Friday, September 17 1756

After breakfast I walked over to Framfield to borrow my mother’s salt sacks. Stayed there about 1 hour and ¾ and brought the sacks home upon the mare. After I came home, I carried down to Page’s 1 crock of butter to go to Lewes by them tomorrow for Mr Hook… In the afternoon I carried down to Page’s 78 wool for him to carry to Lewes with him. Mr Elless walked down along with me. In the evening read part of Hervey’s Theron and Aspasio.

Thursday, September 16 1756

Paid Joseph Fuller 6d for 2 lbs beef. We dined on a beef pudding, a piece of pork, turnips and carrots. Did a little work in my garden. In the afternoon Charles Diggens was at our house, who bought a coat etc. of me. After he was gone, I rode down to Peckham’s at Terrible Down to get in their bill, but could not… From thence I designed to go to Richard Page’s to talk with him about going to Lewes on Saturday for me, but my mare losing a shoe, I was obliged to return back by T. Page’s. I found my brother at our house when I came back. He was come for the mare and had her accordingly. He did not stay but a very little time.

Wednesday, September 15 1756

…Peter Adams coming in for some hop-bagging, just as we were going to dinner, he dined with us on the remains of yesterday’s dinner and a little piece of pork and some French beans. Bought of a man who called at the door, and whom I took to be a Jew, 3 dozen lead pencils, for which I gave him 2/7½. About 5 o’clock Mr Elless and I walked down to Laughton to inquire after a dozen of scythes I had left at Gurr’s, which I found there, and also to see the church, which is now an ornamenting. We came home about 7:15. Thomas Davy having gathered some apples for me today, he stayed, supped with us and stayed till near 10:30.

Tuesday, September 14 1756

In the morning wrote my London letters and one for Mr Hutson to Tomlin with 3 pockets of hops. At work in my garden all the forenoon. Paid Thomas Fuller 1½d for the sheep’s heart received on Saturday. We dined on a duck pudding, a piece of pork and French beans. At home all day… In the evening read part of Hervey’s Theron and Aspasio. Sent to Messrs Barlow and Wigginton to buy me two sixteenths of two lottery tickets.

Monday, September 13 1756

At home all the morning. About 11:30 I went to Mayfield in order to see a cricket match; viz., Lindfield against Mayfield. When I came to Mayfield, there were four of Lindfield out, but Lindfield got 52 runs the first innings and Mayfield 48, which made Lindfield 4 ahead. Lindfield got 31 the second innings, which made them 35 ahead of Mayfield, who went in and got them with only one wicket up. I came home about 6:50. I paid for the standing of my horse 2d, which was all I spent, for I neither ate nor drank while I was gone, nor nothing before I went but dry breed and cocoa, tea and some coffee mixed. I this day wrote a letter for Mr French to Swainstone & Co. with 2 pockets of hops, and also another for Joseph Durrant to Tomlin with 1 pocket of hops. My family dined at home on a piece of pork and cauliflower. My opinion concerning the game was that Lindfield kept the field best and batted best in general, but could not bowl. And what is remarkable, they were all tradesmen, and but one above 25 years of age, and I think eleven of very civil men.

Sunday, September 12 1756

In the morning about 5:20 my wife and I set out on our intended journey and went by Framfield in order to call Moses and Sally, whom, when we came, we found disappointed in getting of a horse to go upon so Sally could not go. We did not get off our horse nor stop any longer than the time my brother was a-dressing himself. He walked with us to Uckfield where he hired a horse and went with us to Chailey–or at least came after us. For while his horse was a-catching etc., we went softly on thinking he would overtake us, but he never did though he came to Chailey in less than 5 minutes after we were got in.

We got to Chailey about 9:05. We breakfasted at Mr Beard’s and went to church there. We heard a very good sermon preached by the Rev Mr Ralph Clutton (curate to the Rev Mr Richard Porter) from the 8th verse of the 19th Psalm: “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” My wife, my brother, and myself dined at Mr Beard’s (in company with a man and woman, who, I understood, came from Lindfield) on a piece of bacon boiled and turned cabbage, a pieces of beef roasted, plum suet pudding, horse radish and cucumbers. My family dined at home on a sheep’s heart pudding. There being no sermon there in the afternoon, I did not go to church. We drank tea at Mr Beard’s and stayed till about 6:45. My brother came with us to Uckfield where we parted. We got home about 9 o’clock, and very sober. I paid Mr George Beard 20/- in full for a piece of poking (hop-bagging) received from him the 4th instant. We spent in all 18d; viz,

My wife to the maid0.0.6
Myself to do.0.0.6
Myself to Dicky0.0.6

I think Mr Beard is very happily situated with regard to trade, but I doubt not very much so in his wife. But as he got to bed to her beforehand, he must be said to have done very justly in marrying, of her.

Friday September 19 1756

In the morning paid John Cayley in cash… and goods… 6.4.0 in full for my note of hand, which I gave him the 20th of August, and which I have accordingly taken up. Did a little gardening in the forenoon… At home all day… Read part of a book written by the Rev Mr Perronet, Vicar of Shoreham in Kent, which was lent me by George Richardson, and so far as I am a judge, I think it a very good thing. Wrote out several bills.

Thursday, September 9 1756

Paid John Lewer by cash and goods… 12/9 in full for a crock of butter received of him this day for Mr Hook, weighing 25½ lbs. Paid John Streeter 9d for a pair of pattens received by him this day from Thomas Freeman. Down at Whyly all the forenoon a-mending and putting up an old oast [R]air… Rec’d of John Jones the guinea loaned him the 27th of August. Dame Martin drank tea at our house.

Wednesday, September 8 1756

Dame Prall a-washing for us all day. We dined on a lamb’s heart pudding, the lights and mint boiled and minced, the tongue and brains boiled and a piece of pork boiled and some carrots. Rec’d of Thomas Darby 10/-, which I loaned him the 24th July. At home all day… My wife ill with a sore throat. My brother brought my sea water in the evening from Lewes, but did not stay.