Category: Uncategorised

This day agreed with Mr Harman the stonemason at Heathfield to write our altar-piece and completely ornament and paint it, the letters to be the best leaf gold, and he to have seven guineas for doing it.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a plain suet pudding. At home all day and not at all busy. In the evening Sam Jenner and Mr Tipper sat with me some time. A very dull heavy time with me, trade bad, and money very scarce and hardly any friend in the world that can or will be a friend to me. But many of my relatives quite the reverse, which daily brings to my mind the memory of that sincere and virtuous friend whom I have not, my wife.

Exchanged Neatby’s bond on Jones for the note of hand I gave Jones the 2lst instant.

Jarvis Bexhill, buying some goods in the shop and it being a very wet forenoon, dined with me on a piece of beef boiled and cabbage with a piece of pork.

Dame Durrant made me a present of a goose, and she, Thomas, Mr Tipper and Sam Jenner drank tea with me. I gave the good woman also a little of that which she esteems of more value than gold, ay, of that delicious cordial, Mrs Nant’s [brandy distilled in Nantes], a thing truly of greater value than a goose. Oh, that sweet delicious relish! How it enlivens the spirits, gives one all the pleasing sensations that are so agreeable to our nature. And above all, when there is too much taken, it renders the most agreeable part of the creation mere brute creatures, as is too often this poor woman’s case.

This day balanced accounts with Ben Shelley as under and received of him in cash-3.15.6:

Mr Shelley Dr.
To money received for 47 tod 11 lbs of wool he sold for me and my brother at 19/- per tod	44.19.0
To money he received of Mr Ben Treacher in full for rabbit skins due to me	0.5.6
To cash paid him Oct. 1762	1.6.0
	46.10.6
Per contra Cr.
To a bill for carriage from the 30th Dec., 1761 to the 30th June, 1762, both days inclusive	10.13.10
To money paid to Mr Will Haslam the 28th in full on my account	0.9.2
To money paid Mr Will Margesson on my account	30.0.0
To the carriage of the wool	1.12.0
Received in cash	3.15.6
	46.10.6

At home all day and but very little to do. In the forenoon busy a-writing and in the afternoon a-marking up goods. In the evening Mr Tipper sat with me a while. Rec’d by Shelley from Mr Neatby Jones’s bond, value 32.10.0

A great quantity of snow fell in the forenoon, but there being no frost, it did not lie long on the ground. Paid Joseph Fuller Jr in cash £20 on account. Also paid him 9d for a bullock’s cheek bought of him today. I dined on a piece of beef boiled, an apple pudding and turnips. The 2 Misses Carman drank tea with me.

In the evening went down to Mr Porter‘s, where I supped and spent the evening with him. Came home about 10:20. Mr Porter and I settled some affairs relating to the trust reposed in us by Mr Piper’s will, of which we were devisees and executors.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day and but very little to do. In the evening wrote out some bills and read a few papers of The Connoisseur.

Sent Mr Thomas Neatby and Son… £12. Also sent Mr George Otway £20… A violent windy and rainy forenoon. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day. In the afternoon busy a-writing. Sam Jenner sat with me a while in the evening, to whom I read several numbers of The Tatler. But very little to do in the shop.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day. Bett Reeves drank tea with me. In the evening wrote my London letters. A most prodigious wet evening.

No service at our church today, it being a-repairing. A prodigious wet forenoon, so it was almost impossible to get to any other church. I dined on a piece of beef roasted.

In the afternoon Mr Tipper, Thomas Durrant and myself rode to Laughton Church where we heard a sermon preached by the curate of Laughton from John 1:12: “But as many as received him, to them gave he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” After churchtime we walked down to Mr Shoesmith’s, where we drank tea and stayed a pipe. Came home about 7:50 very sober. Spent 4d where we put up our horses.

In the evening read part of Hervey’s Theron and Aspasio. A very wet night. Mr Tipper sat with me in the evening.

I dined on a piece of a leg of mutton salted and boiled and some turnips… At home all day, but not very busy. In the evening Mr Long and Mr Tipper gave me a few tunes, one on the violin, the other on the German flute. A very wet evening.

My brother went away in the morning. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Paid Mr Thomas Tipper in cash. 1.4.1 in full for the same sum he paid as Mr Neatby’s half part of the expense yesterday at the court… At home all day but not very busy.

…I dined on a piece of beef boiled, an apple pudding and cabbage. My brother came over in the evening, and I received of him from James Knight 5 guineas for a cow sent to him some time ago.

My brother supped and stayed all night with me. This day John Jones in this parish surrendered (at a court baron held at Whitesmith for this manor) all his messuage, tenement. etc. in this parish into the hands of the lord of this manor [the Duke of Newcastle] by the acceptance of his steward Will Michell Esq. Mr Thomas Neatby, distiller in Southwark, was admitted thereto by his attorney Mr Tipper, according to the form and custom of this manor. Now Jones [owed] Mr Neatby on bond 32.10.0, and he thinking it not safe agreed to take this house etc. for the bond. I being an acquaintance of Mr Neatby’s, he implored me to act for him, but as I could not attend the court myself, I got Mr Thomas Tipper to be the supposed attorney (as they call it). But however, Jones would not surrender unless the bond was produced in court, which I could not do, Mr Neatby having that himself. But to make all easy and to get Mr Neatby admitted, I gave Jones my note of hand payable to him or order for the sum of 2.10.0 upon condition, that I did not deliver him up the bond within one calendar month from this day.