Thomas Turner

…Joseph Fuller Jr smoked a pipe with me in the evening. How am I tormented with the reflections of my past actions! Oh, sure it is meet to be said if I done amiss, I will do so no more, which God grant I may not. Then shall I once more know peace and quietness in the inward parts.

…After dinner rode to Fielder’s kiln to look upon some tiles. At home all day except going there, and tormented even to despair by my unpardonable folly. Read part of Salmon On Marriage. Very busy all day.

Came home in the morning about 6:20… 0h, how do I lament my misconduct! Sure I must be one of the worst of fellows, so often as I have been overtaken in liquor, that I still must remain so silly as I know even the smell of liquor almost makes me drunk–that I should have no more resolution. What shall I do? I am even as it were drove to distraction. It is true my trouble is very great in regard to family misunderstandings, that when I am a-drinking my thoughts are elevated to such a degree that I have no guard upon my actions, But still this is making that which is already too bad worse, and at the same time it is what I so much detest and abhor. Oh, how unhappy am I that I have no more resolution! How much greater is the glory to have a just command of one’s actions than all the knowledge in the world besides. Oh, how frail are mortal beings! How much do we stand in need of the divine assistance of grace, and how do we by our manifold transgressions grieve the Holy Spirit! Oh, the torments of a wounded conscience! How can I expect mercy that have so often broken my resolution of becoming a better Christian, and especially when I think of the goodness of God to me that I have never lost my life in such a condition? Let me ever and incessantly implore the divine grace to guide my weak and frail endeavors that I may overcome sin and that wicked one which too, ah! too plainly dwells in me. Oh, much should my meditation be taken up in meditating on and bewailing my sinful course of life. I hope I may yet with the assistance of divine grace one day conquer my unruly passions, for without that I am sensible I can do no good thing.

Dame Durrant dined with us on a hare roasted… My wife a-picking of hops for Joseph Fuller in the afternoon, and I drank tea at Mrs Weller’s. Oh, the insuperable burden of a wounded conscience!

Mr Sterry and Mr Neatby breakfasted with us and went away as soon as they had breakfasted… About 10:20 I set out for Lewes where I dined with Mr Thomas Scrase on a shoulder of mutton, French beans and a butter pudding cake. Balanced accounts with Mr Thomas Friend and received of him one bill on Messrs Cue and Rutt… value £60, in full, which bill I sent Messrs Margesson and Collison by Wade the Lewes carrier in a letter of Mr Madgwick’s… Rec’d of Mr Henry Burtenshaw 2.17.0 in full; viz.,

To money he received for me of Mr Isaac Hook in full	6.19.0
To expenses attending arresting Thomas Darby etc.	4.1.0
To writing a letter to Mr Hook	o.1.0
To money received of him today	2.17.0
	6.19.0

I also received of Mr Henry Burtenshaw a bond and a bill of sale from Thomas Darby as a security for his debt. The bond was for £22 and the bill of sale as a collateral security for the same. My bill on Darby [???], and the charges being 4.1.0, the security was given me for £22… I met at Lewes Mr Gadsden, where we stayed tippling so long that I was constrained to stay at the White Horse all night…

…In the evening Mr Richard Sterry and Mr Neatby called on me; they supped with me, and then we went down to Jones’s, where we stayed about an hour. About 11 o’clock we had a severe shower of rain with some claps of thunder and several flashes of lightning. Mr Sterry and Mr Neatby both lodged at our house, and in the evening I settled accounts with Mr Sterry…

In the morning my wife and self both at church… We had a form of thanksgiving read today on the account of the taking of the harbor of Louisburg and Island of Cape Breton etc. We dined on the remains of Thursday, Friday and Saturday’s dinners with the addition of some garden beans and bacon. My wife and self both at church in the afternoon… In the evening Thomas Davy at our house, In the evening and the day read part of Sherlock on judgment and part of one of Tillotson’s sermons.

…Thomas Fuller Junior made me a present of a fine young hare. Paid William Turley today as under:

To 5 axes	0.10.0
To 4 Handbills	0.6.0
To 1 do.	0.1.8
	0.17.8
Allowed me for selling	0.1.6
	0.16.2

which is in full of all accounts except two handbills which I have left. At home all day. In the evening read part of Hervey’s Theron and Aspasio.

[Vol. 41 of the manuscript continues:]

Paid Mr Sam Beckett for the sum which he paid in London… to Mrs Frances George for dyeing 2 cloaks 0.6.6… I dined on a piece of veal roasted and some French beans, my wife going down to Halland to dinner with several more of the neighbors and coming home about 7:50.

[The following excerpts from vol. 40 of the diary are taken from the Sussex Archaeological Collections, XI, 199-200.]

About four p.m. I walked down to Halland with several more of my neighbors, in order for a rejoicing for the taking of Cape Breton etc., where there was a bonfire of six hundred of faggots, the cannon fired and two barrels of beer given to the populace, and a very good supper provided for the principal tradesmen of this and the neighboring parishes, as there had been a dinner for the gentlemen of Lewes and the neighboring parishes.

After supper we drank a great many loyal healths, and I came home in a manner quite sober. There [were] I believe near one hundred people entertained at Halland this day, besides the populace, and so far as I see everything was carried on with decency and regularity; though I must think the most proper way of rejoicing is by having a general thanksgiving, that the whole nation may give thanks to Him that gives success to our armies, both by sea and land; and I think to show our outward joy it might be more properly done by distributing something to the poor.

[The following excerpts from vol. 40 of the diary are taken from the Sussex Archaeological Collections, XI, 199-200.]

I entertained my sister Sally and my brother’s wife with the sight of the modern microcosm, which I think is a very pretty curious sight, for we see the whole solar system move by clock-work, in the same manner they do in the heavens.