Thomas Turner

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a piece of beef boiled and greens. In the afternoon Mr Carman called on me again, and we rode down to Sam Washer’s, where Mr Carman agreed to take all the effects by Mr Verrall’s appraisement and enter upon the premises tomorrow, signing a note to resign the same, he only to have the use of one room for a month…

From thence we, together with Mr Chester and Mr Hutchens, rode to Mr Peckham’s in order to obtain his consent for a continuation of the license, which he granted. We stayed and smoked a pipe or two and came home about 8:20. My brother in my absence received of Roase Page 12/5 (by the payment of Mrs Browne) in full. Mrs Browne drank tea at my house. Rec’d of butcher Fuller in cash 3.14.6 in full for poor tax.
 

Paid Ben Shelley (by his brother John) in cash 2.7.8, which with the £70 sent, or at least delivered, to him the 9th instant makes together the sum of 72.7.8 and is in full for the same sum paid in London for me as under:

By cash paid the 10th instant to Mr William Margesson	70.0.0
By do. the 3rd instant to Messrs Cluer Dicey & Co. in full on my account	0.12.0
By do. the 10th instant to Messrs Smith and Isherwood in full on my account	1.15.8

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Rec’d of Mr Porter the sum of 12.5.4½ in full for poor tax. Rec’d of Thomas Reeve by the payment of his daughter in cash 4.17.6 in full for poor tax… Rec’d of Mr George Bannister the sum of four guineas, which I lent him the 29th December last, and gave him the note of hand I received of him upon lending the money.

At home all day and thank God very busy. In the evening smoked a pipe or two at Mr Joseph Burgess’s, Joseph Fuller, T. Durrant and Sam Jenner treating me with a glass or two of punch. Paid John Nutley in cash 14/- in full for 2 bushels flour, I delivered to Will Sinden, the other to Starkes [Slarkes].

Myself and brother at church in the morning… Joseph Burgess dined with me on part of a calf’s head boiled, a piece of bacon and greens.

After dinner I set out for [South] Malling to pay Molly Hicks my intended wife a visit, with whom I intended to have gone to church. But there was no afternoon service there (My brother and servant at church in the afternoon). I spent the afternoon with a great deal of pleasure, it being very fine pleasant weather and my companion very agreeable. I drank tea with her and came home about 9:30. Spent today 8d: viz., turnpike 2d and the servant 6d.

Now perhaps there may be many reports abroad in the world of my present intentions, some likely condemning, other approving my choice. But as the world cannot judge the secret intentions of my mind and I may therefore be censured for want of knowing the true motives of my proceedings, I will take the trouble to relate what are really and truly my intentions and the only motive from which they spring (which may be some satisfaction to those who may happen to peruse my memoirs). To do the first I shall begin with the latter, as thinking it most necessary. As to the motives which spur me on to think of marriage, first I think it is a state agreeable to nature, reason and religion and in some manner the indispensable duty of Christians. For I think it the duty of every Christian to serve God and perform his religious services in the most calm, serene and composed manner, which if it can be performed more so in a married state then in a single one, it must then be an indispensable duty.

Now as to my own present situation, my house is not at all regular, neither is there any family devotion performed in that serious manner as formerly in my wife’s time, nor have I one friend in the world; that is, I have not anyone whom I can thoroughly rely upon or confide in. Neither have I anyone to trust to trust the management of my affairs to that I can be assured in their management will be sustained no loss. I have not one agreeable companion to soften and alleviate the misfortunes incident to human nature.

As to my choice I have only this to say: the girl I believe as far as I can discover is a very industrious, sober woman and seemingly endued with prudence and good nature, and seems to have a very serious and sedate turn of mind. She comes of reputable parents and may perhaps one time or other have some fortune. As to her person I know as plain (is my own), but she is cleanly in her person and dress (which I will say is something more than at first sight it may appear to be towards happiness). She is I think a well-made woman. As to her education, I own it is not liberal, neither do I think it equals my own, but she has good sense and a seeming desire to improve her mind, and, I must in justice say, has always behaved to me with the strictest honor and good manners, her behavior being far from the affected formality of the prude, nor on the, other hand anything of that foolish fondness too often found intend the more light part of the sex. Now for my real intentions; it is that of marriage and of the strictest honor, having nothing else in view but to live in a more sober and regular manner, and to be better able to perform my duty to God and man in a more suitable and truly religious manner, and with the grace of the Supreme Being to live happy and in a sincere union with the partner of my boson.
 

Rec’d of Mrs Atkins in cash 4.13.6; viz.,

A Book debt	2.5.0
Poor tax	2.8.6

 Rec’d of Mr Coates 1.3.6 in full for poor tax. Rec’d of Thomas Davy in cash 1.2.9 in full for poor tax. In the forenoon I set out for the sitting at Maresfield in order to verify the parish accounts for the preceding year. I called at my brother’s at Framfield, but did not stay. I dined at the second table on part of a buttock of beef boiled, a piece of beef roasted, a ham and greens, in company with my father Slater and near 30 more. After dinner I verified the accounts upon oath. Paid the justice’s clerk 6/-; viz.,

Warrant	0.2.0
Summons	0.2.0
Veryfying account	0.2.0

Spent as under:

Horse	0.0.2
Dinner	0.0.6
Spent	0.0.8
	0.1.4

Came home by Framfield where I stayed with my brother about an hour. Came home about 7:20. In the evening wrote my London letters. Sam Jenner sat with me some time in the evening. My father Slater came with me as far as Uckfield where we parted.

Delivered to Ben Shelley in cash by my servant £100 in order to pay in London for me, the money as under:

2 thirty-six shilling pieces	3.11.0
1 moidore	1.7.0
63 guineas	66.3.0
42 half-do.	21.10
20 quarter do.	5.5.0
1 eighteen-shilling piece	0.18.0
1 thirteen-and-sixpence	0.13.6
1 half do.	0.6.9
4 shillings	0.4.0
6 halfpence	0.0.3

Rec’d of Mr Carman 3.13.1½ in full for poor tax. I then paid him 4.15.2 in full for his parish bill brought in and passed in the account last Wednesday. Rec’d of Lord Viscount Gage from Mr Hall by Robert Hook in cash 0.14.6 in full for poor tax due at Easter, and 1 year’s land tax 8/-, due at Lady Day last.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. After dinner Mr Carman and I walked down to Whyly to ask Mr Blackman how he did, but did not stay, he being excessive ill. In the evening we had a vestry at Mr Joseph Burgess’s to put out poor children. John Watford took Ann Thomas Vinal for 6d a week till next Lady Day. Our vestry was Mr Carman, myself, Mr Thomas Walls, John Watford, Richard Page, George Stace, Robert Hook and James Fuller. Spent 7/6 on the parish account and came home about 1:10, sober.

This day were married at our parish church Thomas Bristow and Mary Carpenter (by publication of banns).
 
 

Received of Will Wenham by the payment of his wife 1.12.6 in full for poor tax. Rec’d of James Bristed by Joseph Durrant 2.10.0 in full for 1 year’s poor tax due at Easter and 1 year’s land tax due at Lady Day last. Rec’d of Richard Hope 3.14.9 in full for poor tax. Rec’d of Mr Joseph Burgess 9/9 in full for poor tax. I then paid him 7/6 in full for money spent at the vestry last night.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a sausage pudding. In the afternoon my brother Moses came over to take up some cloths and stayed and drank tea with me, as did Mr Carman and Richard Page. Sam Jenner coming in the evening, we played a few games of cribbage; I lost 6d.

Paid Joseph Fuller Jr 3/6 in full for 13 lbs of beef bought and received of him today at 2/2 per stone… I received of Mr Blackman the 10th instant in payment for poor tax [a] bank bill [for £15.]… A very fine pleasant day.
 

Rec’d of Thomas and Sarah Prall by the payment of Thomas in cash 1.19.0 in full for poor tax. I dined on a piece of beef boiled and some greens.

In the evening went to Lewes where I called at Mr Plumer’s and some other places where I had business and then back to Malling where I drank tea with Molly Hicks and many others. I stayed and spent the evening with her till past 5 in the morning. Came home about 6:45. Paid and spent as under:

Mr Robert Plumer for a parcel	0.1.9
Mr Stephen Tasker for do.	0.2.8
Turnpike a-going	0.0.2
Do. coming home	0.0.2

Rec’d of Mr George Bannister in cash 4.4.0 in part of the land tax for which I gave him the receipt the 11th instant. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a hot beef pie. Paid Mr Ben Shelley in cash 1.19.3, which with the £100 sent him, at least delivered to him, the 16th instant makes together the sum of 101.19.3… At home all day and very sleepy.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some salading. At home all day and not very busy. Sam Jenner sat with me some time in the evening.

N.B.: Mr Ben Shelley paid me in cash 4/9 yesterday, being the balanced received of Mr Clement Corduroy due to me.

Myself and brother at church in the morning… I dined on a piece of beef boiled, a plain suet pudding and greens. After dinner my brother and Thomas Durrant and myself took a serious walk. Myself, brother and servant at church in. the afternoon…

After churchtime my brother and I walked home with Mr Carman and his daughters, where we stayed and drank tea and also supped on some rashers of bacon broiled, a part a cold roasted bullock’s heart, a cold bread pudding, part of a cold hog’s cheek and bread and cheese. We stayed till about 11:11 and then came home sober.