Thomas Turner

This day sent Messrs Margesson and Collinson in a letter by Messrs Beckett and Shelley, carriers, the bill value £46 which I received yesterday from Mr Sam Durrant. This day Thomas Overing, being at work a-mending my windows, dined with us on the remains of yesterday’s Sunday dinner with the addition of some potatoes. At home all day and thank God indifferently busy. In the evening read part of Horneck’s Great Law of Consideration.

At home all morning. Master Overing, being at work a-mending my windows, dined with us on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a light pudding and turnips. In the afternoon James Marchant and I walked over to Framfield in order to get some blue cloth of my mother for a coat for Master Richard Porter, by Mr Coates’s order. We stayed at Framfield about an hour and came home about 5:20. In the evening went down to Mr Porter’s and balanced accounts with him; there remains due to me the 1^st instant the sum of 7.17.0, for which Mr Porter gave me his note of hand… I also took up my note of hand value 37.13.6 which I gave Mr Porter 3^rd ult., being for the same sum paid by the widow Wright to Messrs Margesson and Collinson (by Mr Porter’s order) on my account… I gave Mr Porter a receipt, dated today, in full of all demands to the 31^st ult. Inclusive. After we had balanced accounts, I paid Mr Porter 5/- for his visitation dinner. I stayed and drank a bottle of cider with Mr Porter and came home about 9 o’clock. After I came home, my wife and I both cast my book over again and found it right as Mr Porter and I had settled it excepting a mistake of one half-penny to my prejudice.

This day the son of John Browne, an infant of about 3 months, was buried. Oh, what pleasure would it be it be to me were there a good understanding between my mother and self, but why do I say myself, when I am assure if I know my own heart, that I am so far from having any ill against her that I have almost undone myself to serve her. Now this assertion is no more than what every unprejudiced person must allow were they thoroughly acquainted with the whole state of our affairs. But the reason of my mentioning this in so abrupt a manner was the seeming distant behavior with which my mother treated me today, seeming so mistrustful that I should cheat her. She even appeared almost to be loath to trust me with a few remnants of cloth for fear I should cut a nail or 2 more than I should inform her of. I will stop the progress of my pen and thoughts and only conclude with saying and thinking she is my mother. Dr Stone paid my wife a visit and, cut her an issue.

Rec’d of Joseph Fuller 2 stone, 3 lbs beef, 4/9. In the forenoon I went down to John Watford’s to borrow his horse to carry my wife to see Thomas Fuller. Thomas Davy dined at our house on the remains of Sunday’s dinner with the addition of some pear pie and potatoes. After dinner Thomas Davy carried my wife up to Thomas Fuller’s. Rec’d of Mrs Atkins (by her servant Anne Vine) 0.12.1½ in full…

About 6 o’clock in the evening I walked up to Mr Thomas Fuller’s in order to spend the evening there, where my wife and I supped (in company with Mr Will Piper and his wife and brother, Mr John Vine Jr and Mr French and his wife) on a buttock of beef boiled, a hind quarter of venison roasted, two raisin suet puddings, turnips, potatoes, gravy sauce, pickles etc. We played at brag, and my wife and I (though contrary to custom) won 4½d. It being a very wet night (and indeed it was one continued day and night of rain), we stayed till near 7 o’clock in the morning when Mr Thomas Fuller brought home my wife, and we all broke up, and that very sober. My wife and self gave Mr Fuller’s servant 6d each.

After I had been at home near 2 hour and breakfasted, I went, down to Mr Coates’s with some cloths… We dined on a beef pudding, some boiled tripe and turnips. Paid Thomas Overing in cash 9/- in full; that is, 4/9 for glass and repairing the window leads of the lights of my dwelling house, and 4/5 on the parish account for mending and repairing the church windows. When I was down at Halland today, I received of Mr Coates in cash £4 in full to the 25th ult. Very busy all day.

At home all day. In the forenoon my brother came over and dined with us on a beef and light pudding with some turnips. Rec’d of my brother in cash 4/-, being my half part of a debt due from John Cottington at Framfield to my deceased father. Mr Joseph Hill and his servant called on me today, but did not stay. Pretty busy all day. In the first part of the evening read part of Horneck’s Great Law of Consideration, and in the later part of the evening Thomas Davy at our house, to whom I read part of Young’s Night Thoughts.

Myself, two boys and maid at church in the morning… We dined on beef and raisin suet puddings and turnips. Myself, two boys and servant at church in the afternoon… After churchtime Mr French Mrs French and their daughter Molly drank tea with, us and stayed with us till near or quite 7 o’clock. Thomas Davy at our house in the latter part of the evening, to whom I read the last of The Complaint and part of Sherlock on death. I now having read The Complaint through, think it an extreme good book, the author having treated many parts of religion in a very noble and spiritual manner wherein I think every deist, free-thinker and also every irreligious person may read himself a fool. For what is wit or wisdom (without religion) but foolishness?

Paid Dame Trill (by Anne Braizer) 2/- on account of the parish for Mr Burgess. Paid John Juce in cash 10/6, which was due to him from this parish (for the keeping of a girl which belongs to this parish) at Easter last, and which I accordingly passed in my accounts made up with the parish on Easter Monday. We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Rec’d of Sam Elphick in cash 0.10.6 (which is between my mother and self) for keeping his horse 8 weeks upon the farm at Framfield during the time my mother and I used the said farm jointly between us. I also agreed with him (upon condition that my mother approves of it) for him to feed out all the hay we have now left on the farm at 18d per head per week for every separate head of cattle that he shall feed therein. In the evening I balanced accounts with Mr Francis Elless and received of him 6.11.0 in full to this day; viz.,

Mr. Francis Elless Dr.
To sundry goods to this day	8.11.11¾
Per Contra Cr.
Rec’d by a bill for the boys’ Schooling	1.4.10
Do. by half pence at several times and by deficiency in silver for a guinea	0.6.0
Do. in cash today	6.11.0
	8.1.10

After we had balanced the above account, Mr Elless and I agreed upon the rent of the chamber over the school, which I now am to use as a warehouse. I am to pay 20/- for the rent of it from the time I first took it until next Lady Day, N.S. (being near.2 years), ten shillings of which sum we agreed to outset for the tables, forms etc. which he had of me when I resigned the school to him. The remaining ten is to be passed to the credit of his account when it become due.

Mr Elless and James Marchant and myself and wife sat down to whist about 7 o’clock and played all night till 7 in the morning. My wife and I won 11d apiece. We spent the night very pleasant and, I think I may say, with innocent mirth, there being no oaths nor imprecations sounding from side to side, as too often is the case at cards.

At home all day and tolerable busy. We dined on a piece of beef roasted in the oven with a butter pudding under it and some bread and cheese for myself and wife. Paid Mr Sam Beckett as under:

24th ult. to Mr John Box in full for writing 6 letters and altering Daw’s mortgage	0.7.0
For 222 ells canvas bought of Mr Beckett at 7½d per ell	6.18.9

Mr Hutson’s daughter and servant drank tea at our house and stayed and spent the evening and played at whist and supped on some bread, cheese etc. My wife won at cards 2d. Thomas Davy at our house in the evening, who played. Also Fanny Weller came in and played about an hour.

This day I gave a man 6d, who came about, a-begging for the prisoners, in Horsham gaol, three of which are clergymen. Two of them are in for acting contrary to the laws of man (but, in my opinion, not to the laws of God); that is, for marrying contrary to the Marriage Act. The other is in for stealing of some linen (but I hope he is innocent).

Dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a light pudding and some potatoes… The gardener at Halland drank tea at our house. In the evening I was sent for down to Mr Porter’s in order to make a list of such poor people in this parish as we should think proper to give Mr Atkins’s charity to. Mr Atkins, when he died, gave to this parish the sum of £100 forever, for the interest of the said sum to be yearly distributed by the minister and churchwarden for the time being, to such poor people and in such sums as they should think proper, and at the same time to have regard to such as are the greatest objects of charity, and to prefer the greatest object of charity before the less. The money Mr Piper and Mr Burgess have upon their bond at £4 percent per annum, which this year’s interest we propose to distribute after evening service next Sunday to the following people, and to each the sum annexed:

To Richard Braizer	0.3.0	Widow Smith	0.2.0
Burrage	0.7.0	John Streeter	0.2.0
Ed Babcock	0.1.0	Susan Swift	0.2.0
Robert Baker	0.2.0	Will Slarks	0.4.0
Widow Cain	0.2.0	Francis Turner	0.2.0
Widow Cornwell	0.2.0	Richard Trill	0.5.0
Thomas Dallaway	0.2.0	Sarah Thunder	0.3.0
John Durrant	0.5.0	Thomas Tester	0.7.0
Dan	0.3.0	Richard Vinal	0.4.0
James Emery	0.2.0	Ann Woods	0.1.0
Richard Heath	0.2.0	Will Eldridge	0.7.0
Richard Prall	0.3.0	Thomas Ling	0.3.0
Widow Paris	0.1.0	Sam Jenner	0.3.0

I received of Mr Porter the said £4 in order to get it changed for silver. In the first part of the evening read part of Horneck’s Great Law of Consideration, and in the later part of the evening Thomas Davy at our house, to whom I read part of Sherlock on judgment.

Paid Joseph Fuller by his son Richard in full for the scrag end of a neck of mutton weighing 2 lbs. My brother Moses came over in the afternoon and stayed and dined with us on the remains of Tuesday’s dinner with the addition of the scrag end of the neck of mutton stewed. I received of my mother today by my brother in cash 2.8.0, which is in full for one year’s interest due on her note of hand of £60 to me the 25th ult. I then balanced an account of my mother’s with my brother and I paid him in cash 2/4; viz.,

Mrs Turner Dr.
To sundry goods	3.19.10¾
To 4 lemons	0.0.3¼
To cash paid today	0.2.4
	4.2.6
Per Contra Cr.
To cash received the 2nd instant	3.l2.0
To a remnant cloth rec’d the 4th instant	0.10.6
	4.2.6

Charles Diggens called to see us in the evening, and he with Mr Elless stayed and played at whist with my wife and self till near 12 o’clock. My wife and I lost 11d each. They both stayed and supped with us on bread, cheese and apple-pie; etc.