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 sparerib roasted and applesauce. Very little to do all day. About 7 o’clock T. Durrant and I walked up to pay Mr Bannister a visit. We stayed and supped with him on some bread and cheese and came home about 10:15 very sober. How melancholy a time do I now experience!
 

Paid Benjamin Shelley in cash 1.1.9 in full as under:

To money paid the 3lst Jan. to Mr Ben Hudson in full on my account	1.10.0
To cash paid for a cask of yeast last week	0.1.9
	1.11.9
Per Contra Cr
To cash received of Mr John Kenward for ½ year’s land tax due for his land in this parish at St Michael last	0.10.0
Paid in cash	1.1.9
	1.11.9

I dined on some pork bones broiled. Took physic today. At home all day and very little to do. Sam Jenner and I played a few games of cribbage in the evening, but neither won or lost. Samuel Jenner stayed all night. In the day read part of Huxham’s Essay on fevers.

I dined on some hog meat broiled. Molly and Bett Fuller and Mr Porter’s servant drank tea with me, and Molly and Bett Fuller, Mr Long and Richard Fuller played at brag. I won 20¾d…

At home all day and very little to do. In the evening wrote my London letters. A very wet evening. Oh, how unpleasant is a mind burthened with trouble as mine is… [22 words omitted].

In the morning I walked home with Sam Jenner, with whom I breakfasted, and then we set off for Alfriston, I wanting to talk with a person whom I have some thoughts of putting my nephew Philip out an apprentice to. We dined at William Wrothfield’s, an acquaintance of Samuel Jenner’s, on as fine a roast pig as I ever saw.

We came home about 8:20, but not thoroughly sober, though I think never so fatigued in all my life. Spent today 21d. What with my fatigue and drinking but little, it got up in my head. But as I have so weak a brain and have so often set a resolution not to be guilty any more of this vice, a vice I really detest, I hope yet to have a resolution strong enough to refrain from drinking anything strong for the future. Oh, may I have strength of mind and resolution firm enough to make good my real and designed intention!… [110 words omitted].

Paid Mr Joseph Burgess the 2/8 received for him yesterday… I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day, but not at all busy. Sam Jenner, coming in to my house in the evening, and it being very wet weather, he stayed all night. The frost began to thaw today after having continued very severe for 5 weeks.

Oh, how melancholy a time is it! My situation is really very melancholy, more so than can be imagined by any except myself.

My sister stayed and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a beef pudding. She stayed and drank tea with me and then went home… Rec’d of Mrs Judith Hook by the payment of John Martin in cash 7/2 in full for poor tax as follows:

Myself 1 book	0.1.9
Joseph Burgess 1 do.	0.1.4
Do.            [1] do.	0.1.4
Thomas Fuller  l do.	0.1.9
Jeremiah French [1] do.	0.0.3
myself do.	0.0.9

At home all day, but not at all busy.

Molly French stayed and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner and then went home. My sister stayed with me all day and also stayed all night. At home all day and but very little to do. A very severe frost continues.

Molly French came to pay my sister a visit and dined with me, together with T. Durrant, on a leg of mutton boiled and caper sauce, 2 chickens roasted, a raisin pond butter pudding and turnips. Molly French stayed and drank tea with me, as did Thomas Durrant, and they together with Fanny Hicks stayed and spent the evening with me and played at loo; I won l6½ d. They all stayed and ate a bit of bread and cheese with me and gooseberry pie. Molly French stayed and lodged with my sister…

Sent Mr John Crouch…£10. In the forenoon finished the squaring of the dimensions of the church work and paid the measurer Mr Jarvis at Chailey 12/6 for his time. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Thomas Durrant drank tea with me.

In the evening my sister Sally came to see me. At home all day and really very little to do. The frost continues very severe, and this day there was such a time as I hardly ever knew. Rec’d of my brother per my sister in cash 9.2.0 in full for the bill I sent Messrs Jordan and Davis on Monday last. My sister stayed all night. Delivered to Mr Shelley the cash received of Thomas Diplock yesterday.