ch 7th, a party met at Mr. Joseph Fuller's,
"drinking," records our diarist, "like horses, as the vulgar phrase
is, and singing, till many of us were very drunk, and then we went to
dancing, and pulling of wigs, caps, and hats; and thus we continued in
this frantic manner, behaving more like mad people than they that
profess the name of Christians." Three days after, the same amusements
are enjoyed at the house of Mr. Porter, the clergyman of the parish,
except "there was no swearing and ill words, by reason of which Mr.
Porter calls it innocent mirth, but I in opinion differ much
therefrom." Mr. Turner had no great reason to respect the opinion of
clergymen on such matters. Soon after, "Mr. ----, the curate of
Laughton, came to the shop in the forenoon, and he having bought some
things of me (and I could wish he had paid for them), dined with me,
and also staid in the afternoon till he got in liquor, and being so
complaisant as to keep him company, I was quite drunk. How do I detest
myself for being so foolish!" A little later, Mr, Turner attended a
vestry meeting, at which "we had several warm arguments, and several
vollies of execrable oaths oftentime redounded from almost all parts of
the room.

"About 4 P.M. I walked down to Whyly. We played at bragg the first part
of the even. After ten we went to supper, on four broiled chicken, four
boiled ducks, minced veal, cold roast goose, chicken pastry, and ham.
Our company, Mr. and Mrs. Porter, Mr. and Mrs. Coates, Mrs. Atkins,
Mrs. Hicks, Mr. Piper and wife, Joseph Fuller and wife, Tho. Fuller and
wife, Dame Durrant, myself and wife, and Mr. French's family. After
supper our behaviour was far from that of serious, harmless mirth; it
was downright obstreperious, mixed with a great deal of folly and
stupidity. Our diversion was dancing or jumping about, without a violin
or any musick, singing of foolish healths, and drinking all the time
as fast as it could be well poured down; and the parson of the parish
was one among the mixed multitude. If conscience dictates right from
wrong, as doubtless it sometimes does, mine is one that I may say is
soon offended: for, I must say, I am always very uneasy at such
behavior, thinking it not like the behaviour of the primitive
Christians, which, I imagine, was most in conformity to our Saviour's
gospel.

"Thursday, Feb, 25th. This morning, about six o'clock, just as my wife
was got to bed, we was awaked by Mrs. Porter, who pretended