Thomas Turner

My late servant Mary Martin came in the morning, and she, myself and servant at church in the morning, the text in the 10th verse, 17th chapter, St Luke’s Gospel: “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.”

My late servant dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, and then went away. No service at our church in the afternoon, Mr Porter preaching at Framfield. I drank. tea with Mrs French. My brother went in the morning to Cuckfield where he bargained as a yearly servant and came home about 3:30, very sober. He then walked over to Chiddingly on business, but did not stay. My servant at Framfield Church in the afternoon. An excessive hot day.

[This is the last entry for the regular diary]

From the day last mentioned, I have been so embarrassed with a multiplicity of business that I was not able to continue my journal, being on the 19th day of June married at our church (to Mary Hicks, servant to Luke Spence Esq of South Malling) by the Reverend Mr Porter, and for about 14 days out was very ill with a certain ague, or rather an intermitting fever.

Then the ceremony of receiving visitors and again the returning of them has indeed, together with the business in my trade, taken up so much of my time that I was obliged to omit that which would have given the greatest pleasure imaginable –to have continued.

But however thank God I begin once more to be a little settled and am happy in my choice. I have, it’s true, not married a learned lady, nor is she a gay one, but I trust she is good natured, and one that will use her utmost endeavor to make me happy, which perhaps is as much as is in the power of a wife to do. As to her fortune, I shall one day have something considerable, and there seems to be rather a flowing stream. Well, here let us drop the subject and begin a new one.