Roger Whitley's Diary: June 1684

June 1684

June 1. Sonday, we went to Tarvyn church where we met my sonne, Alderman Mainwaring & Mr Swetnam; they came and dined with us (also Major Done & Mr Larden); they stayed all afternoon (all but Larden); they went away past 6 at night.

2. Monday, Mr Mainwaring & I went to Chester, first to Mr Hunt about my businesse with Mrs Feilder, then to Dr Angell's to see my sisters (who were alone); about 1 o'clock we went to Alderman Wrights where we dined with my sonne, (being his Receipte Day); there dined with us Mr Mayor, Alderman Lloyd, Alderman Wright, Alderman Mainwaring, Mr Gleg, Mr Minshall, Mr Swetnam (& Mr Farington, his friend), yong Mr Wright, Mr Robert Lloyd & his sonne, Sir Willoughby Aston and Colonel Venables sate by (having dined before); after dinner Sir Willoughby, Mr Mainwaring, my sonne & selfe went into another roome; discoursed our suite against the jurors that presented us &c; went againe into the roome where we found Alderman Edwards, Mr Jenson & Mr Davyes (2 neighbour shoe makers); after a glasse or 2 of ale the company dispersed; my old coachman Hugh came to see me; I called him in, drank a glasse of ale to him then we parted; Mr Mayor & myselfe went to see cosen Mainwaring; the Alderman, Mr Jenson & Mr Brett came in; we dranck a bottle of wine & thence the Mayor & I went to visit Mrs Minshall where was Alderman Ince; we stayed not but went thence to Mr Jackson's where was Mr Murray and Mr Buck; then came in Frank Jackson, Alderman Lloyd, Alderman Mainwaring, Alderman Wright, my sonne, Swetnam, Minshall, Gleg & last of all Mr Hurleston; Mr Burrows trimmed me there; Mr Bradshaw brought Mr Mainwaring his sword; we parted about 7 (having read the newsletters) & went home to Peele.

[fo. 13v]

3. Tuesday, we dined at home & stayd at home all day; in the evening my sonne Roger came to us with his man, the older Pickmore.

4. Wednesday, Mr Gerard (the vicar) dined with us & Mrs Dicas & her sonne; before we had dined cosen William Minshall came to us; towards the evening cosen Whitley came; not long after came my sonne and Mr Richard Minshall; after supper we had 2 or 3 bottles of wine; betwixt 10 & 11 I left them & went to bed; I heard they sate up late.

5. Thursday, Mr Salusbury of Chester's sone came to us to goe a duck hunting with the other company; they went about 11 o'clock; Mr Mainwaring & Mr Minshall retorned in the afternoone; Mr Minshall & Mr Hurlestone went to Chester in the evening.

6. Friday, Mr Mayor, Captaine Hankerton, Alderman Mainwaring, Alderman Williamson, Mr Whittar, &c. came and dined with us (also 3 of theire wifes); they went back in the evening.

7. Saturday, I stayd at home that day; I doe not remember what company I had that day (this being writt 10 days after).

8. Sonday, we went twice to Tarvyn church.

9. Monday, Mr John Davyes came to me about finding share in his light horse &c; in the afternoone (about 3) we went towards Peover & continued there till about 3 on Monday sennight (being the 16) during which tyme I referre myself to Sir Thomas Mainwaring his Journal; we came back to Peele about 8 that night.

16. Monday, we came back (that night) about 8 to Peele.

17. Tuesday, I dined at home; I found Mr Hall walking before the stables; he told me he came to welcome me home; he asked what news; I told him I had none, soe he went away.

18.Wednesday, Mr Burrows came to trymme me but went agen before dinner & Mr Hughes came to me that morning, he gave me account how that Mr Phimley had ceised all at Frodesley.

19. Thursday, early, Sam Hughson went with Mr Hughes towards Frodesley; I dined at home &c; after dinner yong Mr Hardware came to see us & Mr Mainwaring went to Stafford Moore.

20. Friday, Matthew Browne came to Peele; he put his bricks on fyer and with him Sam Shelley to treate about renewing his lease; then came Mr Lloyd (vicar of Northop's brother) with 24 bushells of oates, and with him, another [fo. 14r] man; I enquired his name, he told me he knew him not, he was a stranger, came out of Ireland that morning; he met him on the way, had a minde to see my house, was going up towards Knotsford, but knew him not; I thought it strange but, being in the hall when dinner came up, I asked him, with the rest, to sitt downe which he did eate sparingly, sayd nothing; after dinner after we had drunk the King's health he & Mr Lloyd went together; I, considering the strangenesse of the matter, (in these strange tymes) I desired Mr Shelley and Mr Browne to take notice that he was a stranger, that I knew him not nor had I any converse with him &c; I also bid Sam Hussey observe and note the same thing; Mr Shelley and Mr Browne went away betwixt 3 & 4.

21. Saturday, I went to Chester with my daughters; called at Dr Angell's, dined at Alderman Wright's with Streete, Mainwaring, Swetnam, Minshall; went to wayte on the Bishop, thence to Prayers; afterwards went with Dr Fog to his house (Mr Eyward with me) & about 6 o'clock to the Raven with Mr Minshall. (before I went to the Bishop I saw Mr Baskervile & Mr Adams & Mr Herle in their shops); at the Raven I met Mr Mayor, Alderman Mainwaring &c; Mr Baskervile, Mr Adams & Barroby came to us; the 2 first stayd not but a while; I gave Barroby a bill for 100 li.; there came to me Mr Shore, stayd but awhile; then came Mr Gleg & Taylor, Mr Lloyd (brother to vicar of Northop that sold the oates), with him Mr Higgison; after them Mr Parry (late under Sheriffe); Mr Lloyd made his apology for letting the Irishman come with him to Peele (the day before); that he suspected him; he would have gone back with him to Chester (although he pretended he had businesse at Nortwich & Knutsford &c.) but with much adoe got rid of him; he was afrayd he was a highway man or some bad man; when I came home that night I found Mr Jenkinson at Peele.

22. Sonday, we went to church forenoone & afternoone.

23. Monday, I dined at home (our owne company); in the evening Sir Thomas Bellott came to us; we went to bed past 12.

24. Tuesday, Mr Tomkinson went early away; Sir Thomas Bellott & Mr Mainwaring went to Chester; the Postmaster of Tarperley came to me for allowance for receiving letters &c. & Yates, a Chester slater, to be imployed by me in slating the kilne &c; they stayd but a while.

25. Wednesday, Mr Kelsey came to me about Aston's debt, went presently back; Sir Thomas Bellott & Mr Mainwaring came to Peele at night about 11 o'clock.

(14v June 1684) 26. Thursday, Mr Minshall & Charles Hurlestone came to us in the morning; they went about 11 with Houseman to look after yong pheasants; they dined here with Sir Thomas Bellott &c. and went home that night; John Edwards and his sonne in law dined in the compasse window & went away after dinner.

27. Friday, Sir John Crew, Captaine Hurlestone, Colonel Lee, Sir Thomas Bellott &c. dined here (also Mrs Spurstow & her daughter); afternoone Mr Griffith came to us & one Brooks, a minister, & after him yong Mr Kelsey; they parted in the evening.

28. Saturday, Sir Thomas Bellott went home; had no company that day.

29. Sonday, we went to church in the afternoone & had no company that day.

30. Monday, Mr Mainwaring & I went to Chester, light at Dr Angells; dined with Alderman Mainwaring, whither the Mayor & Mr Robert Lloyd came to us; after dinner went with Mr Lloyd to Dr Angell's, and with my sisters, to see Mrs Williams & her sone; thence I went to Mr Burrows; dranke 2 bottles of ale with Mr Burrows, Mr Edwards & 2 or more in the outward roome; was trimmed in the inner roome; I asked Mr Burrows who one of the company was without whom I did not know; he told me he was Alderman Symson's sonne; I desired to speake with him & told him I received a message immediately before from his father by Mr Lloyd; I desired him to acquainte his father I would gladly end the controversey betwixt us in a friendly way; I would stay in towne 2 or 3 houers at the Miter or would be glad to see him at Peele & be with him; he promised to acquainte his father &c; I went thence to the Miter where I found Alderman Mainwaring; afterwards came the Mayor, Alderman Lloyd, Mr Gleg, Mr Lloyd, Swetnam, Mr Mainwaring, Mr Baskervile, Adams, Barroby & Mr Radford his sonne; the Londoners went presently away & out of towne; we parted about 7; I told Alderman Mainwaring & Mr Lloyd what past betwixt Mr Sympson & me about his father &c; Mr Higgison came there to us; he desired me to christen his child on the Sonday following.