The Diary, 1754–1765
Lent Richard Page, son of the widow Page, and for her use, in cash four guineas. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the afternoon Mrs Piper, coming to the shop to buy some goods, drank tea with me. Mrs Carman sent me a present of a few sausages and some pork bones.
At home all day and thank God very busy. In the evening Master Hook and I played a few games of cribbage; I won 2½d. Oh, my tumultuous mind! What’s all the world without a friend!
Sent Messrs Kendall and Rushton enclosed in a letter by Benjamin Shelley (delivered to himself) one bill: … 24 on Mr Will Margesson, dated today, 30 days’ date, No. 586, value, 24.6.0, which bill when paid is in full on my account with Messrs Kendall and Rushton.
I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day and pretty busy. John French, coming in the morning to buy some goods, breakfasted with me. A cold windy day.
In the forenoon Mrs Carman and her daughter, coming to the shop to buy goods, dined with me on the best end of a leg of mutton boiled and turnips, and also drank tea with me. At home all day and thank God very busy. In the evening wrote my London letters. My servant sitting up with Mrs Hicks Thomas Durrant took part of my bed. A very fine pleasant day the most so we have had for some time. Joseph Fuller sat with me some time in the evening.
Myself and servant at church in the morning where we had a sermon preached by the Rev Mr Griffith, Curate of Ripe, Mr Porter not being at home, from Ecclesiastes 2:13: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
Immediately after we came out of church, Thomas Durrant and I took a walk to Framfield where we dined with my brother on a leg of mutton roasted and caper sauce. Thomas Durrant at Framfield Church, but not myself. No service at our church in the afternoon. Bett Fuller and Thomas Durrant and myself drank some coffee at my brother’s and then came away. Thomas Fuller [Durrant], wishing to accompany his sweetheart Betsy Fuller to her home, begged it as a favor of me to walk around by Blackboy Street with them, which out of complaisance I acquiesced with. We called at the Black Boy, and meeting with master Hook we stayed some time and came home about 11:20. Gave my brother’s servant 6d. Spent at the Black Boy 12d. Thomas Durrant took part of my bed.
…Rec’d of Joseph Fuller 1 leg of mutton weighing 7¼ lbs at 3½d, 2/1. I dined on part of a leg of mutton boiled and some turnips. At home all day and very little to do. In the evening Joseph Fuller Jr and Thomas Durrant sat with me some time.
I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day. Balanced accounts with Mrs French and receive of her 4.11.6. In the evening Joseph Fuller Jr sat with me some time.
I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day and very little to do all the day. In the afternoon Thomas Durrant drank tea with me, and in the evening we played a few games of cribbage.
I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day. In the afternoon James Marchant’s wife and one of Mr Porter’s servants drank tea with me. Rec’d of John Painter 10/6 on account. At home all day and very little to do. In the evening Joseph Fuller and Thomas Durrant sat with us some time. A very fine pleasant day, being the most so of any we have had for a great while.
Dame Akehurst a-washing for me all day and dined with me on a piece of beef roasted and some potatoes. Dame Novice, Dame Nutley and her daughter, buying some things in the shop, drank tea with me. In the evening Mr Carman, Thomas Durrant and Joseph Fuller Jr coming in, we walked down to John Jones’s, where we stayed chatting and smoking our pipes till 11:30. We spent 7d apiece and came home very sober.
Dame Akehurst, a-washing for me half the day, dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day and pretty busy. In the evening Master Hook and I played a few games of cribbage (after having written my London letters), but neither of us won or lost. Dame Akehurst took part of my servant’s bed. In the first part of the day we had a very fine sunshine weather, but in the evening more rain.