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…My brother came over in the morning and breakfasted with us. We dined on a beef pie. Mrs Virgoe drank tea with us. At home all day. My wife, poor creature, extremely ill, but bears her illness with a patience and resignation truly Christian. Betty Fuller sat up with my wife.

We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of a plain bread pudding. At home all day. My wife, poor creature, very ill.

…In the forenoon my brother came over and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. This day balanced accounts with Richard Page and there remains due to me the sum of 0.6.43. Dame Page drank tea with me. At home all day. My wife very ill.

…We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Dr Snelling paid my wife mother visit (he lying last night at Stonebridge). In the evening our late servant went home and Betty Mepham came to attend my wife. In the evening wrote my London letters. At home all day and but little to do. by wife very ill, poor creature; who can express the pain she has endured in this illness, and which I think she has borne with great patience and resignation to the divine will.

…No service at our church in the morning, Mr Porter preaching at Laughton. In the forenoon my quondam friend George Richardson came to see me. He dined with me on a shoulder of mutton roasted and onion sauce and a currant pond butter pudding. I paid him one bill on Mr Will Margesson, dated tomorrow, 30 days’ date, payable to Mr John Madgwick or order, No. 459, value 25.7.0, which bill is in full on account of Mr John Madgwick. My friend stayed with me till 5 o’clock.

In the evening Dr Snelling came to see my wife. Neither myself or servant at church in the afternoon, and our late servant went to Framfield. My wife very ill, and I doubt not but she is very dangerous.

…We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day. My wife very ill. Molly French sat up with her.

We dined on a leg of mutton roasted and potatoes. At home all day; posted my day book. My wife very ill. Molly Fuller sat up with her.

…At home all day. My wife, poor creature, most prodigious ill, and the trouble it gives me quite sinks my spirits. I have now no prospect of her recovery (that is, according to any human probability). But Oh, may the God of all goodness and mercy look down upon us!

Paid Mr French in cash the £5 for which I gave him my note of hand the 8th instant, and accordingly took up my note… We dined on part of a loin of mutton boiled, a turkey poult roasted, turnips, potatoes and some rashers of pork boiled. At home all day. My wife extremely ill…

…At home all day and very little to do. My wife most extremely ill. Oh, the grief that I am in almost sinks my spirits within me, for should it please Almighty God to take my wife, the partner of my soul, from me, I doubt I should be friendless.