Whit Sunday, June 3 1759

Myself only at church in the morning… I stayed the communion and gave 6d. We dined on the remains of yesterday’s diner with the addition of a piece of veal boiled and some greens. Myself and servant at church in the afternoon… Molly Fuller drank tea with my wife. In the evening Thomas Davy at our house, to whom I read 3 of Tillotson’s sermons. My wife very ill all day. Mr Stone paid her another visit.

Monday, June 4 1759

My brother Moses came over to stand the shop for me is [???] a-serving the funeral of the wife of Henry Osborne… About 2:30 I set out for the funeral where I gave away the following gloves:

2d chamois women’s

Mrs Kenward1Dame Lewer4
Mrs Elphick2Dame Martin5
Goldsmith’s servant3The servant maid6

in all

men’s 2d chamois

1Mr Thomas Osborne8Will Goldsmith
2Henry Osborne Jr9Edmund Elphick
3Henry Osborne Sr10Richard Page Jr
4Will Osborne11Thomas Lewer
5Mr Kenward    12The Rev Mr Porter
6Mr Goldsmith13Thomas Turner
7Mr Elphick

Men’s in all        13 pairs

Women’s in all      6

Expended in all     19

We brought the corpse to church about 5:50 where we had a sermon suitable to the melancholy occasion from the 31st verse of the 17th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles: “Because he hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom be hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” Nothing should, I think, have a greater effect upon the mind of man to admonish him to forsake his evil ways and prepare for eternity than such instances of mortality, unless it be the unbounded goodness of Almighty God that suffers so many of us still to continue in this life that we my repent and return unto Him whom have behaved to as rebels and apostate creatures. I say, how striking must this be upon the minds of men to think that we are not cut off for our multiplied transgressions, nor sent down quick into the grave for our daily impieties! Oh, would man but wisely consider this and in due time make his peace with God (through the merits and intercession of our Savior Jesus Christ) and prepare himself for an eternity, how would the fear of death approaching be turned into that of hope and comfort and even joy itself! And the putting off this mortal body would be it were only a transition from a state of trial and probation, of trouble and pain, to an eternal state of joy and happiness in heaven where we shell with angels and archangels be incessantly praising and blessing and adoring our heavenly Father and also our only Savior and Redeemer.

In the evening went down to Jones’s to the vestry where was Joseph Fuller, Thomas Fuller, Joseph Burgess, Will Piper, Ed Foord, John Vine, Richard Page, John Cayley and myself, but I did not stay… My brother William came to see me in the afternoon and stayed all night. Lent my brother Moses my horse to go to Lewes upon tomorrow. My wife very ill.

Tuesday, June 5 1759

…My brother Will stayed and drank tea with us in company with Thomas Davy and then went home. Mr Thornton and Thomas Davy played at cribbage at our house all the afternoon. I lost one penny a-betting by. At home all day. My wife very ill, though I hope something better…

Wednesday, June 6 1759

My brother brought home my horse in the forenoon. He stayed and dined with us on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, but then went away directly. Mr Thornton and I played a few games of cribbage in the evening; I won one penny. At home all day. My wife very ill; Mr Stone paid her another visit.

Thursday, June 7 1759

…About 7:30 Thomas Davy, Thomas Durrant, and Mr Thornton and myself went to the widow Horsecraft’s at Chiddingly. The account of our going was this: the good woman buying spirituous liquors of me, I have long since proposed to go and spend 6d with her, which was this night agreed to. I spent 8d and came home about 11:20, and in a manner quite sober. Our [late] servant stayed at our house all night. My wife something better.

Friday, June 8 1759

…We dined on part of loin of mutton boiled, a piece of bacon and some greens. In the afternoon my brother came over and stayed and drank tea with us, as did our late servant, and then both went away. Paid Mr Sam Beckett in cash 4.13.6 in full… At home all day. My wife continues ill.

Saturday, June 9 1759

Saturday, June 9: Borrowed of James Marchant in cash 0.10.6. Paid T. Bentley, broom-maker, 13/- in full for 202 brooms received by him today… After dinner Mr Elless and I rode to Alfriston where we stayed and smoked a pipe or 2 with Mr Cooter. I also spent some time with Dr Snelling, for whose opinion I went; that is, to know if he could help me to any salve to dress the issue upon my back with that was more adhesive than that I had already, or if I could have a bandage to keep on the dressing with. We came home about 8:30… Spent nothing today, only 6d which I paid Dr Snelling for some salve.

Sunday, June 10 1759

Myself and wife at church in the morning where we had a sermon preached by the Rev Mr Thomas Hurdis, curate of Laughton (Mr Porter going to Laughton to administer the sacrament) from the latter part of John 8:34: “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever comitteth sin is the servant of sin.”

We dined on the remains of Friday’s dinner with the calf’s bell bought yesterday and some green salad… Myself and servant at church in the afternoon where we had another sermon preached by Mr T. Hurdis from Luke 7:35: “But wisdom is justified of all her children.” In the evening and the day read part of the 2nd volume of Hervey’s Meditations and 2 of Tillotson’s sermons.