Thomas Turner

In the morning I arose and went up to Thomas Fuller’s in order to borrow a horse to go to Heathfield Fair upon. But not finding any of them, I came back and did not go. We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the evening I walked down in the park to see Mr Elless and Thomas Durrant run, which they did, and Mr Francis Elless was beat.

This day I subjected my good nature or ignorance to be imposed on by policy of villainy; viz., some time since I looked upon a horse of Mr Vine’s of Heathfield with an intent to purchase him; the price he had some time ago been offered at was 9.9.0. Now I, knowing nothing of a horse myself, entreated the favor of Joseph Fuller as a friend to give me his opinion, which he did–that he did not know but the horse might suit me, but he thought it too much money, being more, he said, than he should choose to give. But, however, he having business near the house today, he promised me to call and treat with Mr Vine for me about the horse. Now what we agreed on this morning before he went out was that if the horse appeared to him as if he would do, he was to buy him for me at the lowest he could, and for so doing I was to give him a treat.

Now! my worthy friend accordingly went, and instead of buying the horse for me, rap’d [?] with Mr Vine in some manner and got the horse for himself and when he came home sent for me down and offered me the horse at £11 and no otherwise. And by reason I seemed to think it ill usage to have the horse bought out of my hands in that manner when I had entrusted him to buy him for me as a friend, he only laughed at me and counted it as a piece of wit and a sharp look-out for a man to serve himself when he can and his neighbor next. But if this usage is consistent to honesty, religion or anything else that should be acted by Christians, I am utterly at a loss to know that is right and wrong. But this I think of it: that if Joseph Fuller could with as much impunity, defraud a man in any way whatsoever, I shall make it my opinion he would do it. For I think robbing a man on the highway is not a baser action in proportion to the consideration than this. But still I do not envy him his talent of having wit and a sharp lookout without honesty. Today Dame Cornwell made us a present of some eels.

In the morning our servant went to see her friends. Thomas Davy breakfasted with us. Myself and nephew at church in the morning where we had a sermon preached by the curate of Chailey (Mr Porter being a-visiting there and did not come home) from part of Acts 10:38: “Who went about doing good”, from which words we had a good sermon but delivered in my opinion in a very indifferent manner.

We dined on the best part of shoulder of veal stuffed and roasted, a piece of pork boiled, a currant batter pudding and green salad. No churching here this afternoon. After we had drunk tea, my wife and self and 2 boys took a walk and called at Thomas Fuller’s and Master Piper’s, but made no stop at either. In the evening and in the day read 2 of Tillotson’s sermons and part of Horneck on Consideration.

Took physic today. In the forenoon my mother’s servant and the boys came over, the 2 boys staying… At work in my garden most part of the day. This day received a letter from Simonds of Ecklesham with the certificate granted him and Ann his wife and Ann their daughter the 6th day of November to the parish of Chart Sutton in the county of Kent, and in which letter he begs us to grant him a certificate to the said parish of Ecklesham instead of that to the parish of Chart Sutton aforesaid. At home all day. In the evening read part of the London Magazine for May.

After breakfast the boys and myself walked over to Framfield, it being the Fair day at Framfield. I dined at my mother’s in company with their family and Mr Stout the officer of excise at Uckfield on a leg of lamb roasted, green salad and gooseberry pie. After dinner Mr Stout and I smoked 2 pipes of tobacco at my mother’s.

Stayed and drank tea at my mother’s and came home about 9:40, leaving the 2 boys at Framfield. Spent at the fair 6d. I also saw there the largest hog I think that I ever saw. His height was about 4 feet. He was 9 feet 4 inches from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. His ears were 12 inches by 9. He was about 3½ years old. In my absence my wife received of Mr Richard Stone and Mr Joseph Fuller 5.10.6 in full for the funeral of Master Goldsmith. My wife and maid today dined on some bread and cheese…

At home all day and took physic. We dined on part of a breast of mutton roasted in the oven and a pudding under it with some asparagus, which was given me by Halland gardener. At work in my garden all day. Thomas Davy at our house in the evening, to whom I read 2 of Tillotson’s sermons.

Rec’d of Mrs Sarah Mary Marchant 3.12.6 in full for the funeral expenses of her father’s funeral…

In the morning very busy in the shop. Gave Mr Ed Smith in cash 7.5.6 for him to pay Mr John Wathen, hatter, in full for me. We dined on a piece of pork and a rice pudding. In the afternoon my wife went down to Whyly to pay a visit to Mrs French, and about 8 o’clock I went down. We supped there and stayed and played at cards there with their family and Thomas Fuller. My wife and I won 4½d. We came home with Thomas Fuller about 1 o’clock. I papered out today part of 2 bags of nails…

This is my birthday and the day in which I enter into the twenty-ninth year of my age, and may I, as I grow in years, so-continue to increase in goodness that, as my exit must every day draw nearer, so may I every day become more enamored with the prospect and happiness of another world that I may be entirely dead to the follies and vanities of this transitory world.

We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the afternoon I walked up to the common with an intent to see a cricket match played between an eleven of the Street quarter and an eleven of the Nursery quarter, but when I came there, they not having enough to play, I was constrained to play for one, which I did, and we had the good fortune to beat the Nursery eleven 72 runs. I went down to Jones’s with the rest of the gamesters and stayed till 11:15. I spent only my shilling as a gamester. George Richardson called on us in his road to Lewes, but did not tarry. Papered out part of a bag nails today.

In the morning George Richardson called on us in his road to Dallington. He breakfasted with us, and my wife and him and the 2 boys were at church in the morning. While they were at church, I and Joseph Fuller and Mr Stone went to the funeral of Master Goldsmith (I riding on a horse of Master Fuller’s) where I read the deceased’s will to the relations, by which will he constituted Mr Joseph Fuller and Mr Richard Stone sole executors, and gave to them all that was at his own disposal. I served the said funeral and save the following people gloves:

Women’s 2d chamois:

1	Dame Kitchener	9	Dame Diplock
2	Dame Gladman	10	Thomas Goldsmith’s wife
3	Hannah Danell	11	Thomas Cornwell’s wife
4	Mary Axell	12	Thomas Cornwell’s mother-in-law
5	Sarah Price	13	Dame Inkpin
6	Dame Butler	14	Mrs Starnes
7	Sarah Welsh	15	Richard Goldsmith’s wife
8	Mrs Gurr	16	John Goldsmith’s wife
		17	Richard Goldsmith’s wife

Men’s 2d chamois

1	Master Kitchener	19	Will Starks
2	Master Gladman	20	Thomas Diplock
3	Master Butler	21	Thomas Dallaway
4	Robert Jewhurst	22	Will Eldridge
5	Master Price	23	John Fotter
6	John Goldsmith	24	Edward Starnes
7	Will Goldsmith	25	Barnaby Goldsmith
8	Richard Goldsmith	26	Thomas Goldsmith
9	The Rev Mr Hamlin	27	Will Goldsmith
10	John Goldsmith	28	Thomas Cornwell
11	Will Gurr	29	John Goldsmith
12	Richard Goldsmith	30	John Goldsmith
13	Will Inkpin	31	John Vine Jr
14	John Jenner	32	Will Piper
15	John Watford Sr	33	Joseph Durrant
16	John Watford Jr	34	The Rev Mr Shenton
17	Thomas Tester	35	Thomas Turner
18	John Streeter	36	John Westgate

In all 53 pairs men’s and women’s gloves. About 1:20 we set out from the house; viz., from Master Gladman’s. I rode home and left my horse and walked with the corpse to Waldron where we arrived about 3:10 just as the people were gone to church. We had a funeral sermon preached by the Rev Mr Hamlin from Job 5:7: “Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” I came home about 6 o’clock in company with Thomas Davy and Thomas Dallaway. George Richardson stayed and dined with my family on a leg of mutton boiled, cauliflower and a currant rice pudding, and went away immediately after dinner. I dined on the remains of the above when I came home.

My whole family at church in the afternoon. Thomas Davy drank tea with us, and to whom I read 5 of Tillotson’s sermons… N.B.: I think this to have been the merriest funeral that ever I served, for I can safely say there was no crying.

In the morning got up and packed my rags, which weighed 5 cwt 3 quarters 10 lbs, and which I sent to Francis Smith for him to dispose of at Maidstone Fair for me. Rec’d today of Mr James Bristed 1.4.6 in full for poor tax. We dined on a veal pudding. About 6:10 I walked over to Framfield for my mother’s pall and came again about 8:10. This day we had a tempest of thunder, lightning and rain which began about 2 o’clock and continued with some intervals of time between till near 6 o’clock.