Thomas Turner

About 8:20 Mr Burgess and I set out on foot for Lewes (the quarter-sessions being there today) in order to get the order of Richard Parkes and Mary his wife confirmed, and Mr Burgess to get the order withwhich, he delivered Robert Durrant confirmed. I paid Mr Robert Plumer 3/- in full. Also paid Messrs Richards and Comber 3/6 in full. Gave Mr Thomas Scrase’s apprentice for his last and this years’ boxes 12d. Gave Mr John Tucker in cash 0.14.0, which with the 2/- he is to put to it more, makes 16/- with which he is to pay Mrs Sarah Mott, widow, it being in full for 1 year’s interest due from me to her about the beginning of November last.

I dined at the White Horse in company with 20 more on a buttock of beef boiled, a saddle of mutton roasted, a pond currant pudding and an apply pasty (my family at home dining on the remains of Tuesday’s dinner with the addition of some mutton broth). We got both our orders confirmed. I called to see Mr Friend, Mr Bennett, Mr Tucker, Mr Thomas Scrase, Mrs Roase, Mr Madgwick and Mr Davy. After I came home about 9:30 and very near sober, but I think never more tired in my whole life. Spent today on the parish account 19d, but none on my own account. In my absence my wife paid Joseph Fuller (by his son Richard) 6d for a sheep’s head and bell received by him today. Saw my father Slater at Lewes today.About 8:20 Mr Burgess and I set out on foot for Lewes (the quarter-sessions being there today) in order to get the order of Richard Parkes and Mary his wife confirmed, and Mr Burgess to get the order with

At home all day and, thank God, very, busy. My father Slater called and breakfasted with us on his road from Lewes to Hartfield. I received of him 0.14.9½ in full. He made my wife a present of 6/-… Gave Charles Jeffries, Beckett’s carter, 12d for his box money.

Thomas Fuller and Thomas Davy at our house in the evening. They stayed and drank a bottle of perry with me. My wife paid Mrs Porter a visit this evening. Paid Dame Dallaway 18d for making a gown for my wife. In the day read part of The Whole Duty of a Woman, which in my opinion is a very good thing.

My whole family at church in the morning had a brief read this forenoon for the parish church of Ellenhall in the County of Stafford; the sum £1053 and upwards. I collected on the same 17½d, and 1d I was to put for Mr Burgess, and 1½d I gave myself makes collected, on this brief in all 20d. We dined on the sheep’s head and bell boiled and some turnips.

Charles Diggens called on us after dinner, but did not stay. My whole family at church in the afternoon; viz., my wife, self, 2 boys and servant… After churchtime Mr Porter and I distributed the money, the gift of Mr Atkins, as Mr Porter and I agreed on Wednesday last. But James Emery, John Durrant and the widow Smith not being there, Mr Porter kept 4/- for the widow Smith and James Emery, and I also kept the 5/- for John Durrant. We signed the brief in the church. My wife and I drank tea at Mrs Atkin’s and stayed till near 7 o’clock, Thomas Davy at our house in the evening, to whom I read part of Sherlock on death.

Paid Dame Trill (by Anne Braizer) 2/- on the parish account for Mr Joseph Burgess. My brother came over in the forenoon with some lump sugar for me. He stayed and dined with us on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a light pudding, potatoes and some broth made from the sheep’s head and bell boiled yesterday.

Paid Shelley, Mr Goldsmith’s carter of Waldron, 5/6 for 5 pks. of malt he bought at Lewes for me today. At home all day. In the evening wrote my London letters. Thomas Davy at our house about an hour. I wrote a letter for Mr Jeremiah French to Albert Nesbitt Esq with a present of some game. Read part of the 6th volume of Medical Essays. A very sharp, cold, frosty day.

In the morning looked over my haberdashery to make out my order for Mr Collison, whom I expect tomorrow. We dined on a piece of beef boiled, a sheep’s heart pudding and a plain suet pudding, with some Savoy greens. Paid the wife of John Durrant the 5/- I kept for her on Sunday last. In the evening my wife paid a visit to Mrs Fuller. Robert Rice and another young man of his acquaintance called on me, but did not stay. In the evening I was sent for down to Mrs Virgoe’s. When I came, I found it was to balance the accounts between her and, her late tenant Mr John Fuller, which I paid as under:

Mr Fuller Dr.
To two years’ and a quarter’s rent, due at Christmas last at £25 per year	56.5.0
Per Contra Cr.
To a bill of carpenter’s work paid to Will Russell	1.1.9
To a do. of mason’s work paid to Robert Atkins	1.4.3
To 2 years’ land tax, due Lady Day last	4.10.0
To 3 years’ quit-rent due St Michael, 1756	0.7.6
To insurance paid Mr Streak	0.15.0
To do. paid Mr Verral	0.9.0
To cash received today	15.7.6
To a note of hand payable to Mrs Virgoe or  bearer on demand dated tomorrow	22.0.0.
To cash paid the last September	12.10.0
	56.5.0

Mrs Virgoe gave Mr Fuller a receipt in full for the sum of 56.5.0 and afterwards gave him 0.9.6 which was for some land tax which did appear to be paid by Mr Fuller for tax due at St Michael, 1753.

I was sent for home to Mr Collison. When I came home, I balanced my cash account with him, and there was due to me 20.11.8, which was carried to the account of goods. I paid him in cash 21.1.6, which left more due to him & Co. the sum of £10 besides the money due on Mr Sam Virgoe’s account. Mr Collison stayed and lodged at our house, and I gave him my order. After I balanced accounts with Mr Collison as above, I paid him in cash £7, which was placed to the credit of my new cash account. Gave Thomas German at Mr Porter’s 1 hat, value 0.7.6, it being in full for 1 year’s winding up the church clock, at Easter next.

As soon as we arose, Mr Collison and I walked over to Framfield (sending his horse to Uckfield by Thomas Davy). We breakfasted at my mother’s, and after breakfast my mother paid Mr Collison in cash 15.7.6, which left due to balance £18. Mr Collison went away about 10:10. I stayed and dined at my mother’s on a roasted sparerib, apple sauce and cold butter pudding cake… I stayed and drank tea at my mother’s and came home about 5:10. My brother came home with me for some coffin letters, but did not stay, going home again directly.

My wife in my absence today received of Mr Jeremiah French the £12 I lent him the 2nd instant. But as I was not at home, he did not take up his note. My wife also in my absence paid Clymson the glover in cash 0.15.10 for the following goods received by him today:

19 pairs men’s outseamed tan	0.9.6
12 pairs boys’ do.	0.4.0
2 pairs cuffs	0.2.4

Thomas Davy at our house this evening, to whom I read part of Sherlock on death and the book of the prophet Joel. An extreme sharp frosty day and a very remarkable thick rime all day.

At home all day. Posted my day book. Paid Joseph Fuller 0.2.9 for 11 lbs beef received by him today. We dined on the remains of Tuesday’s dinner with the addition of a plain suet pudding and some Savoy greens. In the afternoon our servant went over to Framfield for some currants. In the evening finished reading of Horneck’s Great Law of Consideration, which I think a very good subject, and I am thoroughly persuaded that the only motive the author had in writing it was the salvation of men’s souls. But in my own private opinion it is not written so well as many pieces of divinity which I have read, there being too great a redundancy of words to express one and the same thing.

A very sharp frost today, and a considerable quantity of snow fell. Our servant sat up with Mrs Porter.

Gave Mr Jeremiah French the note of hand he gave me the 2nd instant, value £12, which he paid to my wife the 18th instant. We dined on a hot beef pie and a baked rice pudding. My brother came over this afternoon, but did not stay. A very sharp day; a considerable quantity of snow fell today.

In the day read part of The Universal Magazine for December, and in the evening read a pamphlet entitled “Primitive Christianity prepounded or an Essay To revive the Antient Mode or manner of Preaching the Gospel“. This is a pamphlet which I imagine to be written by a Baptist preacher in favour of preaching without notes. I must in my own private opinion say that I can see no harm consequent on our method of reading, as the author is pleased to call it. But I must acknowledge the idle lazy way of preaching, which many of our clergy are got into, seeming rather to make self-interest the motive for the exercising their profession than the eternal happiness and salvation of men’s souls. To which if we add the intolerable degree of pride and covetousness predominant in too many of our clergy, we need not wonder at our degeneracy from the strict piety with which our fore-fathers worshipped God in the first ages of Christianity. I would not by this digression be thought to derogate from the Established Church of England. No! but only I think the precept and practice in most (that is, in too many of us) are opposite to each other.

…We dined on the remains of Tuesday’s and yesterday’s dinners with the addition of a light pudding and some potatoes. At home all day. Sure an extreme sharp day; some small snow fell today. Thank God indifferently busy all day. Master Bull of Whitesmith sat an hour or two with us in the evening.

Myself and two boys at church in the morning… John Hide, Mr Will Bennett’s apprentice, called on me after churchtime, but did not stay. Just as we were a-going to dinner, my brother Will came in, who dined with us on a piece of beef boiled, two raisin suet puddings and some potatoes. Just after we had dined Mr Tucker came in, who dined on the remains of what we left. My wife, two boys and servant at church in the afternoon. Just as they came from church, my brother Moses came. About 5 o’clock. Mr Joseph Hill’s servant called for my brother Will, and both went away immediately. Mr Tucker and my brother Moses stayed and drank some coffee with us, and both went away about seven o’clock. A very sharp frosty day; a great deal of snow upon the ground. In the evening and in the day read the first Sunday in The Whole Duty of Man.