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…At home all day; a good deal of rain in the evening; a sharp frost… Joseph Fuller smoked a pipe with me in the evening. We have had almost this 3 months past a deal of rain, and yet a frost almost every day or two.

In the day my brother sent me over word his carrier had disappointed him in going to the fair, for the roads were so bad he could not get along… A most remarkable cold day; a sharp piercing wind and a very hard frost. At home all day, though not very busy. I hardly remember a colder day, I think, at this season of the year.

Dame Akehurst a-washing for me all day and dined with me… Gave John Durrant’s wife the 4/- received for them on Sunday last. My brother came over in the afternoon, and he together with Mr Porter’s maid drank tea with me. My brother came over to inform me that his carrier would go with a team to Maidstone Fair on Saturday next, and we together with Sam Jenner packed up my rags in order to go to the fair by him. They weighed 5 cwt 0 qr 22 lbs net weight. My brother stayed and supped with me and then went home… In the evening we had a smart shower of rain, though a frost in the forepart of the day.

Dame Akehurst a-washing for me half the day and dined with me… Lent Mr Laurence Thornton in cash 1 guinea. In the evening wrote my London letters. Dame Akehurst lodged at my house.

No service at our church in the morning on account of the death of Mr Porter’s brother. I dined on a chick roasted, a piece of pork boiled, a batter pudding and turnips. Myself and both servants at church in the afternoon, where we had a sermon preached by the Rev Mr Herring, vicar of Chiddingly, from the last verse of the 28th chapter of the Book of Job: “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”

After churchtime Mr French, Joseph Fuller and myself gave away among the poor of this parish the £4 received yesterday of Mr Porter and John Piper, it being the interest money of a hundred pounds left by Mr Sam Atkins to this parish forever, the interest of which is yearly to be distributed among the poor of this parish in such manner and to such persons as the minister and churchwarden for the time being shall think proper. We distributed to the following persons:

Richard Braizer	0.2.0	Widow Trill	0.2.0
Susan Burrage	0.2.0	Sarah Thunder	0.3.0
Ed Badcock	0.1.0	Thomas Tester	0.6.0
Robert Baker	0.3.0	Richard Vinal	0.3.0
John Durrant	0.4.0	Ann Wood	0.1.0
John Dan	0.3.0	Will Eldridge	0.7.0
James Emery	0.3.0	Thomas Ling	0.4.0
Richard Heath	0.2.0	Thomas Roase	0.3.0
Sam Jenner	0.3.0	Will Elphick	0.5.0
Richard Prall	0.3.0	Widow Cain	0.2.0
John Streeter	0.2.0	Widow Cornwell	0.2.0
Susan Swift	0.2.0	Will Sinden	0.2.0
Will Starks	0.5.0	Thomas Dallaway	0.2.0
		Francis Turner	0.2.0
			4.0.0

to which people we gave the same, unless the 5/- to William Elphick, the 4/- to John Durrant and the 3/- to James Emery; neither of these being there, I kept the money for them.

Sam Jenner drank tea with me, by whom I sent James Emery’s 3/- and to whom and Joseph Fuller Jr I read one of Tillotson’s sermons. In the day read several discourses on difficult texts of scripture by unknown hands, which I think have very prettily explained them.

…I dined on a piece of beef boiled, a beef pudding and turnips. Rec’d of Mr Porter £2 in full for a year’s interest due to the parish the 20th of November last. Also received of John Piper £2 on the same account. At home all day and pretty busy. A very un-healthy time in this neighborhood.

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