Roger Whitley's Diary: December 1688

December 1688

Decr: 1st . Satorday, Huson went to Chester; Angell, to some patients; Sir John Crew, Stephens & Lee dined with us; they parted about 4; Angell then retorned.

2. Sonday, I went to church with my daughter; in the afternoone went to the Greyhound, after sermon; with Bruens, Hardware, Traverse &c; read the Deans news, which he sent by his servant; left them presently (my daughters staying in the coach) went home, met Angell at Aston, being sent for to Chester.

3. Monday, Huson & Delves went to Shotwick, also John Griffith with his cart; Salman & another came to look for work; no company.

4. Tuesday, Hunt, G.Mainwaring Bridges (a stranger to me) Sherwood, Gamull, Jackson & 2 more from Chester dined with me; they went before 4; Angell retorned; Hardware, his wife, sister & her husband came to visit us; stayd till past 5; Sir Philip Egerton's man & Sir William Aston's came to see us.

5. Wednesday, Huson went to Chester; Angell to Utkinton; a man came with a letter from Dysart & Mr Davyes man about William Davyes debt: about 11 a man that lives about Tarvyn Sands brought me a Warrent: to send my 2 Militia horse to Chester &c; which I ordered immediately to goe but they could not that evening.

6. Thursday, Jonathan & Pickering went with my 2 horse to Chester; no company all day; Angell went about 2 to Chester.

7. Friday, I sent Delves, John Griffith &c with 27 oxen to Malpa faire; Huson followed them in the afternoone; in the morning he accompted with the tenants of Moldsworth 8. Satorday, I sent Houseman to Chester, he retorned at night; soe did Huson & Griffith.

9. Sonday, I was at home all day.

10. Monday, Bruen, G.Mainwaring & Jackson dined with us; after dinner Hardwar & Davyes came to us; they all went about 4; onely Hardwar stayd till 6; Ankre came about the money is owes & Davnport, about wyer.

[fo. 100r]

Decr: 11. Tuesday, daughter Mainwaring went towards Peover. Huson towards Dysart etc.

James II leaves London 12. Wednesday, I went to Chester, Sister Angell with me; I dined with her; G.Mainwaring came to me; we went to the Penthouse; then to the Ship, the Mayor with us; there was also Anderson, Wright, Farington, Eaton, Murray, Broadhurst, Wilson, Oulton, Recorder, Parry, Winne (that brought the Parliament Writs from London) & some others; we parted past 5; the Mayor, Murray & I went to the Sunne; the Governor came to us (I having sent to him before by Farrington & Anderson, to let me have some of my armes to defend my House); Byron came with him; they went before 8; Johnson, Thame & severall others were also there; some of us supt; we went to the Penthouse to visit Alderman Anderson, who commanded the Citty Guard; there were great nombers with him; also Leeming, the late Recorder; we left them past 11; I went to bed at Angells.

13. Thursday, I went to the Quire prayers; then with G.Mainwaring to Hunts; then to the Governor in the Castle; met Colonel Gage & some officers, in the lower ward; they went with me to the Governor; but stayd not; I dined with the Governor; also G.Mainwaring & Captaine Byers, who was Captaine of the Guard; the Governor orderd me some armes for defence of my House; I went thence past 1; he parted with us at Glovers Stone; I and Mainwaring visited Hunt; then I took leave at Angell's; called at the Penthouse; the Mayor, Captaine Hunt & Thomas Griffith went with me to Jacksons; G.Mainwaring came to us; we had 2 bottles of wine; I went away about 3; came home by 5.

James leaves London finally.

14. Friday, Mr Sherwood dined with me; went away before 2; Sir Robert Cotton's servant: called to visit us in his way to Chester; my buttler went with him; about 4 my daughter Mainwaring & children retorned from Peover.

15. Satorday, I went to Chester with my daughters &c; there was great hurry on the report that a great party of Papists & Irish were coming that way but false.

16. Sonday, I went to church at St Peters, in the morning, with Sir Robert Cotton; we dined at the Mayors, with Sir Richard Reeves, G.Mainwaring, Sparkes, Hilton &c; we went to the Penthouse at 4; Cholmely, J. Egerton, Oldfield with many aldermen & cittisens were there; one of the Irish males were opened; Reeves & Bridges were also there; the maile had been opened before it was brought to the Mayor; no States letters were found in it. we went thence to G.Mainwaring (Cholmely, Egerton, Oldfeild with us) stayd till past 10.

17. Monday, I dined at Angells; went to the Penthouse at 3; the Mayor sent the Recorder, my selfe & G.Mainwaring (Cotton went with us) to Lord Derby to the Castle who came to towne that afternoone; the message was to desire his Lordships excuse that the Mayor did not leave the Citty in that confusion to waite on his Lordship: in the Castle & to know if his Lordship would please to come to the Penthouse about his oath of Alderman that the Mayor & Aldermen might be there ready to entertaine him; his Lordship sayd he would consider as to his oath of Alderman but seemed unsatisfyed that the Mayor did not come himselfe to waite on him &c; we retorned to the Penthouse; then to the Sunne; there were many Aldermen, cittisens &c in the severall places; Sir John Crew, Aston, Cecill Booth came to towne that morning, dined with G.Mainwaring; were in the Penthouse till about 8; went thence with Hunt to his house.

18. Tuesday, I went with the Mayor to Lord Derby in the Castle; much company there (as Cholmely, Egerton, Shakerly &c;) in our retorne in the outward ward; I met Colonel Gage, saluted him (having asked Lord Derby's & Governor's permission soe to doe); he spoke to me about his goods, horses, liberty &c; I told him I had no power he must attend directions from above; I dined at Jacksons with the Mayor, G;Mainwaring, Birket & others; Sir James Poole & his Lady sent to speake with me above; there were severall Popist prisoners [fo. 100v] 18: with them; the businesse was, to speake to the Mayor for Sir James, his parole etc; we went with the Mayor (at 3) to the Penthouse; Lord Derby, Grosvenor, Brooks, Cholmely, 2 Egertons, Shakerly & many Aldermen, cittisens & gentlemen were there; they were entertained with wine, bisket &c; Lord Derby produced a Declaracion, for adhering to the P: of O: for our Religion, Laws etc: it was signed by severall contrey gentlemen, my selfe &c; the Mayor & Citty refused it; resolved to addresse (as they had acted) apart; they stayd not long: that night the Mayor & severall of us, went to the Ship, parted about 10.

19. Wednesday, I dined at Robert Anderson's; daughters, sisters, Mayor, G.Mainwaring, Angell with us; I went thence to the Quire; about 6, to the Sunne; there was Booth, Hemthorne, Bridges, Fernhall, Hunt, Recorder, Mayor, G.Mainwaring, Kenrick, Vanbrug, Anderson & Greg, 2 Glegs & many more with us; it was agreed Booth should desist his pretensions to be member of Parliment.

20. Thursday, I dined with the Mayor, Grosvenor, Leeming, many Aldermen & cittisens & there wifes with us; went to Jackson's at night; Mayor, G.Mainwaring Johnson, Deane, Basnet, Farington, Cockane & many more with us; Captaine Gerard (a prisoner) desired to speake with me above; the Mayor consented, I went to him (there were 3 more with him); the businesse was to get theire parole; I told it to the Mayor; I left them presently; we parted below about 10.

21. Friday, Colston trimmed me; G. Mainwaring & Birket came to see me; I dined at G.Mainwrings with Crew, Stephens, Mayor &c; went to church to christen his child past 3; called on Thame to see Mr Johnsons house; supt at G. Mainwarings with a vast nomber of people (men & women) parted betwixt 9 & 10.

22. Satorday, I visited Crew at Hunts; went to Shakerly about my armes; Vanbrug was with him; on my retorne, called on Crew & Stephens, they dined with me at Angells; I retorned homewards with my daughters about 3 &c; Crew went out of towne with us.

23. Sonday, the ways were soe bad I could not goe to church; the Mayor sent me a coppy of Secretary Middletons & Lord Delamers lettres: I sent Huson to him & G.Mainwaring, he retorned late; Crew sent a servant to visit us.

24. Monday, Delves retorned to Shotwick; I sent Hixon, to visit Sir William Aston & family.

25. Tuesday (being Xmas-day) I, daughters &c went to Tarvyn to the Sacrament; Cadwallader came from Frodesly with venison; I sent Houseman to Chester; he retorned late.

26. Wednesday, Sir William Aston sent me a lettrr about the election of Chester, that there would come some freemen from Warington &c; I sent Harper to Chester with venison; Hardwar called in the evening; stayd not.

27. Thursday, no company; at night came (Jackson's old servant) with a letter from Mainwaring to his wife.

28. Friday, I sent Hickson to G.Mainwaring to know what was to be done about the Election; he retorned about 11; G.Mainwaring Jackson & Fernehall came from Chester to dine with us; also severall of our neighbors, viz: Hardwars, Traverse, Grantham, Gerard, Bunnell &c; from Tarvyn; Worthington &c; they all went , about 4; G.Mainwaring & the Chester men, about 5.

29. Satorday, I sent Huson to Chester; Crosby to invite the tenants of Kelsall & Mouldsworth to dinner with us on Monday; Sir William Aston sent his man with a letter about the election of Members of Parliment.

30. Sonday, I went not to church; had no company.

31. Monday, sevrall of my tenants from Kelsall. Moldsworxth, Mr Gerard Bolton and another from Tatenhall dined with me; they went at 5; 2 hardwars came about 2, went past 3; H. Parry came from Dysart; Pemberton, hsi sonne & another from Warrington; stayd all night.