Thomas Turner

In the morning my late servant Mary Martin came to see me and breakfasted with me. Rec’d of William Driver 7/-, of which 4/- were for ½ year’s land tax due St Michael last and the remaining 3/- in full for poor tax assessed on him by a poor rate made the 9th day of August last.

Sent Mr Thomas Dyke & Son at New Sarum… 1 bill on Mr William Margesson… value 7.17.0… My late servant dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a light pudding and cabbage. At home all day and but very little to do. My late servant stayed all night. In the evening busy a-writing. How do I in secret mourn the loss (though I hope with a due resignation to the will of divine Providence) of my dear and forever valuable wife.

…I dined on a beef pudding and cabbage. My late servant stayed with me all day and aired all my wife’s clothes.

Sam Jenner and I played a few games of cribbage in the evening; I neither won or lost. He stayed all night. At home all day and pretty busy, but yet my mind is quite tumultuous, hardly knowing which way to pursue or what way of life to engage in. To keep house with servants in the business I am situated in is not either agreeable to my naturel inclination or advantageous to my interest. No, it is not, for to the one it is quite different from, and the other I doubt itis greatly prejudicial to.

At the same time I doubt my trade will hardly answer the expenses of a family which might in all probability be the consequence of marriage. Though undoubtedly could I meet with a virtuous and discreet girl (one whose person I could like), who had taken more care to adorn the internal than external parts, I say with such a one I should prefer marriage before a single life, a life in my opinion agreeable to the dictates of nature, reason and religion. For agreeable to the apostle marriage is honorable in all men and the bed undefiled, though marriage I doubt in this licentious and libertine age is too oft entered with lucrative views or to gratify some inordinate passion, both of which I presume are contrary to the real institution of marriage. For in my mind virtue and as sincere love or friendship for each other seems the only basis to build a lasting happiness upon in the marriage state. Then so long as life continues, so long will happiness and love continue to increase. Happy, for ever happy, beyond the power of imagination to describe, are they whose lot it is, happy, may we presume, to all eternity.
 

My late servant dined with me on a hot beef pie. Rec’d a present from my father Slater by the carrier of a sparerib. In the evening my brother came over; he stayed, drank tea with me, spent the evening, with whom I supped on some bread and cheese; came [went] home about 10:30.

My late servant stayed all night. Pretty busy in the day. Virtue, how amiable art thou in the eye of man!… [40 words omitted]

Myself only at church in the morning… My late servant dined with me on a piece of beef roasted and horse radish. No service at our church in the afternoon, Mr Porter preaching at Laughton. Thomas Durrant drank tea with me, to whom in the evening I read three of Tillotson’s sermons. My late servant stayed all night.

In the morning James Marchant and Elizabeth Mepham were married, and I was what is commonly called Father, and also together with Thomas Davy signed the register book. My servant dined with her brother and sister, the new married couple, and [I and my late servant dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner.

In the evening went down to Jones’s, where we had a public vestry. Stayed there till about 10:10. Then I went to the wedding house and sat and smoked several pipes in company with Mr Robert Hook, Thomas Durrant, Thomas Davy, Joseph Fuller Jr, Fanny Hicks, my servant and the new married couple; came home about 2:20. My late servant stood the shop for me during my absence. Sam Jenner, coming in the evening, stayed with my servant for company and also took part of my bed. Pretty busy in the day, but oh, the torment of my mind–I hardly know what to do!
 

…My late servant dined with me on a piece of a sparerib salted and boiled and some Savoy greens. At home all day and pretty busy. My late servant stayed all night. Oh, the disquietude of my mind! why should I let thoughts run so in my head that disturb my tranquillity of mind when I rest assured that whatever happens by the appointment of heaven is right, is best?

After breakfast my late servant went home. My brother came over in the forenoon and stayed and dined with me on the remains of Saturday and yesterday’s dinners. He also stayed and drank tea with me and then went home. At home all day but not at all busy. In the evening busy a-writing.
 

I dined on a sparerib roasted and apple sauce. A very wet day almost the whole day. At home all day. Posted part of my day book. In the evening Sam Jenner and I played a few games of cribbage; neither of us won.

In the forenoon posted part of my day book. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the afternoon my brother came over to stand the shop for me, I being a-going to Uckfield. I set out on foot about 5:50 and called on Mr French to accompany me agreeable to appointment, but the weather being likely to prove unpleasant, I stayed and drank tea there and spent the evening till about 7:30.

Elizabeth Trill drank tea with my brother in my absence. My brother stayed and smoked a pipe or two with me and then went home.

…I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Rec’d by Philip from my brother Moses in cash 8.15.0, for which I sent him 1 draft on Mr Will Margesson…

At home all day. Almost a continual wet day. In the evening Mr Long sat with me a little time. This day agreed with John Watford to keep Elizabeth Burrage another year, the parish being to find her in clothes. Oh, melancholy time!