Thomas Turner

My wife and servant at church in the morning. Dame Smith at Laughton dined with us on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some boiled veal. In the afternoon my wife and servant at church, myself not being at church all day. After churchtime Mr Laurence Thornton sat with us some time. In the evening and the day read 2 of Tillotson’s sermons and part of the 2nd volume of Hervey’s Meditations.

My father Slater and his brother Woodgate called at our house and dined with us… I balanced accounts with my father Slater and received of him in cash 6.6.6, and afterwards for 2 cheese 16/6. They both went away about 3:20. Mr Bridgman and his wife drank tea here. In prodigious pain all day with my back.

In the forenoon Thomas Davy at our house a-taking up a coat and waistcoat. I paid him one shilling, which is for the same sum he paid for me at Mayfield yesterday, it being our club feast…Mrs French drank tea at our house. In the evening Mr Thornton and I played at cribbage; I won 1d.

After breakfast walked over to Framfield. From thence my brother and I walked over to Uckfield where I paid Mr Cheeseman, alias Chesmer, 6/8 for a copy of the court roll for my house in Framfield, he being steward of the Manor of Framfield, which copy he is to send me the 14th May next. We then walked to Chailey to consult with my brother Richard where we dined with George Beard on some sausages… We came home round by Little Horsted where we called on my uncle Hill and Mr Lewer, but we did not stay. My brother came and brought me on my road to Bradford where we parted. I came home about 7:10…

…Very busy all day and at home. Mr and Mrs Porter sat with us some time in the afternoon. In the evening read part of Hervey’s Meditations.

In the morning my brother came over and breakfasted with us. I received of him in cash 1.4.1 for goods had today; viz.,

32¼ lbs lump sugar	1.1.11
2¼ yds Russia drab	0.2.2

In the forenoon Mr Stone came and made me an issue upon my back by eating it in with caustic, and then scarifying it… At home all day and busy. In the day read part of the 4th volume of The Peerage of England. Thomas Davy sat with us some time in the evening.

After breakfast walked over to Framfield when my brother and I went down to Mr Rideout’s to consult him about my mother’s will… I came home about 1:10 and dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a light pudding. Rec’d of my [sister] 4/6 in full for a gold ring. In the afternoon wrote my London letters. Very busy all day. In my absence my wife gave John Streeter 21/- to pay in Lewes for me, but the person whom he was to pay it to not being at home, he brought it back again and gave it to me.

Rec’d of Mr John Vine in cash 2.7.0 in full for the three bills I delivered him the 16th instant. I according to custom sent Mrs Vine’s daughter one shilling. My wife and self at church in the morning where we had a sermon preached by the Rev Mr Thomas Hurdis, curate of Laughton (Mr Porter being gone to Laughton to administer the sacrament), from the latter part of Luke 19:44: “Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.”

We dined on a leg of mutton roasted. In the afternoon our late servant Mary Martin came over, and she together with myself and wife and maid at church in the afternoon when Mr Hurdis preached us another sermon from Luke 6:41,42: “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.” In my opinion he is as fine a churchman as almost I ever heard.

Mary Martin and Thomas Davy drank tea at our house. In the evening read one of Tillotson’s sermons.

…In the evening went down to Mrs Peckham’s in company with Thomas Durrant, when I received of her 14/4 in full. Spent 8d, but gave away my liquor. Came home about 9:10. Thank God, very busy all day. In the morning about 5 o’clock we had a very great stroke of thunder. Some think it was not but some thing of an explosion in the air, different from that of thunder… Mr Porter’s children at our house in the afternoon…

In the forenoon I walked over to Framfield where I met my brother Richard, and he according to our agreement opened my mother’s will and read it… She has given all her personal estate to be divided between my brothers Moses and Richard and my sister Sally. Her farm at Chiddingstone in the county of Kent she has given between myself, my brothers Moses and Richard and my sister Sally as tenants in common, and has charged my part with the payment of six pounds to my sister-in-law Elizabeth if she be living at the time of my mother’s death, but if she be not, I am to pay the same to a natural or base-born son of my said sister’s, named Philip. And she has made, constituted and appointed my brother Moses executor to her will…

After dinner I walked down to Mr Smith with my brother to ask him for his custom. We came back and drank tea at my brother’s, and I came home about 6:10… Sent Thomas Davy to Lewes for me today; he came back and supped with us. I gave him 12d for his journey. Oh, may the God of all mercy pour down his blessing upon my brothers and sister, as also upon myself, that we may live in peace and unity among ourselves and that we may have continual in our view the joyful hope of an eternity in heaven (though not by any works of our own, but only through the merit and mediation of Jesus Christ)!