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No churching here in the morning, Mr Porter being not well. Our maid went over to Framfield and stayed all day. We had for dinner a knuckle of the leg of veal bought yesterday, a piece of bacon, batter and light pudding, with greens. Churching in the afternoon. I was at home all day, but not at church. Oh, fie! no just reason for not being there.

At home all day. We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. After dinner I made up my rags and sent them by Francis Smith’s man to Waldron in order to go next week by their team to be left at Forest Row in order to go to Mr Stedwell… Paid Joseph Fuller for a leg of veal…0.2.5½. Wrote out the parish’s and Mr John Vine’s bill. After supper read the 13th book of Homer’s Odyssey, wherein I think the soliloquy which Ulysses makes when he finds the Phaeacians have, in his sleep, left him on shore with all his treasure, and on his native shore of Ithaca (though not known to him), contains a very good lesson of morality, and is as under:

‘Ye gods’, (he cried,) ‘upon what barren coast, …

[lines 242-250 omitted]

Their faith, is mine; the rest belongs to Jove.

This day I found, by looking over my accounts, that when Mr French and I balanced accounts on the 8th day of January, he charged me with only 6 loads of wood in the year 1753, though I think I must inevitably have had in that year 8 loads, for I well remember I had both wood and faggots of Mr French in that year. Of Mr John Vine I am assured I bought 2 cords. Now Mr James Hutson fetched all my wood that year (for I bought it all in the place, [i.e., standing]), and he charges me for the carriage of 10 loads. When Mr Vine and I balanced, he had omitted the 2 cords of wood, but that I have since told him of. So as Mr French charged me with but 6 loads, I must consequently owe him for 2 loads more. For dinner we had a piece of bacon, prune pudding and potatoes. A great deal of rain fell in the night, and it continued raining all the morning. About 1 o’clock there fell a great deal of snow, and in remarkable large flakes, but did not continue long. At home all day…

We had for dinner a piece of pickled pork, light pudding and greens, with the remains of Sunday’s and Monday’s dinners. After dinner walked over to Framfield where I heard of the death of poor William Coyfe, who died the 16th instant about 6:30 in the morning at his brother Thomas’s. He resigned his life with great calmness and resignation to the will of the Supreme Being. After I stayed at Framfield about an hour, my brother Moses and I went down to Mr Peckham’s to advise with him about my mother’s leaving off trade, but he having company, could not get to consult him in the manner I wanted to do. But he has promised me to consider of it and that I shall hear from him again. There were, when we came into Mr Peckham’s, Mr Wharton and Mr Heaver of Uckfield; and soon after came in Francis Gibbs. We stayed and smoked 1 pipe. Mr Heaver went away soon, and Mr Wharton, my brother and myself came away together about 6:15, I coming for Hoathly and they going for Framfield. We left Francis Gibbs there. I called in at Robert Driver’s as I came home to tell him, at the request of Mr Heaver the miller, that he wanted to see him. There was at Master Driver’s Thomas Chatfield. I came to John Jones’s about 7:50, and there being a public vestry for the making a poor book, I went in and found there Jeremiah French, Joseph Fuller, Joseph Burgess, Joseph Durrant, William Piper, John Cayley, Robert Hook and John Watford Jr. But some or most of them being a little in liquor, they could not agree in some of their arguments; so we all broke up about 8:40.

At home all day. We had for dinner the remains of Sunday’s and Monday’s dinners. In the afternoon Mr Terry, tobacconist, called on me and drank tea with us. I gave him a bill on Messrs Margesson and Collison,… value 2.16.10…in full on account of Messrs Terry and Geak. I went down to Jones’s with Mr Terry and stayed until 2 o’clock; I spent 12d. Mr Terry I think to be a very pushing man in his trade; he is by birth a Yorkshireman, has been abroad in the merchant service in Virginia 1¼ years, and rode in the tobacco trade for Mr Alliston before he entered into trade for himself. I was a little in liquor.

At home all day. For dinner we had the remains of Sunday’s and yesterday’s dinners. Paid Francis Smith in cash £10…which he is to pay in London for me; see the next time we balance. In the evening posted my day book to this day. Trade I find to be very dull. Not that I want to get an estate; no, if it will please the Supreme Being to bless me with only enough to pay every one their own and to maintain my family in an indifferent manner, I am satisfied. A very sharp wind these 3 or 4 days past, which has dried the roads prodigiously, even to make the dust steam. After supper read Homer’s Odyssey. Sent Messrs Bancroft and Nixon 3 yds hair shag at 7/-.

…We had for dinner a piece of bacon, light and rice pudding, greens and potatoes. Dame Burfield drank tea with us. After tea I went with Sally to Framfield, as did Robert Hook, who went forward to Uckfield. I went to talk with my mother concerning her leaving off trading. Robert Hook called me at Framfield about 9:15 and came home about 10:45. As we came by Whyly, we met with Thomas Fuller the chandler who was then in his road home; but considering the coldness of the weather, he thought it better to come back home by the Street on proviso I would give him a dram of gin. Oh! that baneful liquor; that mankind should be so infatuated as to give way to anything for an opportunity to drench themselves with such a slow and lingering poison! While I was gone to Framfield, George Richardson called in his road from Dallington to Lewes, but did not stay.

In the morning George Richardson called and breakfasted with me. He stayed and dined with us, as did my brother William and George Martin, who both came in after breakfast. We had for dinner a hog’s cheek, light pudding, plum suet pudding, greens and potatoes. About 2 o’clock my brother Moses and sister Sally came to see us. George Richardson went for Dallington about 2:30. After churchtime Master Diggens came in and smoked a pipe or 2 with us. George Martin went away as soon as he came from church. My brother Moses and Master Diggens went away about 6:10, as did my brother William about 9:25; my sister Sally stayed all night. In the evening I drew up the form of a will to send to Thomas Mepham on board H.M.S. TORBAY in order for him to write over again. I wrote it at the desire of Robert Hook, who was desired to get it written by Thomas Mepham. In it he gives all the moneys that may be due to him at the time of his death, either as prize money or pay, to be equally divided between his brother Joseph and sisters Elizabeth, Martha and Lucy, share and share alike, and also makes them all joint executor and executrices… At home all day but not at church all day. A very sharp wind all day, and in the morning a frost.

At home all day. Rec’d a horse from Mr Bachelor of Hartfield, which, if I like, I am to give him £3 for, or, if not, to return him before 24 June next. Dined on a piece of pickled pork, light pudding and greens. In the afternoon went down to Mr Porter’s to show him a piece of shag. In the evening read Smart’s poem On the Goodness of the Supreme Being. Rec’d of John Hicks in full for his father Francis Hicks, 8/8 in full.

At home all day. My brother Moses dined with us on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a small butter pudding and potatoes. After dinner John Kenward from Westham called on me and stayed about 30 minutes. Thomas Davy here in the evening. We played at cribbage; I lost 2d. At church in the morning.