Thomas Turner

In the forenoon at church. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day and but very little to do. Sam Jenner, coming into my house in the evening, and it being very wet the whole evening, took part of my bed.

Sent Mr Thomas Dyke & Son at Sarum enclosed in a letter, which letter was enclosed in another to Mr John Crouch, grocer, in order for him to put in the post in London (by Ben Shelley delivered to his servant) 1 bill… value 12.3.0… Sent Mrs Elizabeth Middleton & Son enclosed in a letter by Shelley delivered to his servant one bill value 3.15.0… Paid Mr Charles Cooper, a sheriff’s bailiff, in cash 25/- in full on my account. Paid Mr John Potter 9/2 in full for thatching a house in this parish [probably Jones’s] for Mr Thomas Neatby.

At home all day and very little to do. In the evening; my brother and I played a few games of cribbage; I won 8d of him. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some boiled tripe.

Sent Sir Sam Fludyer & Co. enclosed in a letter by the post (sent to Prall’s) 1 bill on Mr Will Margesson dated today, 30 days’ date, value 6.2.0, No. 640, which bill when paid is in full on my account with Sir Samuel Fludyer & Co. Paid Mr Shackleton, servant and rider to Mr Stephen Heath, tobacconist, who called on me today, in cash 7.12.0 in full on my account with Mr Heath. Paid Mr John Piper in cash 4.0.6 in full for money Mr George Tomlin, hop factor, sold some clover-seed for… Paid John Piper 5/- for half a cord wood and all other demands.

Master Piper coming to my house in the forenoon, he bought a coat of me and dined with me on a leg of mutton boiled and potatoes. He and Mr Carman smoked several pipes with me in the afternoon and evening. Rec’d of Mr Thomas Walls 1.6.0 in full for half a year’s land tax due for part of Halland farm at St Michael last. At home all day. In the evening, wrote my London letters. A great deal of rain fell in the day, but a smart frost in the evenings.

I came home in the forenoon, but barely sober. Spent upon myself, horse, ostler, servants, turnpike etc. 3/ll½. My brother at home at church in the morning. My family dined on some boiled tripe. My brother and servant both at church in the afternoon.

This was not spending a Sunday as it used to be spent in my dear Peggy’s lifetime. Oh, the difference–one a life serene and would bear a retrospect view, the other all tempest and unpleasantness.

I received a letter by today’s post from Mr Will Margesson acquainting me the bill value 37.7.6 sent him the 19th instant on Baldwin was refused acceptance. Paid John Shelley on account of his brother Ben Shelley in cash 1.13.7 in full. …He then paid me 19/3 in full for the same sum he received of Mr Ben Treacher in full for money due to me for rabbit skins. Mr John Robinson, servant to Mr Will Margesson, called on me, but did not stay.

About 11:20 I set out for Lewes in order to see Mr Stone about the bill on Baldwin; he repaid the money (a good job). Paid Mr Edward Denman in cash 2.14.10 in full on my brother Richard’s account.

I stayed with my brother Moses, who was also in town, till I was really quite in liquor and to up my lodging at the Cats. I abominate and loathe myself for not having a more firm resolution, as a very trifle makes me drunk. Therefore I am determined once for all to refrain from drinking.

I dined on a hot bullock’s kidney pie. In the afternoon my brother went to Uckfield for me to meet the carrier. Bett Carman, buying a pretty many things in the shop, drank tea with me. Paid Mr Joseph Fuller 3d for the kidneys bought of him yesterday… At home all day and not but little to do in the shop.

Sam Jenner assisted me in bottling out a cask of raisin wine in the forenoon; he dined with me on a piece of beef boiled, a light pudding (heavy) and potatoes.

In the evening my old acquaintance Mr Francis Elless came to see me and stayed and drank tea with me. He paid me in cash 4.4.0 in full for the principal due on the note of hand he gave me the 1st day of January, 1764. At home all day and very little to do. Paid Dame Funnel 4d for 2 lbs of tripe bought of her today. Rec’d of Joseph Fuller 2 bullock’s kidneys, value 3d.
 

After breakfast I at the request of Mr Joseph Burgess walked with him to Lewes where we dined at the White Horse on a hog’s haslet baked… We came home about 7:30 very sober.

I received today of Mr George Verrall in cash 8.0.9 for Mrs Hannah Atkins. I called and paid it to Mrs Atkins and stayed and supped with her on some cold roast pig and came home about 9:50.

The reason of my journey today was this: about four years ago Mr Porter bought of Mr Burgess a farm. The house he has now just taken down, in doing of which a bricklayer or bricklayer’s servant, in digging up the foundation, found several pieces (about 4) of old gold coin, of which one was a piece called a Jacobus (which I bought the 14th instant for 20/- and used to pass for 25/-), and some few pieces of silver, which I think is all that I have heard of being found. Now for Porter, as proprietor of the premises (and I doubt spurred on by self-interest, a vice very predominant in the breast of too many of us), claimed the same, but however upon move mature de-liberation and persuasion he has been brought over to think it belonged to the Lord of the Franchise (or manor), as undoubtedly it does by the common law.

Now after Mr Porter is cool in his claim and has freely given up the thoughts of any right, it appears that about 37 years ago the father of the present Mr Burgess (who then lived in the house) was robbed of several such old pieces of gold and silver, several gold rings and about £5 in crown pieces, none of which could ever be found or heard anything of to this day, notwithstanding several people were at the same time of the robbery taken up on suspicion. Therefore it is conjectured the money now found is in all probability a part of that which was then taken, and according to many circumstances it appears to be so. Mr Burgess therefore applied to a justice in order to try if he could obtain any of this treasure trove, but, alas, all in vain. As there could be no oath made to anything that has hitherto been found, no warrant could be granted. But however, Mr Shelley, one of his Majesty’s justices of the peace, did grant a summons to have the men examined, a good-natured action indeed, but what Mr Justice had no business to grant. For I assure him it as common law business, and his Worship had no business with it.

Mr Burgess paid all expenses and thanked me for my company; so I sped well enough. Sam Jenner, coming in the evening, and being very much in liquor, stayed all night.
 

…Sent Mr will Margesson enclosed in a letter as above the bill value 57.7.6 I received yesterday of Mr Richard Stone also sent him a bill value 4.0.6 on Mr George Tomlin, hop-factor in Southwark, four days’ date, payable to Mr William Margesson or order, dated today, drawn by myself for the balance due to me from Mr Tomlin (and which is for money clover-seed was sold for that I sent for Mr John Piper in my name).

I dined at Mr Coates’s on a shoulder of mutton roasted and pancakes and fritters. I stayed and chatted after dinner with Mr Coates some time, my family at home dining on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Bett Fuller and Thomas Durrant drank tea with me. At home all the evening and very cold.

Mr Coates showed me today an original letter written from one of the Pelham family to another of the same in the year 1620. The writing was a very neat pretty hand, and the spelling much the same as we use now, and the color of the ink hardly altered or changed in the least and I think a prettier letter could not be wrote.
 

This day received of Mr Richard Stone the following bill, instead of the bill value £19 received of him the 31st ult., the bill value £10 received of him the 6th Feb., and also the bill value 8.7.6 received of him the 12th instant, all of which bills together amount to the sum of 37.7.6:

Sir; £37.7.6   Framfield           Feb. 18, 1765.
 
Five days after date pay Mr Thomas Turner or order thirty-seven pounds seven shillings and sixpence value received, and place it to the account of, Sir,
 
To                                 Yr Mt Obt St
Mr William Baldwin,                Richard Stone
Southwark.
 

My brother sent his servant over in the forenoon, by whom I sent him one bill on Mr Will Margesson… value £31, which is in full for the same sum I had received of him the 16th instant.

Sam Jenner, being at work for me all day, dined with me on a piece of beef roasted, a raisin suet pudding and potatoes. At home all day and very little to do. Ellen Pierce, my late servant, drank tea with me. In the evening wrote my London letters. A very cold day and a sharp frost. After I had wrote my London letters my brother and I played a few games of cribbage; I won 4d.