Thomas Turner

…I dined on part of a sparerib roasted and apple sauce. Paid Joseph Fuller Jr in cash £8 in full for the same sum I gave him my note of hand for the 20th ult. and accordingly took up my note. I also paid him in cash 2.3.5 in full for my half part of the money, he paid Mr William Goldsmith for the carriage of the hogs we bought between us…

Joseph Fuller Jr smoked a pipe with me in the evening. I most certainly think it a very melancholy time. Sent Mr Robert Plumer enclosed in a letter by John Inman the bill I received the 7th instant of Mr John Gosling, which balances my account in full with Mr Plumer to the 20th of December last, and also receive of Mr Plumer (by Inman) a receipt acknowledging the same.

In the forenoon Mr Stone’s apprentice came and let my blood and one of my servants’. In the morning only one servant at church. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the afternoon myself only at church… Mrs Browne, Joseph Fuller Jr and my brother (who came over after churchtime) drank tea with me. My brother and Joseph Fuller stayed and spent the evening with me.

Richard a-cutting my vine in the forenoon, for which I gave him 6d… At home all day. In the evening wrote my London letters. Sam Jenner spent the evening at my house. A very high storm of wind, with several showers of hail in the evening.

…In the afternoon posted my day book. In the evening Thomas Durrant and his father came in to balance accounts with me, but I being busy we did not settle our accounts. They stayed and smoked a pipe with me. All day (and even from three o’clock yesterday in the afternoon) we had a very high wind and several very hard showers of hail, with several claps of thunder and many flashes of lightning, and really I think it a very great hurricane…

…I dined on part of a neck of mutton boiled, a piece of pork, turnips and a plain pudding. In the evening walked down to Mr Coates’s, but did not stay. At home all day. Wrote out several bills. In the evening balanced accounts with Joseph Durrant and received of him 5/11 in full on all accounts between us to this day. Joseph Durrant smoked a pipe with me in the evening.

I walked down to Halland about 1 o’clock, where I dined on 2 chickens boiled, 1 roasted, a sirloin of beef roasted, a ham boiled, 2 ducks roasted and some mince pies (in company with Mr James Michell, Mr and Mrs Porter, Mr and Mrs French and Mr and Mrs Gibbs)…

I stayed and drank tea and coffee there and also stayed and supped there, in company with the aforesaid, Mr James Michell excepted, on part of a cold sirloin of roast beef, a neck of mutton roasted, cold duck pie, a gooseberry tart and potatoes. We played at brag in the evening; I won 15½d and gave Mr Coates’s servant 12d. We came home about 10:50, and I came home sober. Oh how comfortable does the word ‘sober’ sound in my ears. Let it be my earnest and constant endeavor always to do the same. Then will my thoughts in this particular yield a pleasure (not to be expressed in words) in the retrospect view.

Mr Francis Elless dined with me… He also stayed and drank tea with me. In the evening Joseph Fuller Jr and I balanced the accounts between his father and myself and I received of him in cash 5/6 in full on account of his father.

In the forenoon walked down to Halland with some salt. At home all day, except as before. A very dull time for trade, and money I think never so scarce. Oh how pleasant is my mind with respect to coming home sober last night.

Paid Ben Shelley in cash 8.2.6 which, with the £50 delivered to him the 12th instant, is in full for the same sum he paid in London etc. for me this week… I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of some broth. At home all day. In the evening Charles Diggens smoked a pipe or two with me. Pretty busy in the day.

Myself and both servants at church in the morning We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of some broth. In the afternoon myself and both servants at church…Sam Jenner drank tea with me and to whom and Joseph Fuller and in the day I read [ ] of Tillotson’s sermons.

The thoughts of that most amiable creature, the best of wives, has this day overspread my mind with a melancholy gloom. Oh, how severely do I feel the loss! To give her a character which her merits justly deserved and which they have a just claim to demand requires a pen more nervous than my own. She was undoubtedly superior in wisdom, prudence and economy to most of her sex and I think the neatest and most cleanest woman in her person I ever beheld. Therefore to describe my loss by words I cannot. No, it is impossible my inward anguish of mind is more expressive than words ever could be, and that I almost daily feel I doubt not but my anguish of mind may be deemed (by some) timidity and proceeding from pusillanimity of temper (and that perhaps justly) for my reason stands convicted that whatever happens to us frail mortals here on earth by the providence and guidance of the Supreme Being (who knows what is better for us than we can for ourselves) is always right, is best and happy perhaps might it be for me could I bring my will to act in subjection to my reason… [77 words omitted]…I think word can convey but a faint idea of the pleasure and happiness that a husband finds in the company of a virtuous, prudent and discreet woman, one whose love is founded not on the basis of sensual pleasures but on the more solid foundation of friendship and domestic happiness, whose chief delight is to render the partner of her bosom happy. For whatever the libertines may say or think of marriage, I believe they never felt that secret pleasure which is to be found in it, notwithstanding their boast of freedom and I know not what… [104 words omitted].

Rec’d of John Dapp by the payment of his wife 1.19.0 in full. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of some broth. At home all day. In the evening wrote my London letters. Pretty busy all day.