Tuesday, October 5 1756

…My brother came over in the forenoon for the mare and for a basket bouillis. Rec’d of him 16/- for his share of the 2 shares of the 2 lottery tickets I bought. Will Burrage at work for me in the forenoon a-picking up of apples etc. Dame Vinal at washing all day, and both dined with us… In the morning wrote out about [¾]d worth of paper in land tax receipts for Mr Piper and Mr French, but they neither paid for the paper nor thanked me for the trouble. But there, I’ll suppose it was want of knowing better. Paid my brother 2/- for a Bible I had of my mother on Sunday.

Monday, October 4 1756

This day Thomas Roase and Catharine Clarke were married at our church and are, I believe, an old maid and an old bachelor. Paid John Streeter the post 2/- for the watch I received from him for Driver… Dame Vinal a-washing half the day for us. Paid Dame Trill 8/-; viz., 3/- in full for keeping Ann Braizer, due today, and 5/- for their monthly pay, due yesterday, Mr French paying all the other poor for me yesterday, which I am indebted to him for as under:

To Edward Babcock0.4.0
To Ann Woodo.4.0
To Widow Pilfold0.6.0
To Dame Streeter for doing for do.0.3.0
0.17.0

Dame Martin and Dame Trill drank tea with us. Thomas Davy sat with us a while in the evening… At home all day and very busy.

Sunday, October 3 1756

In the morning my wife, self and nephew went over to Framfield where we arrived about 7:50. My wife and my mother’s whole family (except my sister and myself) at church in the morning. We dined on a roast pig. My wife and I neither at church in the afternoon. We drank tea at my mother’s and came home about 7:40. Rec’d of Robert Driver Jr 2/-, which I am to pay to the post for a watch he left me, and which I delivered to Robert Driver. My wife very ill all day…

Wednesday, September 29 1756

At home all day. My father and mother Slater dined with us on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a roast duck and a plum suet pudding. About 3 o’clock Mrs Elliot and her son called my father and mother Slater, and they all went home together. I this day settled the accounts between Mrs Virgoe and Mr French… I wrote receipts for each of them in full, which each of them respectively signed. I lent Mr Jeremiah French in cash £6, but had no note; it is charged to account…

Tuesday, September 28 1756

Paid Joseph Fuller 13½d for a shoulder of lamb received today and also 6/- for 9 lbs of hops received today. My brother came over in the morning. I paid him in cash 1.3.0 for rolls which he bought and paid for me at Lewes yesterday, as also 18d for 6 brushes that he bought for me. My brother did not stay, but he carried home Mrs Elizabeth Hicks behind him.

About 10 o’clock my father Slater and I set out for Lewes (I having no business but to accompany him) where we arrived about 12. I called on Mr Hook, Mr Snelling, Thomas Scrase, Mrs Roase, and dined at Mr John Madgwick’s about 5 o’clock on some cold roast beef… Paid Mr Joseph Attersall 2.12.0 in full and bought of him 3½ yds jack chain, which cost me 12d. We came home about 9 o’clock. I spent 2d, my father Slater paying all the other expenses. He also gave me a pair of spurs, value 20d. Mr Madgwick came with us as far as the Broyle.

This day paid my father Slater… 8.8.0, being in full for the mare I bought of Mr Bachelor, and which he paid for… My family and my mother Slater dined on a roast shoulder of lamb and the remains of Sunday’s dinner.

Monday, September 27 1756

In the morning my brother came over for my mother’s salt sacks and breakfasted with us, he being a-going to Lewes. This day balanced accounts with Francis Smith and paid him…in full for money he has paid in London for me…[including] 25 Sept. to Messrs Barlow and Wigginton for the 1/16 shares of the 2 lottery tickets they bought for me,1.12.0. By examination I find I have made a mistake of 20/- to my prejudice, and which I have made Francis Smith Dr. for in the post book. This day wrote a letter to Bancroft and Nixon for Thomas Fuller, another for John Mugridge to Tomlin, with hops, and another to Swainstone and Hedges, with hops, for Mr French. Just before dinner my father and mother Slater, Mrs Elliot and son came in and dined with us on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Soon after dinner Mrs Elliot and her son went for Hailsham, and I, out of complaisance to my father Slater, walked with him to Eason’s Green to see a cricket match; viz., Lindfield against Framfield and Maresfield, which was not played out, but was like to be won with great ease by Lindfield, they most of ‘em running out designedly, or striking up their wickets in the 2nd innings. Came home about 7 o’clock and spent the evening at my house. Paid John Streeter 3d for 1 oz spinach seed…

Sunday, September 26 1756

In the morning my wife and self went to church, and soon after we were at church, my brother Moses and sister Sally came to us… Surely, as we expected my brother and sister, nothing could be more rude than for not one of us to stay at home besides a servant. But however their good nature overlooked it and they came home and dined with us on 2 roast ducks and gravy sauce, a piece of beef boiled with turnips and carrots and a suet plum pudding. My whole family at church in the afternoon, and also my brother and sister… My brother and sister stayed and drank tea with us and went away about 6 o’clock. About 9 in the evening we were all alarmed by a drunken travelling woman, swearing and rolling about the street. In the evening read 3 of Tillotson’s sermons.