Thomas Turner

At home all day; very bad with inflammation in my eyes… Extremely busy all day. Mrs Vine, buying many things of us, breakfasted with us, and Mrs Weller, Henry Weller and his wife, Fanny Weller, and Dame Durrant drank tea with us. They stayed and spent the night with us.

In the morning my brother came over and breakfasted with us. After breakfast my wife and I set out for Pevensey where we arrived about 11:05 to consult Mr Breeden about hiring a shop at Ninfield in this county. My reason for being so anxious to leave this shop is its being an extreme dear rent; viz., £8 per year, and so very bad in repair that my goods sustain a great deal of damage thereby. And though I mention but £8 per year, the rent, I am obliged to hire a stable, warehouse, cellar, and 2 seats in the church. And I observe that almost all the people in the parish seem to be growing poor and are so long to pay that no tradesman I am assured can bear it, for even the best will, not pay above once a year. Then living so near friends is I think a very great disadvantage, though I should be willing to lend them all the assistance that is in my power and help them in anything that I can. But they seem to study nothing but self-interest, or if they have no design to take advantage, it turns out very much to my disadvantage. Whether it is with a premeditated design I cannot tell, but I must rather think from a natural covetous disposition and want of proper thought. Another motive, which I think none of the least, is I shall never be able to get in my debts so long as I tarry at this place. We dined at Mr Breeden’s on some mutton chaps, a piece of cold beef, a cold currant butter pudding, cucumbers and pickles. My family at home dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a butter pudding cake. We stayed and drank tea at Mr Breeden’s and came home about 8:50. I spent 14d today as under:

Gave their servant	0.1.0
Turnpike	0.0.2

My brother stayed all night.

After breakfast my brother went home. Gave John Streeter in cash 1.1.0, which he paid Mr John Madgwick for me; viz., for 13¼ yds bedtick 19d, 1.0.11¾, which tick and receipt I received by him. Paid Joseph Fuller 7½d for 1 breast of mutton received today. We dined on the breast of mutton boiled and then broiled and a plain suet pudding.

At home all day and indifferently busy. I am come to a resolution, as I am so continually almost troubled with the inflammation in my eyes, to leave off during life (unless anything very material should intervene) eating any sort of meat, unless sometimes a bit of boiled lamb, mutton, or veal, or chick, or any such harmless diet; as also to refrain from all sorts of strong liquor; and to continue not eating any supper, from eating of which I have debarred myself for, the general part this 12 months.

My whole family at church in the morning; that is, myself, wife, maid and 2 boys. The text in Matthew 7:24-5: “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”

We dined on a piece of boiled beef, a currant suet pudding and carrots. My whole family at church in the afternoon; the text Psalms 4:6: “There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.” We have had I think two extreme good sermons this day preached unto us; that in the morning to teach us that he is only wise who fears the Lord and walks in the commandments of his God; this in the afternoon to show us there can be no pleasure but in obeying God. For what the voluptuous and sinful falsely call pleasure is even in this world but trouble, and the consequence attending it must be eternal misery in the world to come.

Thomas Davy at our house in the evening, to whom, and in the day, my wife and self read three of Tillotson’s sermons.

In the morning pretty busy. After breakfast John Watford and myself set out for Selmeston Fair. I went in order to talk to Dr Snelling concerning my eyes’ being very bad. We arrived at the fair about 12:30, where, after walking till near 6 o’clock Mr Piper, myself and Joh Watford came home; we arrived about 7:20, I paid Thomas Bean at the fair 4/- for making out my perry the 13th instant. I think this to be as pleasant and large a fair as I ever saw in the county of Sussex, there being great numbers of sheep and cattle and a great number of people. My family at home in my absence dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, as did myself in the evening when I came home, for I neither ate nor drank at the fair. Spent 4½d; viz.,

Horses	0.0.2
A brush	0.0.2
Pears	0.0.0½

This day received a letter by the post from the new state lottery office in Cornhill that No. 66611 (Thomas Davy’s and our servant’s ticket) was drawn the 17th instant, a blank.

Paid Joseph Fuller by Richard 6/4½ in full for 1 pocket of hops received today; that is, 8½ lbs at 9d. We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a light pudding buttered and some duck’s giblets stewed. After dinner Master Hook and I went to Lewes together in order to carry 1 piece of Irish for Mr Scrase and 6 lbs of tobacco for Mrs Stemp, and also to get the money Mr Hook owes me for the butter I bought for him last year. Now I bought him this butter purely to serve him, and this is the manner in which he requites me! We got to Lewes about 4:45. I called and drank tea at Mr Hook’s, but could get no money. I called on Will Bennett, Thomas Scrase, and Mr John Magwick. Rec’d of Mrs Stemp the 7/- for the 6 lbs of tobacco carried today. Left the Irish at Mr Thomas Scrase’s. We came home about 10:39. I spent 6½d today (though I never, ate or drank–only some tea and bread and butter)… Mrs Piper and her maid drank tea with my wife in my absence. Advertised Mrs Virgoe’s house to be let, but did not pay Mr Lee [publisher of the Sussex Weekly Advertizer or Lewes Journal]

We dined on a cold duck pie and a plain batter pudding and carrots. At home all day and busy. In the evening read part of Martin’s Philological Library of Literary Arts and Sciences.

At home all day. Posted my day book and wrote out several bills… Read part of Young’s Night Thoughts. In the evening Thomas Davy at our house and he and I played at cribbage about 2 hours; won of him 6d. Paid for 16 whiting 6d.

My brother came over in the forenoon, but did not stay. He rode home upon my colt in order to bring me the salt sacks… My brother came over in the afternoon again and brought over the salt sacks. Very busy most part of the day, and at home all day. In the evening read part of Martin’s Theological Library of Literary Arts and Sciences. Rec’d advice today from Mr Joseph Jewson that one of Master Hook’s tickets which I got him to have registered is come up a blank.

Paid Joseph Fuller by his son Richard 18d for 1 leg of mutton, 6 lbs at 3d received today… About 12:15 Mrs Virgoe and myself on a horse of Mr Burgess’s and Mr Burgess on my colt set out to see a farm of Mrs Virgoe’s mother during life, and afterwards Mrs Virgoe’s, lying in the parish of Mayfield. I went to give her my opinion about what repairs there were wanting and also how I thought the man used it.

We stayed and drank tea at the tenant’s and came home about 5:40. My family dined in my absence on some fried whiting, boiled tripe and the remains of yesterday’s dinner (as did myself when I came home on a light pudding cake and turnips). This day received from Mr Robert Plumer, by Richard Page, 1 1/5 tun salt… In the evening busy a-writing for John Watford…