Thomas Turner

My friend Mr Elless stayed and breakfasted with me and then went away. Myself at church in the morning, the text in Romans 14:7: “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.”

I dined on a piece of beef roasted and potatoes. After dinner Thomas Durrant and I set out for Lewes, I to consult Mr Henry Burtenshaw, attorney at law, about following business (and he for the company). There has been time immemorial given at Halland at the expense of his present Grace the Duke of Newcastle and his ancestors to this parish and Laughton a certain quantity of bread and beer to eight poor persons in this parish and I think to 12 in the parish of Laughton. The quantity of beer to each person in both parishes was 3 gallons every Thursday and Sunday, and a bushel wheat made into bread was distributed every Sunday between the said poor in both parishes, though it was not divided equally, some having a claim as supposed to double the quantity another had, and as such it was distributed. Now, the Duke having lately put in a new steward [Abraham Baley], who is famed for economy and frugality (though I should rather think it deserved the name of niggardliness and was done to gain self-applause),–but be that as it will. He has given both parishes notice that no more shall be distributed after old St Michael.

Now, as the parishes will sustain a loss upon the whole of £50 annually, they seemed determined to see the end of it, and accordingly we have agreed to pay the charge between both parishes according to their respective quotas, and myself to transact the business. Though at first sight it should appear we have an undoubted right to it, as it has been continued without any alteration that I ever could find in the same manner it now is (and has been looked upon as our right) for time immemorial, and I should think we could trace it back upwards of hundred years, yet, as we have nothing to show for it of any deed or no writing, we can have no other claim than a prescriptive right, which, considering the greatness of the person we have to deal with, might prove too great an undertaking for us to be crowned with success. Therefore, I thought proper first to be certain of our right by examining at Doctors’ Commons the wills of the ancestors of the Pelham family, and if we are successful in our attempt, then to contest it to the utmost, and I accordingly spoke to Mr Burtenshaw about searching them.

We called on my brother, but did not stay any considerable time. Spent today as under:

On our selves	0.1.2
Horses	0.0.4
Turnpike	0.0.4
	0.1.10

We came home very sober about 6:20. A very wet afternoon. In the evening sat some time with Thomas Durrant, my servant being not at home.
 

Rec’d of Mr Coates by the payment of Mr Porter in cash 7.4.0 in full as under:

Mr Coates Dr.
To the house etc. free of all expenses	70.0.0
Per Contra Cr.
By money received of Mr Porter yesterday	30.0.0
By a mortgage due to Mr Porter	30.0.0
By almost two years’ interest, it being due at  2nd October next, on the mortgage at: 4½ percent	2.13.6
By money left in Mr Coates’s hands to pay the  arrears of quitrent and if there is not so  much due the overplus is to be returned to  James Marchant	0.2.6
By cash received today	7.4.0
	70.0.0

Paid James Marchant in cash 4.18.0 in full for his and his wife’s share of the money due out of the house, as they had before agreed that Mr Coates should have the house for £70, and that each of the other sisters should have ten pounds apiece clear, and the rent due they would outset against the interest and the fees etc. if it exceeded the ten pounds; if not, they would have been the gainer, provided it had not come under that sum; viz.,

Myself Dr.
To money the house was sold for and for which  I was to account	70.0.0
Per Contra Cr.
By money paid James Thorpe and Martha his wife  yesterday	10.0.0
By money paid to William Williams and Lucy  his wife yesterday	10.0.0
By Mr Porter’s mortgage	30.0.0
By money due on the mortgage to Mr Porter  for interest	2.13.6
By money paid at the court yesterday for  fines, admittances etc.	0.12.6
By money left in Mr Coates’s hands to pay  the arrears of quitrents	0.2.6
By cash paid him today	4.18.0
	70.0.0

My old and worthy friend Mr Francis Elless came to see me in the forenoon, and he and John Jenner, hatter at Hailsham, dined with me on part of a shin of beef stewed and potatoes. Paid John Jenner in cash (the balance of account) 3.5.2 in full on account to this day. Mr Elless stayed and drank tea with me and in the evening we walked down to Whyly and spent the evening with Mr Blackman.

Came home very sober about 10:30. My friend stayed all night. Very busy all day. I think my friend Mr Elless is as agreeable a companion as any among my acquaintance, he being sober and virtuous, and a man of a great deal of good sense, and endued with good nature. He has improved his natural parts with a great deal of useful learning.
 

Gave the Rev Mr Thomas Porter in cash £65 …for [3] bank [of England] bills… I then received of Mr Porter in cash £30 in order to pay (in part) of a house and land I am to be admitted to at Whitesmith Court today for Mr Coates.

Mr Long came to see me today and stayed with my servant during my absence. About 12:30 Mr Porter and I set out for Whitesmith where there was a court-leet and baron held for this manor [Laughton] by Mr William Michell, steward to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, lord of the said manor. We dined at the Chequer on part of a rump of beef boiled, a leg of mutton boiled, a goose roasted, a giblet and raisin and currant suet pudding, turnips and potatoes (my servant at home dining on the remains of yesterday’s dinner) in company with Mr Abraham Baley, Mr Nicholas Gilbert, the steward and his clerk, Mr John Goldsmith, Joseph and James Fuller, Mr Carman, Mr Peters, Mr Newington, Mr Carman and Mr Sam Gibbs; and I dare say as many dined in another room.

Paid Mr Ben Shelley, who called on me at the court, in cash ten pounds in full for the same sum he paid Mr John Crouch the 26th instant for me.

After dinner came James Marchant and Elizabeth his wife, James Thorpe and Martha his wife, and William Williams and Lucy his wife, the women being sisters and co-heiresses of Thomas Mepham, late of East Hoathly, and supposed by many corroborating circumstances to be dead, and died possessed of a house and about 5 roods of land (in two tenements) situate near the church in East Hoathly to which the said sisters were his heirs, but instead of being admitted (as Mr Porter had a deep mortgage [amounting to £30] thereon) they in open court resigned all their right and title thereto into the hands of the lord of the said manor by his steward. Upon this he admitted Mr Porter to the same, who claimed the same by the virtue of his mortgage; then Mr Porter resigned the same into the hands of the lord of the manor by his steward, and I was admitted to the same for Mr Coates, as his attorney. I paid the steward’s fees for fines, admittances, examining the two women privately, surrenders etc. £12; the beadle 4/-; and to the homage 2/-; in all 12.6.0. I paid James Thorpe and Martha his wife £10, and William Williams and Lucy his wife £10, the sum they agreed to take to release all their right thereto to Mr Porter, in order to prevent its coming into six tenements [as it would if each half were legally divided three ways], it being now no more than two.

We came away about 8:20, but I cannot say thoroughly sober. Spent only 12d today for my dinner, though I think either Mr Coates or John Piper should repay me that, as I went purely to transact Mr Coates’s business and to assist John Piper to examine some writings, which were to have been brought to court today but were not. Mr Long went away about 6:20. A very cold day, but otherwise a very fine day.
 

My late servant stayed and dined with me today on a piece of beef roasted and potatoes. Lent Robert Hook in cash two guineas, for which he gave me his note of hand payable to me or order on demand.

My late servant stayed and drank tea with me and then went home. My servant came home in the evening. In the evening Mr Clapinson and I played a few games of cribbage, but I neither won nor lost. At home all day and pretty busy.

Rec’d of the Rev Mr Thomas Porter… [two bank] bills, value £40… In the forenoon my late servant Mary Martin came over to assist me in the house during my servant’s absence, and she and Joseph Seaman’s wife, who bought many things in the shop, drank tea with me. My brother came over in the afternoon, and he, Thomas Durrant and my late servant drank tea with me.

At home all day and thank God very busy. My late servant stayed all night and Thomas Durrant took part of my bed. In the evening Mr Clapinson and I played a few games of cribbage; I lost 9d.

N.B.: The balance of 32.4.10 which I received this day of Mr Porter I have entered to the account relating to the executorship of Mr Piper’s children, and which I have now in hand as treasurer, to myself and the other devisees of Mr Piper deceased.

In the day read part of a modern work entitled Religio Laici; or a laymen’s thoughts on religion, which as far as I have seen is a thing seemingly well written, and with a true spirit of piety, though I cannot say it is a thing properly digested into method. It seems written in detached pieces.

Rec’d of my brother John Turner by the payment of Mr Robert Hook in cash 2.2.9 in full.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day and thank God very busy. Rec’d of Mr Richard Bridgman 6/2 in full. In the evening Mr Clapinson and I played a few games of cribbage; I won 4 games. Thomas Durrant took part of my bed.

This day were married at Laughton Church by the Rev Mr Herring, vicar of Chiddingly, my late servant Sally Waller and Mr John Hastings, a gentleman who I think may justly be called a fortune expectant, for at present they have neither of them any fortune. Rec’d of Richard Braizer 7/- in full.

Mr Pepper, supervisor of the excise, dined with me on a shoulder of lamb roasted and onion sauce. In the afternoon my servant went to see her friends. At home all day and thank God very busy.

In the evening wrote my London letters. Mr Clapinson and myself played a few games of cribbage in the evening; I lost 2d. Thomas Durrant took part of my bed. A very fine day for the season of the year. Joseph Fuller Jr sat with me a good while in the evening.
 

Myself and servant at church in the morning… I dined on some boiled tripe. Myself and servant at church in the afternoon… After churchtime Mr Vinal and his wife drank tea with me. At home all the evening.

…I dined on some boiled tripe. At home all day. In the evening Mr Clapinson and I played a few games of cribbage; I lost 3d.
 

In the morning Mr John Dennett and his servant came to weigh my wool and breakfast with me. After breakfast we weighed my wool, which weighed 29 tod 11 lbs. The value is as under:

29 tod 11 1bs at 24/-	35.4.3
Part of carriage	0.2.0
	35.6.3

Mr Dennett did not pay for it, but went away immediately to weigh up my brother’s… I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner.

Paid Mr Edward Martin 4d for 2 lbs of tripe bought of him today. Rec’d of Ben Shelley in cash 1.15.9 in full… Paid Mr Bannister in cash 14d in full for the duty of Mr Vine’s hops. At home all day and very busy. In the evening Mr Clapinson and I played a few games of cribbage; I lost 2d. Lent Mrs Blackman by her servant:

4 vol. plays bound

5 single plays.