Thomas Turner

Paid Ben Shelley in cash 12.6.5, which, with sundry other moneys etc. by him received, is in full as under:

Mr Ben Shelley Dr.
To cash the 6th instant	8.14.0
To do. today	12.6.5
To a bill for shop goods	0.9.5
To 9½ lbs dock hair he  sold for me at 10d	0.7.11
To 51 lbs short do.	1.1.3
To 4½ lbs old metal	0.2.3
	23.1.3
Per Contra Cr.
To a bill of carriage from the 8th day of July, 1761 to the 23rd of Dec., 1761, both days inclusive	11.3.9
To money paid the 17th instant to Mr  Robert Bird & Son in full on my account	1.18.8
To do. the 17th instant to Messrs James and Charles  D’Albiac in full on my account	5.18.0
To Mr Thomas Neatby & Son the 17th on my account	1.7.6
The 18th to Mr Will Haslam in full on my account	0.6.9
The 17th to Mr Thomas White in full on my account	1.14.4
The 17th to Mr Robert Wale in full on my account	0.12.0
Paid for 6 oranges	0.0.9
	23.1.7

I dined on a bullock’s heart pudding… At home all day. Joseph Fuller smoked a pipe with me in the evening.

Rec’d of Mr French the 1 shilling I lent him the 18th instant. Myself and servants at church in the morning… I dined on a bullock’s heart pudding. Myself and servants both at church in the afternoon… Sam Jenner drank a dish or two of coffee with me (one of my servants drinking tea at Joseph Fuller’s)… In the evening and the day read 6 of Yorick’s sermons. Mr Long sat with me some time in the evening.

…At home all day. In the evening read one of Yorick’s sermons and wrote my London letters. Really very little to do all day. I think a very remarkably dull day for trade.

Sent to Elizabeth Middleton & Son… 3.10.6… Sent Mr John Crouch… £10… Also sent…Mr George Otway… £10. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a piece of pork boiled, a plain pudding and greens. Rec’d of Elizabeth Smith by the payment of Mrs Browne 8/7 in full. Mrs Browne drank tea with me.

At home all day and thank God pretty busy. Mr Rowles at Framfield called and smoked a pipe with me in the afternoon. Delivered to Benjamin Shelley by my servant in cash £25 in order for him to pay in London for me.

Sam Jenner and Thomas Cornwell a-gardening for me today, and both dined with me on a piece of beef roasted, a piece of pork boiled, a plain bread pudding and greens. Dame Henly and Sally Bridger (Mr Porter’s servant) drank tea with me… It being a very wet evening Sam Jenner stayed chatting with me till near 10 o’clock. In the evening read one of Yorick’s sermons. A melancholy time with me.

…Being busy at dinnertime I ate not any the whole day. Mrs Vine the younger and her servant drank tea with me, as did Master Foord’s servant. At home all day and really very little to do considering the season of the year. Joseph Fuller Jr, Thomas Durrant and Mr Long smoked a pipe with me in the evening.

Oh, how does the memory of that ever valuable creature my deceased wife come over my thoughts as it were a cloud, may I (not) with truth say daily! For who is that man among mankind that has once been in the possession of all this world can give to make him happy and then last it but must ever and again think of his former happiness–which is my case–and I hope with impunity… [46 words omitted]… Such scenes (should at least) teach us the uncertainty of all worldly happiness and at the same time instruct us to fix our happiness where only true happiness is to be found.

I dined on the remains of Wednesday’s dinner with the addition of a light pudding and some turnip greens. Rec’d of Ann Inkpin in cash £1 in full. At home all day and really not so busy as might be expected from the season of the year.

…I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a piece of pork and some turnip greens. In the evening I walked to James Emery’s in company with Joseph Fuller in order to see and assist him in weighing a hog…

In the morning about 5:40 I set out for Hartfield where I arrived about 8:20. I breakfasted with my father Slater and also dined there on a beef pudding, a shoulder of mutton boiled, a piece of pork boiled, carrots and greens (my family at home dining on a piece of beef boiled and some turnip greens).

I came home about 6:50, though I cannot say thoroughly sober. Yet I think it almost impossible to be otherwise with the quantity of liquor I drank. But however so it was, and notwithstanding the many resolutions I have taken, and which I have hereto as often broken as made, I hope once more to assume so much fortitude and resolution as to conquer the weakness of my brains by an entire abstinence from any liquor, strong. …But however much in liquor I was, my reason was not so far lost but I could see a sufficient difference at my arrival at my own house between the present time and that of my wife’s life, but highly to the advantage of the letter. What I mean is: once I always found at home and everything serene and in order; now one or both servants out and everything; noise and confusion. Oh, it will not do, it cannot do! No, no, it never will… [26 words omitted].

…In the evening we had a very severe storm of hail and in the day a great deal of snow which melted as it fell and in the evening: several flashes of lightning with some claps of thunder. Sam Jenner being at my house in the evening and the weather being so bad, he lodged at my house all night. In the evening wrote my London letters. At home all day and but very little to do…