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My old servant stayed with me all day and dined with me on a plain suet pudding, a hog’s clad-piece boiled and turnips. Today being Ash Wednesday, I was at church in the morning. In the afternoon drank tea at Joseph Fuller’s. A very sharp frost in the morning. Sure I never knew so dull a time for trade in my life. My old servant stayed all night.

…In the morning I rode to Lewes to meet Mr Stephen Fletcher, servant to Mr Sam Ridings, in order to buy some Manchester goods. I breakfasted with him at the White Horse in company with my brother. I called and did some business with Mr Madgwick and came home about 12:15. In the forenoon my late servant Mary Martin came to see me and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of a roasted chick, and stayed and drank tea with me and also stayed all night… A very frosty day. Betsy Bridgman also drank tea with me. Dull, extreme dull is trade.

In the forenoon my brother came over, but did not stay. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of some chine bones boiled, a plain and plain suet puddings and turnips. At home all day; really very little to do… [91 words omitted].

In the morning myself and servants at church… We had a proclamation read for a general fast and humiliation of our sins before Almighty God and to implore His blessings on our fleets and armies, to be held Friday the 12th day of March next. The banns of marriage for the 1st time were published between John Thomson of the parish of Framfield and Mary Oliver of this parish.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of some sausages. After dinner myself and Thomas Davy walked to Little Horsted Church, where we heard a sermon preached by the Rev Mr Philips, curate of that parish and Maresfield, from the 40th verse of the 14th chapter 1st Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: “Let all things be done decently and in order.” After church (I having some business with my uncle Hill) we walked down to his house, where we stayed and drank tea and came home about 7:50. In the evening one of my servants went to sit up with Molly French, who is very ill. A very windy evening and a severe storm of hail about 9:20. In the evening read part of Young’s Night Thoughts.

This morning about 1:30 died (very suddenly, though after a long and lingering illness) Thomas Fuller, aged 58 years …

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day. In the evening about 6:30 I walked down to Thomas Davy’s (by whom I had been earnestly solicited to come), his infant daughter being baptized in the afternoon. I stayed and spent the evening there in company with Thomas Durrant, Ann Dallaway, James Marchant, Elizabeth Mepham and Mr John Long. I supped there on some bread, cheese and plumcake.

Came home about 12:30, sober. I gave the nurse 6d. Thomas Durrant stayed and laid at my house; the people being all abed in his house. Oh, melancholy and dismal time: trade dull and money more so. How does such misfortune break a person’s temper and render him too often an unsociable creature.

My friend Mr John Madgwick called on me and dined with me on a sparerib roasted and applesauce. At home all day and really very little to do. Oh, how melancholy is my present situation!…

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of some pork bones broiled. At home all day. Rec’d of Thomas Tester in cash 6/- on account.

After breakfast I rode to Lewes, where I went for to get some things for Mrs Porter; I came home about 2:20. My brother stayed and dined with me… A truly melancholy time; hardly anything to do, and it is impossible to get any money owing to me, so great a state of poverty abounds among us. I think there is too great reason to fear that it proceeds from a too free indulgence of that bane of private property LUXURY.

We both breakfasted at my brother’s and then took leave of him, Mr Hill setting out to prosecute his journey back to Yalden and I to Hoathly. I called on my aunt Ovendean at Boarshead Street, where I dined on some pork boiled, turnips and sausages. Came home about 5:20. Mr Coates’s cook and my brother drank tea with me; my brother stayed all night…

I breakfasted with Mr Hill and spent the forenoon with him and also dined with him… After dinner I set out on my journey home, Mr Hill accompanying me so far as Tunbridge Wells. We stayed and baited ourselves and horses at Tunbridge and supped and spent the evening with my brother at the Wells, at whose house we lodged (both) all night…