Thomas Turner

In the forenoon papered out a bag of 6d nails. Mr Robert Nixon and Mr Thomas Stevenson called on me, but I gave neither of them any orders… This day received a letter by the post from Mr Hodges the keeper of the new state lottery office in Cornhill that No. 66612, being the ticket which belongs to Mrs Atkins, and one of the tickets which, Mrs Atkins and my wife went partners in, was drawn a blank on the 12th instant. I also received a letter from J. Hazard’s, lottery office that the ticket No. 38567 which I registered for Master Hook was drawn a blank the 11th instant.

Thomas Davy at our house in the evening, to whom, and before he came in, I read 2 of Tillotson’s sermons. At home all day. A-sawing of wood in the afternoon. In the day read part of the 5th volume of the Medical Essays and Observations, by a society at Edinburgh.

My whole family at church in the morning… We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some boiled whiting and some cold baked suet pudding. My whole family at church in the afternoon… At home all day. Thomas Davy at our house in the evening, to whom, and in the day, I read 5 of Tillotson’s sermons. This day Richard Parkes and Mary Vinal were asked.

In the morning Mr Burgess, and I went to Waldron in order to accompany the parish officers to Uckfield [by our] previous agreement of the 12th instant to give security to Robert Durrant. We called at Mr Wood’s and breakfasted, and Mr Attwood [alias Wood] and both of us went to Uckfield where we met Mr Bonwick the overseer of Waldron, but found Mr Courthope was not at home; so we could not have his determination in this affair.

We then went to Mr Halland’s to endeavor to make it up between ourselves, but could not on account that some of the cunning people of our parish think 18d per week too much and sent us with orders to give but 15d. They insist on 18d per week and 40/- for her lying-in–what in reality we must come to pay, thought we might have made it up to the 12^th instant for 15d per week. Then Mr French would give but 12d per week. But, Oh! all this trouble and charge proceeds from the ignorance of that man; for in the first place he obliged the man to be sent away with a view to defraud the parish of Waldron of having any security (which cost us 15/-). And now to dally with an affair that almost a child must know the end of! But, however, in complaisance to Mr French we did not comply with the 18d per week, but took the note we gave then the 12th instant and gave them another to forfeit £20 if we did not meet them the 24^th instant at Uckfield to give such security as shall be adjudged proper by Mr Courthope, or otherwise to deliver up to them the body of Robert Durrant. Now how black and unjust must it appear before the justice to think we should send the man off with an intent to evade Justice and to put the parish of Waldron to an unnecessary expense in taking him.

As we came home we met Mr French, whom we informed of what we had done, but he blamed us for not (instead of leaving it to Mr Courthope) entering into a recognizance to have it tried at the sessions… Spent on the parish account this day as under:

1 pint wine and beer	0.1.6
Horses and ostler	0.0.6½
Turnpike	0.0.2
	0.2.2½

Rec’d a letter today from the new state lottery office in Cornhill that the lottery ticket between my brother and I, No. 66643, was drawn a blank the 15th instant; so I have had no fortune in this lottery… The gardener at Halland made us a present of a fine cauliflower and some pears.

…We dined on a piece of boiled beef, a piece of the scrag end of a neck of mutton, an apple pudding, cauliflower and turnips. Rec’d of Mr Joseph Burgess, the 2/2½ I spent yesterday. At home all day. In the evening read three of Tillotson’s sermons.

In the morning walked over to Framfield and breakfasted with my mother and cut out for her 18 round frocks. I dined there on a piece of bacon boiled, light pudding and cabbage… I stayed and drank tea at my mother’s and came home about 5:20. James Marchant in my absence made me a present of some bream. Paid Thomas Butler, Mr Vine’s servant, 9/-, being money he paid to Mr Tooth, gingerbread baker, for gingerbread which he brought from Lewes for me today. In the evening read 2 of Tillotson’s sermons, and, I think, two as fine sermons as ever I heard or read.

At home all day. In the morning my brother came over for the mare to go to Rotherfield Fair upon, but did not stay. We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some boiled bream. Paid Halland gardener in cash 0.5.7; viz.,

To cucumbers sold for him	0.3.0
To pears do.	0.0.3
To apples do.	0.0.8
To money borrowed	0.0.4
To 1 bushel pears rec’d today	0.1.4

I received of him 3/- on account afterwards. Received of Mr William Piper 1 bushel pale malt and one bushel brown do. In the evening read 2 of Tillotson’s sermons. Very ill with a cold all day. In the day read part of the 5th volume of Medical Essays and Observations.

In the morning John Durrant gave a drink to my colt… We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some boiled tripe and cauliflower… Thomas Durrant came in the evening to cut my wife’s hair; he stayed and smoked a pipe with me and stayed till about 8 o’clock. At home all day and very ill with a cold.

We dined on some boiled tripe and some boiled whiting. In the afternoon my brother came over to bring the mare, but did not stay. In the day read part of the 5^th volume of Medical Essays etc. Paid John Cayley 4/- in full for one year’s rent for my stable, due about the 10 July last.

At home all day. In the evening read 3 of. Tillotson’s sermons. My wife very ill. In the evening wrote a letter to Mr Nicholas Attwood to inform him Mr Burgess and I proposed to be at his house on Monday between 8 and 9 o’clock in the morning, either to give him security, or to proceed to Uckfield to wait Mr Courthope’s arbitration.

In the morning John Durrant gave my colt a drink, for which, and for the drink he gave him on Friday, I paid 3/- and in full of all demands.

My whole family at church in the morning… This being the second time of the asking between Richard Parkes and Mary Vinal, it was publicly forbid, and Mr Porter ordered the woman to come to him after churchtime to show him just cause for her so-doing. After we came out of church Mr Porter sent for me to come in to hear what the woman had to say, and I accordingly went into Mr Porter’s. The poor girl, whose name was Anne Stevenson, declared that about 3 years ago she had a child by him, and that he had many times promised her marriage, which she was ready to make oath of at any time (if ever she should be called upon to it), and that he had kept her company so lately as Michaelmas last, and farther that she would be glad to be married to him at any time. Upon this Mr Porter assured her he would postpone asking them any more till such time as he had satisfied and agreed with her.

We dined on a piece of boiled beef, plain rice pudding, apple pudding and turnips. My whole family at church in the afternoon… Thomas Davy at our house in the evening, to whom, and in the day, I read 6 of Tillotson’s sermons. Rec’d of John Streeter in cash 1.17.6, which I am to send to Mr James Burfield of Steyning, and which is in full for one year’s rent due from John Streeter to Mr Burfield at Lady Day last.

In the morning I went up to Mr Burgess’s in order to call him to go to Waldron according to appointment, but while I was a-staying for getting himself ready, Mary Vinal came in there and informed us she was with child by the man to whom she had been twice asked and yesterday forbid, upon which I ordered her to go to Mr Courthope’s to swear the father, which she readily agreed to.

We then proceeded to Waldron and went to Nicholas Attwood’s where we could not agree up our affair upon any other terms than what they offered us the 17th (and what in reality was just). Then Mr Attwood and we set out for. Uckfield where we arrived about 12:40. We dined at the Maiden Head on some mutton chaps… After dinner we laid our affair before Mr Courthope (in order to abide by his arbitration). He adjudged that we must give security to the parish of Waldron to pay them 18d per week so long as the child shall be chargeable to their parish of Waldron, or be by us otherwise provided for, and also to pay the sum of forty shillings in part to defray the expenses of her lying-in. We then applied to Mr Charles Thornton, attorney, to make out a bond, which he did upon the aforesaid terms. Mr Burgess and I signed the same and took up our note that we gave to Mr Bonwick and Mr Attwood the 17th instant.

I found Mary Vinal had, according to her promise, been with Mr Courthope and sworn that the child she was now pregnant of was begot on her by Richard Parkes, husbandman of the parish of Ringmer, upon which I took out a warrant to apprehend the said Parkes.

We came home about 6 o’clock and I immediately went down to Jones’s, there being a public vestry. (notice thereof being given yesterday). It was the unanimous consent of all that as at the vestry; viz., Thomas Turner, Joseph Burgess, Joseph Fuller, Will Piper, Joseph Durrant and Jeremiah French, to give to Thomas Daw, upon condition that he should buy the houses in the parish of Waldron which he has some time been treating for (by reason he then would be an inhabitant of Waldron and clear of our parish, it being a purchase of £55),

half a tun [ton] of iron	10.0.0,
1 chaldron coals etc.	2.0.0,
In cash	8.0.0
	20.0.0,

and find him the sum of £20, which he is to pay interest for; also for Joseph Burgess to go tomorrow with him to Mrs Browne’s at Pemberry to buy the said house, a fine present for a man that has already about the value of £80. But yet I believe it a very prudent step in the parish, for he being a man with but one leg (and very contrary withal), and his wife being entirely deprived of that great blessing, eyesight, there is great room to suspect there would, one time or other, happen a great charge to the parish, there being a very increasing family. And I doubt the man none of the most prudent ones, he having followed smuggling very much in time past, which I doubt has brought him into a trifling, lazy way of life.

Mr Burgess and I spent on the parish account as under (all of which he paid except 14½d):

To half the charge of the bond	0.3.10
To half the dinner, drinking etc.	0.1.11¼
To half the horses	0.0.2¾
Ostler	0.0.1½
Turnpike	0.0.4
Spent at Waldron	0.0.7
Mary Vinal’s examination and warrant	0.2.0
	0.9.0½

My wife at home very busy today in putting up the goods for the audit.