed of her the 7th instant. Paid Master Piper 17¼d for a pig, weight 5¾ lbs, which I sent to Framfield by Sam Elphick… In the evening went down to Mr Porter’s to acquaint him that I have received advice of the 30.13.0 being paid to Messrs Margesson and Collison for my use as he informed me on the 30th December. Mrs Virgoe sat with us about 1 hour in the evening.

At home all day… Lent John Jones by Philadelphia Goldsmith in cash 1 guinea. In the afternoon Mrs Day, Miss Suky, Mrs Fuller, Bett and Molly drank tea with us. In the evening Joseph Fuller came, and he and I balanced accounts… In the evening we all played at brag; my wife and I lost 14d. They all went away about 10 o’clock… I lent Mrs Day the 1st volume of The Guardian. Rec’d of Will Sinden ½ bushel wheat.

Finished writing out Mr Porter’s bill and wrote out several more. About 2:40 my wife went down to Whyly. I also went there about 5:30. We stayed and supped there and came home about 1 o’clock. Mr and Mrs French, Mr Calverley and myself and wife and John French played at brag till supper; my wife and I both won 2/1. We gave the maid 6d a piece, that is both of us, 12d in all. I balanced accounts with Mr Sam Virgoe Sr and paid him 10/4¼ in full to this day (the rent of my schoolhouse excepted, which will be 1 year’s rent at new Lady Lay next, value 2.10.0).

Due to Mr Virgoe for 25 lbs of wool at 7d rec’d this summer                     0.14.7

Do. for 1¼ yrs’ rent for the chamber over the butcher’s shop, due at St. Michael last, but he took only one year’s, and is in full for the one year’s, and is in full for the whole                                       0.10.0

1.4.7

My bill on Mr Virgoe to this day             0.14.2¾

0.10.4¼

This sum I paid him as before mentioned in presence of Mr Calverley. Afterwards I balanced accounts with Mr Jeremiah French and paid him in cash 0.18.0, which is in full to this day except 3/- for horse-keeping, 4 lbs hops and 1 gallon of peas I owed Mr French as under:

For 217 fleeces of wool weighing 13 tod 23 lbs at 16/- per tod, rec’d in September, 1753 10.19.6

Ditto 6 loads of wood rec’d in the year 1753 3.0.0

Ditto by a balance of some cash paid to Messrs Margesson and Collison for me in the year 1754 6.10.9

Ditto by poor tax for the year 1754              0.10.0

Rec’d by the carriage of goods from Lewes in December, 1754,              0.15.0

Ditto by cash paid to Francis Smith by Messrs Swainstone and Hedges for my use the 13th August, 1755                            1.10.8

Ditto 119 fleeces of wool weighing 7 tod 14 lbs at 7d per lb, rec’d the 21 August, 1755                                            6.18.10

Ditto a fat hog weighing 26 stone 7¼ at 2/-, rec’d the 3rd January, 1756                 2.14.0

32.18.9

My bill on Mr French to this day — including the Parish bill for 1754 and Mr Chatfield’s bill for nails used at Chiddingly, which I gave him a receipt for on the 9th September, 1755 but dated it the 28th July, 1755             32.0.11¾

0.17.9¼

In the morning walked over to Framfield. Moses and Sally at Horsted. Went yesterday to dinner, came home today about 12:15. I cut out 16 round frocks for my mother. I got there about 9 o’clock and came home about 5:30. I found Mr Jeremiah French and his wife and son and Mrs Vine Jr and her son at our house. Mrs French and son and Mrs Vine and son drank tea with my wife. They all went away about 7 o’clock. After they were gone I went down to Mr Porter’s and paid Mrs Porter the 12d I left to pay the 3rd instant. Stayed till about 9 o’clock. Paid for eggs today 12d. Borrowed of Mrs Virgoe 12d. A fine day.

At home all day and busy. Sold Thomas Davy a coat, waistcoat etc. He and Master Marchant drank tea with us. Thomas Davy and I played at cribbage until 8:30; neither of us won or lost… A remarkably wet day.

At home all day. In the morning Mr French, Joseph and Thomas Fuller weighed and cut out my hog. He weighed 26 stone 7¼ lbs at 2/- per stone, but I did not pay for him… An entertainment at Mr Porter’s today.