Thomas Turner

This night has been a very remarkable windy night and a great quantity of rain. Paid for bread 2d. Sent Francis Smith… 46.1.0, which he is to pay in London for me. At home all day. Molly French, John French and Fanny Weller drank tea with us and we played at brag in the evening. My wife and I lost 1½d. Joseph Fuller smoked 2 pipes here in the evening.

At home all day. Paid for a gallon of turnips 1d; paid for butter 3d. In the evening read The Recruiting Officer.

In the morning my wife and I went to Horsted to see my uncle Hill; dined there on a roast pig with John Durrant. In the afternoon Samuel Hemsley, T. Parker and J. Foord came in and spent the afternoon. My wife and I came home about 6 o’clock. My wife gave the maid 6d and I gave the boy 6d. I pave Master Durrant’s man 12d for going over to Framfield with me the 9th instant and for fetching Peter Adams’s horse today for me. Paid for milk ½d.

At home all day. My wife and Nanny went in the afternoon to see Mrs Vine the younger. Paid Thomas Fuller, butcher, 18d for 1 leg of mutton weight 6 lbs; paid for fetching a post letter ½d.

At home all day. Paid John Harman for 1½ gross pipes 3/-. This day my brother Moses came over after dinner, but did not stay. In the evening read part of Tournefort’s Voyage into the Levant and his description of the extent, laws, religion and custom of the Turkish Empire… Mahomet was born an idolator… he was a man who had a natural fund of good sense. The only article of faith the Mahometans have is that there is but one God and that Mahomet is the messenger of God. As to the commandments, the Turks reduce them to 5: to pray…to fast… to give alms and do works of charity… to go in pilgrimage… to suffer no filth upon their body. There are 4 other points added, but they are not absolutely necessary to salvation: 1st,. to keep Friday a sabbath; 2nd,. to be circumcised; 3rd, to drink no wine; 4th, not to eat swine’s flesh nor things strangled. There (their?) women are very much confined, but I think upon the whole they seem to have an eye to justice; but sure nothing can seem more ignorant than the greatest part of their religion except the belief in God and some few particulars.

This day balanced account with John Watford Jr and received of him 3.11.0 in full to this day as under:

My bill on him                         3.19.1¾

Rec’d by a pig                         0.2.0

Rec’d by carrying of dung               0.1.6

Rec’d by the surveyor’s tax             0.4.0

ditto by straw                         0.0.6

0.8.0

At home all day. John Hall called on me in the forenoon. Paid Thomas Freeman by his man 17/6 as under in full to this day; to wit:

to 19 prs pattens rec’d today at 9d          0.14.3

to 1 pr rec’d some time since                0.0.9

to 6 prs clogs rec’d today                  0.2.6

Paid for dough ½d. In the evening wrote to Edward Smith.

Rec’d of Joseph Fuller 1 bullock’s heart weighing almost 3 lbs, value 8d. At home all day; paid for bread 2d. Thomas Davy and I played at cribbage in the evening about 2 hours. I neither lost nor won. My brother Moses came over in the afternoon, but did not stay.

Rec’d of Mr James Hutson 9/5¼ in full for the heirs of Mr Thomas Thompsett… Gave Francis Smith in cash 24.1.0… which he is to pay for me in London. This day sent Mr Joseph Jewson a bill valued 6.3.0 in full to this day… At home all day. Cut out 10 round frocks. Mrs Virgoe supped with us on a roast pig. A very violent tempest of thunder, lightning, hail and rain between 6:30 and 9:45.

In the morning my wife and I went over to Framfield and dined there. Rec’d of my mother 20d for the pint of tent James Fuller bought for me yesterday at Lewes. Drew on Messrs Margesson and Collison… £16 on account for my mother. Rec’d of her in part of the above bill £15. The balance remaining due to Mr Pooley from my mother is £20. Came home about 6:15. Gave Philip 1d.