Roger Whitley's Diary: April 1697

April 1697

April 1. Thursday, Lund came & mended the chimneys; Ghort came (Akerley with him) I sealed his lease; Houseman retorned from Shotwick.

2. Friday, (Good Friday) Mr Gerard gave us the Sacrament & dined with us; went before 3. Houseman went in the morning to Shotwick; I & daughter took the ayre in afternoone.

3. Satorday, Bowker was with me about the gates; Broster had order to pay the cowman's wages & discharge him; Houseman came home at night, also the husbandman (Moses interl) & cart from Shotwick.

4. Sonday, (Easter Day) daughter, Roger &c. went to church; Morgan & Huson came past 11, went about 4. Nixon & coachman went in the morning to theire frinds; the cowman went away.

5. Monday, Broster went to Dyssert; Houseman to Tatenhall & Bechin; the church warden came for a lay & had it; severall woemen & men from Chester came with Bromley to see the house & gardens; I gave them beere & wine &c. past 2 of clock &c. Bowker & Gill were with me at night about work &c. Philip called to see us.

6. Tuesday, Ince trimmd me; no company or businesse; Bromley was here at night.

7. Wednesday, Houseman came back about 11. Angell & my sisters dined with us; retorned past 4. I & daughter went to take the ayre.

8. Thursday, Houseman (went past 8) to Shotwick.Senan ?.(about my Appeale) &c. James Mainwaring, his brother & Salisbury dined with us; Lashford came past 1/2. all went before 4.

9. Friday, Crew & Lancaster came past 4. went about 6. daughter & I went then to Bromley's. they enterteyned us with good puddings, ale &c. we retorned past 7. Philip brought 20 sheep from Peover; Moses & Eaton were with me past 7 about the small rent Morse owes me; he carryes himselfe ingratefully to me; soe I told him.

10. Satorday, I sent William Davyes (Constable) & Brock to search Copper's house for a payre of Roger's stockings which we suspected his wife to have stolen this morning out of the washhouse; but they were found there agen; Roger went away in the evening; Houseman & Broster retorned in the cart with barley from Shotwick &c. Akerley was with me; I desired to send her cosen Hales on Monday.

11. Sonday, daughter &c. went to church; Morgan dined with us ; retorned (about 3) towards Chester.

12. Monday, Leech came about 9 & payd some money in part of his bond; Hales of Barrow came past 11 to speake about Akerley; he dined with us; after diner came Lashford & Mrs Ashton about leasing at Brombrow or Shotwick; they went about 3. Hales & widow Akerley agreed (as I proposed & understood them) to pay 3 li. 10 s. 0 d. for the house, yard, & feild next ajoining for the yeare; to secure the rent & they should quit all before the 1st of May 98. she promised to bring security; they went before 4. Roger retorned while we were at diner; went out with Hale; Houseman went about 2 to visit Lord Rivers & Sir William Ashton if he could; Mrs Alportt came about 11 in her way to Chester; went before diner; Roger Row came in the evening about Akerley; Huson came about 7.

13. Tuesday, Huson went about 11. Danson came about his businesse & Thomas Bolland who engaged that he should cure me in 10 days; they dined & went past 7; Ince trimmd me; at 8 we went towards Chester came [fo. 216r] 13. came to Chester at 6, called at sister Whitleys; went to visit the Judge about 7. Minshall came to him; then Davyes whiles I was with him; I went thence to Husons, saw his wife at the doore, did not light; called at Angells; then home; Cratchley came to see me before I went out; sister Sidney supt with us, Huson came but did not stay; Sheriffe Mainwaring & Roger Mainwaring came after supper; went at 10.

14. Wednesday, Hall came & gave Houseman a bill for 70 li. on Robinson; Broster came to Huson; Jackson the skinner came to me to get his sonne imployed in the leather=tax; Aston came about leasing Brombrow; Deane came about 2. Sir William Ashton about ? then Llee of Booth & Bradshaw also Cratchley; they went to Jackson's at 7 to meete the Deputy Lieutenants about the Citty Militia; retorned at 10. Morgan came home with me to talk of Flint election.

15. Thursday, Adams was with me from the Mayor about the toll businesse & shewing Sir William Williams my grants. I desired him to minde the Mayor of his promise about calling a comitte for the Hall; he retorned by him that he was resolved to go on without calling a comitte &c. Ashton came about Brombrow; went with Huson to discourse further of the matter &c. after diner came Lawton & Nat. Lee; stayd an houer. Deane was with me & Cratchley; I went at 6 to cosen Salisburys; he, his wife,, daughter & Mr John Grosvenor were together. I stayd not long; went then to Jacksons; Lawton, 2 Leas, Bellot, Pemberton, Johnson came to me, the Sir William Ashton & other Deputy Lieutenants came, we went in to another room; sent Hussey to the Mayor if he would advise with aldermen & councell about the safest way of settling the Citty militia he promised his answer on Monday night; I came home about 10.

16. Friday, I sent Houseman (upon Mayor's desire) with my writings to Sir William Williams about the toll; his answer was (by Adams, who the Mayor sent with Houseman) that the Grant was good; is to be observed & allowed as had bin customary. at 7 (this evening) came the Deputy Recorder, Johnson, Hand, Huet, Cratchley, 2 Bollands, Deane, Minshall,Dutton to my house to consider of the building of the Hall; Recorder, Deane & Johnson went betimes; the rest stayd till about 10.

17. Satorday, I went to the Penthouse; there was the Mayor, Recorder & severall Aldermen; the militia was discoursed of as it had bin proposed by the Deputy Lieutenant to advise the Aldermen & Common Councell, but he would not heare of the Councell; & for the Aldermen, he put nothing to the vote but asked Cumberbach our opinion & declared that to be the best way; refused to call the comitte for going on with our buildings; rose up hastily as in past,.but first order his toll gatherer to restore my tenants of Lach the toll he had unjustly taken from them (by his order) & to take no more; Hand & Crathley dined with me also John Whitley & sister Loyd; Cumberbach came (about 2) to tell me that the Mayor had advised him & Adams to attend him at 6 soe that they could not attend the comitte at the Penthouse & that he had orderd them to send out no summons for the meeting of the comitte; & directed the Macebearer not to summon any; as he had bin ordered to doe &c. at 6 I went to the Penthouse; (Cumberbach & Evans were there) Recorder, Hand, Murray, Johnson &c. met & went together to the Hall upon our retorne to appointed to meete againe on Monday 5 of the clock. went to Jacksons; spoke with Lloyd, Parry, Huson & Houseman at the doore; soe home,about 8 Deane came, I sent for Sheriffe Mainwaring; we parted before 10. the cart brought barley from Shotwick.

18. Sonday, daughter &c. went to church; Roger came from Peele; 2 Minshalls, 2 Mainwarings, Thomas Whitley, 2 Alports &c. dined with us (Morgan came at 2 interl) all went about 3. Huson came about 7 & Houseman went to Peele; retorned before 9.

19. Monday, Houseman went to Bechin; Pemberton & Thomas: came from Peele; also the cart ( with[defaced].to Shotwick); the Governor, Captaine Trindale & Attorney Minshall dined with us; after diner Thomas Lea, Roger Mainwaring & Dick Minshall & Cumberbach; all went past 4. I went after 6 to meete the Deputy Lieutenants at Jacksons; there was Lea, Mainwaring, Waring, Hand, Minshall, also Cumberbach, Pemberon & Hussey; & the Govenor for a while, we stayd ( most of us till past 10. Pack the taylor brought his bill for work done for me & Roger. Houseman retorned from Bechin.

[fo. 216v]

April 20. Tuesday, I went to the comitte at the Penthouse at 5, thence (before 7) to the Deputy Lieutenants at Jacksons, came home at 10. I was trimmd in the morning by Chadwick.

21. Wednesday, Palin & Row (with theire wifes) came leasing at Bechin. we agreed, &c. 3 sisters dined with us. I went at 4 to the Coffee House; there was Recorder, Deane, Harvey, Pugh &c. about 6 Recorder & I went to Alderman Ince, took Murray with us; Ince was with the Mayor. his wife sent for him. he told us the Mayor, Grosvenor & he (with some more) at bin in a comitte at the Penthouse about the Hall; that they had subscribed some papers &c; we desired him to meete us (as being one of the quorum) on Thursday 5 a clock, he would not promise absolutely; we left him at 7. I met Holland in the streete, told him what had past; also called on Deane & acqainted him; saw Adams, asked him who was with the Mayor at the comitte; he told me Grosvenor, Ince, Allen & Wilson, I came home before 8.

22. Thursday, Sheriffe Mainwaring was with me after diner, stayd awhile; Roger's man came from Peele with a letter from Broster about coaling; Houseman went to Shotwick after diner. at 5 I went to meete the comitte at the Penthouse; went to the Ship at 7; there was Minshall, Lloyd, Murray, Cratchley & Bolland, I left them at 9; Sheriffe Mainwaring came past 9, stayd till 10.

23. Friday, Lloyd & Huson came to me about leasing at Shotwick; Norbery about suing debtors; they went before diner; Mainwaring came from London 12, Sidney & sister Lloyd dined with us; I bought a large sturgeon for a noble; after diner came Bellot & Warburton; then Morgan & Parry; they all went to the race past 3; Johnson of Soughall & Massey. called an old debt Mossey owes me; I gave Howeman the bond to agree with him; Sam Hussey was here to see us &c. I went to the comitte in the Penthouse before 1 & past 3 I & Mainwaring went to Jacksons; there was Bellot, Warburton, 2 Hurlestons & Parry. we left them past 10.

24. Satorday, James Mainwaring was with me about speaking to Johnson to send his bill for rent &c. Huson was with me to discourse severall matters about Pulford businesse in Taylor's hand &c. Jordan came for money, (about 4 we left Chester, came to Peele at 7 crossed out) had for. Bellot, Whitley, Lloyd, Angell. sisters &c. dined with us; Deane, Cratchley &c. came to take leave of me; we left Chester past 5. came to Peele at 7.

25. Sonday, Mainwaring, daughter &c. went to church; Houseman came from Chester this morning; Bowker & Moses were with me in the evening in order theire going to Bechin; Morgan came about 8.

26. Monday, Howesman & Broster went early to meete Norbery & Huson for keeping the Courts at Brombrow, Soughall &c. Crew, Lancaster, Grantham dined with us; about 2 came Gerard & Harvey; I enterteyned Harvey for my Chaplaine to come about the 10th of May; he & Gerard went first; the rest about 7. Yong & Bromley came past 8 to discourse about Ashton Court on Friday &c. Akerley was with me; promised to come agen on Thursday; Roger's wife came, but I did not see her, she lay at night.

27. Tuesday, Cottrell came to Roger in the morning to let him blood but went before diner.

28. Wednesday, (the fast) Mainwaring went to Tarperly (past 9) soe to Ukinton; daughter &c. to Tarvyn church &c. I writ to Colonel Perry about oare &c. in the evening I & daughter took the ayre.

29. Thursday, Ince trimmd me; I wrote this day to Mr Warburton that assenda? was payd & to take up & send me the securiteys &c. at diner came Lloyd, Huson, Houseman & Broster; Lloyd & Huson went agen past 12 at night.

30. Friday, Nurse Hignet came to complaine that Hardwar's tenant threatens to pull downe the fence that her husband makes in his new enclosure; I sent Houseman to advise him not to make any difference betwixt me & landlord, who gave Houseman his consent that we should take in the little peice of land by the brookside &c. this day, Norbery keeps my Court at Ashton; I sent Houseman to him. past 5 I went to Bromley's; there was Mainwaring, Pennington, Smith, Withens Norbery together & severall tenants in other roomes; I & Roger, Hardware Mainwaring came home before 8. Roger after us &c. cart came with oates from Shotwick.