Monday, April 4 1757

In the morning arose and went over to Framfield. Came home again to breakfast. Then went up to Mr Vine’s with some goods for the audit and from thence to Sinden’s. As I came home, called at Mr Reeve’s, Mr Piper’s and Mr John Vine Jr’s for poor tax but found none of them home. After I came home, went up to Mr Vine’s again with more goods… I went down to Halland and received of Mr Coates in cash 2.9.0 for poor tax. I came home and went up to Mr Piper’s and received of him 4.11.0 for poor tax and paid him 14/1½ on the parish account; viz., 5/- for removing John Durrant, and 8/1½ for 39 lbs of cheese for Dame Burrage. I stayed and supped at Mr Piper’s and smoked a pipe and came home about 9:20.

As I came home, I found Thomas Cornwell and John Durrant had come home from their journey and brought bad news; namely, that they had let the man make his escape, but that they had left Mr French and Joseph Fuller to proceed on their journey with the woman, Dame Vinal a-washing for us today…

Monday, August 30 1756

In the morning sent my maid up to Thomas Fuller’s to borrow his horse to go to Mayfield upon. He accordingly lent me one. About 8:30 Joseph Fuller came and called me by agreement, and we went to Mr Porter’s to ask his opinion whether we should pay Tester’s debt to Savage or not. He gave it as his opinion that it would be best for the parish to pay it and that they were highly to blame not to have paid it before. From Mr Porter’s we went to Mr Coates’s also to ask his advice, which was just the same as Mr Porter’s, with this addition; -viz., to call a vestry on Sunday and to register every person’s name that assents to it or that dissents from it.

About 11:20 Thomas Fuller and I set out in order to see a cricket match at Mayfield; viz., Mayfield against the county (or the pretended county), but there was not time to play it out. The county got the first innings 52, and Mayfield headed them 18. Then with 4 of the county out in the 2nd innings, they got that 18, and 14 ahead of Mayfield when they left off. I won 6d and spent 12d. We came home to Thomas Fuller’s about 10 o’clock, sober. But before I could get home I was a little high, which proceeded from what I drank there. We dined at Mr Porter’s on what came out of the parlor (they having almost dined there before we came in); viz., the remains of a leg of mutton boiled, a shoulder of venison roasted, a fine plum pudding, carrots, turnips etc… My brother Richard came over in the morning and breakfasted with me…

Friday, Jannuary 16 1756

At home all the fore part of the day. Mr Edward Relfe and Mr John Aliot of Lewes called on me, both in liquor. They stayed and drank 2 bottles of beer with us. In the evening went down to Halland to balance accounts with Mr Coates, but he was not at home. He came home while I was there — in liquor — so I came away without balancing accounts. When I came home, I found Mr John Collison at our house. We balanced accounts, and there remains due to Messrs Margesson and Collison 17.16.0 in full (the £20 which I owe them for Mr Samuel Virgoe excepted)… Paid for 6 cabbage nets 4d. Gave Grace Grover 3d for Mr John Barnard, which I agreed to on the 3 Jan., 1756. Mr Collison supped with us and stayed all night at our house.

Friday, August 8 1755

At Halland about 7 times; otherwise at home all day. Nothing more of moment, but I find I sell but little to Halland on the account I would not give Mr Coates 7d per pound for his West Country wool on the 1st instant, which I should have lost not less than 40/- by, had I bought it at that rate and fulfilled my other engagements. Paid for 4 doz of brooms 4/-.

Friday, August 1 1755

Paid John Fitness 8/9 in full for 6 corn hooks. Paid for bread ½d. Between schooltime carried up to Thomas Fuller’s 6 lbs of 6d sugar. Went to Chiddingly after schooltime to look upon Mr Hicks’s wool. Bid him 6¾d per pound for it. Paid Francis Smith in cash 18/2, which with £12.7.0 sent him by his boy the 29th July is in all £13.5.2, which he paid for me in London, as under (to wit)

To Margesson & Co.                 £13.0.0

To Crowder & Co. in full           £0.5.2

In the evening went down to Halland to look upon Mr Coates’s wool, which was all West-Country, and because I would not give him 7d per pound for it he huffed me prodigiously.