Roger Whitley's Diary: September 1684

September 1684

Sep. 1. Monday, Mr Mainwaring went to Badeley; there dined with me Mr Hardware & his family, Mr Gerard & Mt Lardin; they went away before 5; Mr Mainwaring retorned late.

2. Tuesday, we went to Chester about the Commission at Mr Jackson's; there we dined with Mr Jeffreys, Sir Thomas Bellott, 2 Mr Minshalls, Mr Cook attorney, Mr Taylor, a friend of Sir Thomas Bellott's, Mr Mayor, Mr Crosse, my sone, Mr Mainwaring; we stayd there till past 6, then went to Peele where I found sonne Roger & one Mr Kent come with him from London; cosen Minshall came after us &c. went to bed before 11.

3. Wednesday, there dined with us Sir Thomas Bellott, Mr Feines (his friend), Alderman Streete, Alderman Mainwaring, Alderman Edwards, Alderman Lloyd, 2 Mr Minshalls, Mr Burrows, Captain Hunt, Mr Kent, Mr Crosse, my sonnes, Mr Mainwaring &c; after dinner took a pipe of tobacco & a glasse of wine then bowled till night when they went back; Sir Thomas Bellott & Mr Feines & William Minshall stayd all night; this evening I told Mr Eyward that I should go to London, breakup house &c. he seemed something unsatisfyed.

4. Thursday, Mr Mainwaring went with Sir Thomas Bellott & my sonne Thomas & his wife went to Chester; I dined at home with Roger & Mr Kent; there came & dined with us Mr Holinshead, Mr Jackson & Mr Dicas; they went away before evening.

5. Friday, was at home all day (with Mr Kent & Roger &c. interl.); that evening Mr Mainwaring retorned.

6. Saturday, Mr Mainwaring went to Chester; retorned with my sonne &c. at night, also Mr Dicas.

7. Sonday, went twice to church, no company but cosen Whitley came at night.

8. Monday, after dinner went to Peover; left Roger with cosen Whitley & Mr Kent at Peele, but they went away that afternoone; we found Sir Robert Cotton & Sir Thomas Delves at Peover.

9. Tuesday, went to the funerall of Lord Delamer; there saw Lord Maxfield & many more of all sorts but had no communication with any; only a few words with Mr Needham about his niece; I retorned that night to Peele; Alderman Streete, Mainwaring, Wittar, Minshall, yong Streete, Jackson & Bradshaw with us; we had no discourse (being wett & weary) onely about Sir Thomas Grosvenor promising to preserve & take care of the Citty privileges; I sayd if he could preserve our old privileges (to have freedom in the election of our magistrates & to be capable of being chose &c.) I desired no more, but if it were onely for keeping of shops &c. that might be done as well in contry villages if we had not our privileges, which I hoped His Majesty in his goodnesse would preserve to us; we supt at 10 & went to bed at 11.

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10. Wednesday, the Chester friends went away before I saw them in the morning; all but Mr Minshall, who stayd & dined with us &c; went out to sett in the afternoone, retorned in the evening with Mr Mainwaring; that day Mrs Cooper & cosen Kate Ravenscroft dined with us.

11. Thursday, Mr Robert Lloyd & 2 Mr Dica's dined with us & Mr Minshall, Mr Crosse &c.; in the afternoone my sonne & his family went away; also Mr Dicas's, Mr Lloyd &c.; Mr Mainwaring & Minshall went a setting; in the evening cosen Whitley came to Peele, stayd all night &c. Memor[andum]; this morning (on our returne from bringing the body of Mrs Davyes to the forest &c.) as we came through the yard at Ashton the tenant told us he had order to lock up those gates and that we must come no more that way.

12. Friday, cosen Whitley & Mr Minshall dined with us; after dinner cosen Whitley went to the Forest race and Mr Minshall to Chester.

13. Saturday, I went to Chester, dined at Alderman Wright's with Mr Mainwaring, Alderman Mainwaring, Swetnam, Minshall, brother Peter & Mr Eyward; went thence to visit the Chancellor of York at Alderman Wilmes; thence to Alderman Mainwaring's & thence to the Sunne where was Mr Gleg, Mr Brett &c, thence to the coach which met us at the Raven doore.

14. Sonday, went to church twice; in the evening to visit Mr Robert Davyes.

15. Monday, my daughter Mainwaring was delivered of a sonne about ½ houer past eight in the morning; Dr Angell came to her about 5; he dined with us, also Mr Robert Davyes, his sonne & Mr Heath's sonne; they stayd till evening; the doctor stayd all night.

16. Tuesday, Mr Mainwaring went to Chester; retorned at night; no company but the doctor.

17. Wednesday, Thomas Pierce Baxter dined with us; went back after dinner; he came to recommend his sonne to a service &c; cosen Gleg came to us that night.

18. Thursday, Mr Jackson came to invite me & Mr Mainwaring to dine with Mr Mayor next day; he, Mr Gleg & Mr Mainwaring dined with us; retorned after dinner.

19. Friday, we went to Chester (Mr Gleg with us); dined with the Mayor; retorned in the evening (not Mr Gleg); called on brother Whitley at Reeve's his ale house; found Mr Wilbraham and two more (unknowne to me) with him, dranck 2 glasses of ale and left them; came home before 7; found Dr Angell & sister there.

20. Saturday, dined at home; Mr Larden dined with us; he told us he was at the Forest meeting; I asked if Mr Newcomen, Mr Cawdry or Dr Fogg were there; he sayd he did not see or hear of them; I said I heard that there was some quarrelling and great drinking; he sayd he was not in that company; after dinner I minded him of what he had told me formerly of Mr Weston about Morris; he sayd Mr Weston told him, both his sonne & Morris told him, I kissed D. M.'s hands &c; he also sayd Morris told him & Mr Ely that he had sworne it, but when he was sent for (he thinks Shakerley sent to Weston for him) he did not know what he was to sweare, but after he had taken his oath they asked him whether I (& he thinks Sir Thos. M. also) did not kisse D. M. hand on our knees; & he answered in the affirmative &c; this evening Lord Maxfeild, Sir Thomas Mainwaring, Sir Thomas Bellott &c. came to Peele.

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21. Sonday, we went twice to church..

22. Monday, Mr Mainwaring's sonne was christened; there dined with us (besides Lord Maxfield, Sir Thomas Mainwaring, Sir Thomas Bellott &c.) Aldermen Streete, Mainwaring, their wifes, Mr Minshall, Mr Hardware, Mr Bruen, severall woemen &c. from Chester & Mr Done &c; they went back at night; Mr Fitton Gerard came to Peele that night.

23. Tuesday, Lord Maxfield, Mr Mainwaring &c. went to Odford; Sir Thomas Mainwaring, Bellott &c. to Chester, retorned at night; my sonne & Morgan Whitley came to us that night.

24. Wednesday, Mrs Spurstow, Mr Sherwood &c. dined with us; went back at night; Mr Gleg & mr Swetnam dined with us & stayd all night.

25. Thursday, Lord Maxfield, Sir Thomas Ballot, Mr Gerard &c. retorned.

26. Friday, Sir Thomas Mainwaring & company retorned & Mr Gleg & Mr Minshall to Chester..

27. Saturday, I went to Chester with my sonne, Mr Mainwaring, Swetnam, &c; dined at Alderman Wright (with the Mayor, Mainwaring & Mr Manley); after dinner Randle Ravenscroft came in but stayd not; we went to the Ship Taverne & about ½ past 5 went to take coach at the Raven doore; drank 2 bottles of wine & soe home; Morgan Whitley came after us to Chester & stayd at Boughton.

28. Sonday, went to church; we dined at home; that afternoone Mr Humfreys came to us; at night Mr William Minshall. [they went with my sonne towards Rullyan deleted] 29. Monday, Mr Humfreys, Minshall, my sonne &c. went towards Rullyan about 11 o'clock & Mr Mainwaring to Chester & stayd all night; about ½ houre past 9 cosen Thomas Whitley came to Peele, & Mr Kelsey his brother in law with him; they had been drinking; went to bed before 11.

30. Tuesday, cosen Whitley & Kelsey went away about 10 to Oulton (as they sayd); that day Mrs Dicas, her sonne & Mr Malbone (Sir Thomas Delves' gentleman) dined with us; after dinner cosen Whitley of Shotton's sonne came to me about the money they owe me; stayd about 1/2 houre.