Tuesday, January 4 1763

My father stayed and breakfasted with me and then went hone… I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Mrs Fuller and Mrs Durrant drank tea with me.

I, having a pretty large quantity of cash in the house, got Sam Jenner to lodge with me. At home all day. Rec’d today as under: of Thomas Reeve by his maid 2.16.0; of William Jenner by Eldridge 0.8.0 in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last…

Monday, January 3 1763

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Fanny Hicks drank tea with me. My father Slater came to see me in the evening and stayed all night. He together with Joseph Fuller Jr, Sam Jenner and Thomas Durrant spent the evening with me. In the evening wrote my London letters. At home all day, an extreme cold, frosty day. Rec’d today as under:

Of Lord Gage per Langridge0.4.0
Joseph Burgess per self0.12.0
James Bristed per T. Durrant0.12.0
Widow Browne per self1.0.0

all in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last.
 

Sunday, January 2 1763

Mr Breeden nor myself at church in the morning. We balanced our accounts… Mr Breeden dined with me on a piece of beef boiled, a plain rice pudding and two rabbits roasted, and then went away.

Myself and servant at church in the afternoon… Rec’d of John Vine Jr 10/- for ½ year’s land tax due at St Michael last. In the evening walked down to Mr Coates’s. Spent the evening and supped with him and came home about 8:40. Rec’d of Mr Coates 5.8.0 as under:

To silver sent to him at several times4.2.0
To ½ year’s land tax due at St Michael last1.6.0

Thursday, December 30 1762

Sam Jenner stayed and breakfasted with me and then went home. Paid Thomas Cornwell for 2 rabbits bought of him today 16d. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some onion sauce. At home all day.

In the afternoon posted part of my day book. A most remarkable sharp frost and the wind extremely cold, I think almost as cold as I ever knew it.

Rec’d of Mrs Atkins 1.6.0; ditto of Mr Thomas Carmen 1.6.0, both in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last.

Tuesday, December 28 1762

…My brother Will dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the evening went down to Mr Porter’s, where I balanced accounts with him and received of him in cash 61.8.6 in full on my account to this day. I also received of him 4.8.0 in full for half a year’s land tax due St Michael last. I stayed and supped there and came home about 11:30, sober. My brother stayed all night.

Monday, December 27 1762

Sam Jenner, coming to assist me in drawing off some cider, dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Sent Mr Robert Plumer…£23. Rec’d of Joseph Fuller 1.12.0 in full for the first half year’s land tax due at St Michael last…

In the evening went down to John Jones’s, there being a vestry to choose surveyors for the ensuing year. I stayed and drew up the last year’s surveyors’ accounts and then came home. The surveyors chosen for the ensuing year were Thomas Carman and James Fuller; and the electioners John Vine and Edward Hope.

My brother William came to see me and stayed all night. In the evening Thomas Durrant and Sam Jenner, who had been at work for me all the day, and Joseph Fuller Jr smoked a pipe or two with me. In the evening wrote my London letters. At home all day, except as before. Gave the following box money:

To the Postboy0.0.6
Butcher’s boy0.0.3
Isaac Turner0.0.3
Robert Hook0.0.3
0.1.3


 

Sunday, December 26 1762

Myself and servant at church in the morning; the text in Isaiah 9:6; “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Sam Jenner dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. After dinner we, together with Thomas Durrant, walked over to Framfield where we drank tea with my brother and stayed and smoked a pipe or two with him and came home about 6:50. After I came home I went into Joseph Durrant’s, where I smoked a pipe or two and came home about 8:10 very sober, having drunk nothing the whole day stronger than water cider.