Roger Whitley's Diary: April 1684

April 1684

[fo. 1v]

11. I left Peele, about 9 of the Clock my Daughter Mainwaring & Daughter Biddolph Mayde, & 2 children, being in the coach with me. We came to the Crowne, in Namptwich, about 12 of the clock; where was Mr Manwaring & Cosen Minshall; (Al: Manwaring over took us, on the Roade, & came with us thither) there we dined, after Diner Dr Jackson came to us; we dranck a Bottle or 2 of wine; went thence, about 3 of the clock; & came to Stone at 7 [at night deleted], where we lay the night.

12. On Saturday, being the 12th Mr Stafford came thither, to Mr Mainwaring, he Breackfasted with us, I went thence, about 11, and came to Elmust, about 5, that night, Mr Jenner supt with us.

13. On Sonday, I went to the Parish Church; & stayd at home, in the afternoone.

14. On Monday, Mr White the Minister dined there, & stayd, till about 5 in the evening.

15. On Tuesday, the 15th, about 12 of the Clock, I went thence (Mr Mainwaring, & Cos: Minshall, in the coach, with me) we cald at the Swan in Lichfield, and stayd there about ½an hower; Sir M. Bid & Mr Mainwaring, brought us, 2 or 3 miles, on our way; they returned; & we went to Coventry, & lay there the night, at the Star; wher Mr Turton, his sone, & Mr Jenner, also lay; & made me a visit in my Chamber: we drank a Bottle of wine & parted.

16. Wednesday the 16th, we went thence about 11, cald at Leek; dranck a tankerd of ale, in the coach, & came to Northampton about 6 at night; we lay, at the Swan; walked into the towne before supper; went into the Rose, & Crowne, where we dranck a bottle of wine; with the Man of the house, in the kitchen; then returned, to the Swan; where an Oxford scholer (one Mr Wood as they cal'd him) alighting, as supper was going up; we sent to know, if he would sup with us; which he accepted; after supper we dranck a bottle of wine together; & then went to Bed.

17. Thrusday, we went thence about 9, cald at Newport; dranck a bottle fo wine & eate a piece of cold-Beefe; ther was a man of St Albans (of whom I had formerly bought a horse) came to us; being in treaty, with Mr Minshall, for a horse; we stayd there, about ½ an hower (not taking our horses out of the coach) & went thence to Dunstable, where we lodged at the Crowne; there was in that same inne Mr William Harbord (his Majesty's Surveyor General), Mr Turton, his sonne, Mr Fisher & Mr Jones: I made them a visit but they being at supper I immediately returned to my owne chamber where, after supper, they were pleased to come to me; they took a pipe of tobacco, dranck a bottle of wine and soe retired, every man, to his lodging.

18. Friday I went thence about 9, called at the Red Lyon at St Albans, where I stayed about a ¼ of an hour till Mr Minshall had been at the horse coursers stable (the man we met at Newport) to see his horses; we went thence to Barnet, called at the Red Lyon where we met Morgan Whitley; stayed there about an houer; thence to London; we light at the White Hart (neare my stables) without Bishopsgate: dranck a bottle of wine; went thence to the Romer in Queen Streete where we supt with my sonne & thence to the Unicorne, an apothecary's house at the end of Wattling Streete where I lodged.

19. Saturday I dined (with my sonne), brother Peter, Alderman Mainwaring, cosen Minshall) at the cookeshop at the London end of Bartholomew Lane; we went hence to the Sunne taverne took a bottle of wine; thence I and cosen Minshall went to Mr Humphrey's chamber in the Temple & with him to my Lord Cheife Barons chamber in Serjeants Inne (to put in my answers &c) I retorned with Mr Humphreys; went to Mr Browne's chamber (over against him) who sent to speake with me; he showed me a letter from his brother Alderman Symson at Chester about some money he owed me. I complyed with his desire &c. he acknowledged my civility with many expressions of kindnesse, desired to call on him sometymes &c; while I was at his chamber Lord Brandon & Mr Thompson came to me & desired me to meet them at the Devill Taverne which I & Mr Minshall soone did; I found my Lord Macklesfeild with them; after a bottle or 2 of wine my Lord Mackesfeild & I went Mr Williams chamber in Grays Inne; thither Mr Minshall came to me; from thence we went to London to the Sunne Taverne behinde the Exchange;where we mett Mr John Mainwaring; my [fo. 2r] sonne &c. & thence went to my lodging.

20 Sonday. I dined at my lodgings with Mr Minshall & my sonne who brought cosen Roger Whitley with him; I went twice that day to the Parish Church; in the evening to my Lord Maxfeild's & soe to the Romer, where my sonne, cosen Minshall & myselfe drank a bottle of wine and then went home to bed.

21. Monday morning. Mr Harcourt, servant to the Duke of Somerset came to me from his Grace to desire my votes for choosing the Governor, Deputy & Committee of the East Indya Company; I promised to comply soe far as I could; especially as to what concerned his Grace & my Lord of Worcester; I went thence to the East India house, spoke with severall of the company (viz: Mr Page, Mr Canam, Mr Heron, Mr Dubois, Sir John Banks &c.) & after I had put in my votes Sir Josiah Child took me into the garden & held me (& afterwards Mr Duncombe with me) in a long discourse of the company; Sir John Banks & I went thence with Mr Duncombe to his house & dined with him where also dined Sir William Gulson, my sonne & Mr Pate; about 5 o'clock going away, there came a officer (whose name I know not but I remember I disbanded him) to take his leave with Mr Duncombe; being then going with the Duke of Grafton towards France; Mr Duncombe took him & me into the inner shop below & after a glasse or 2 of wine we parted; whilst we were in that roome Captaine Sheldon came to us but whether to speake with Mr Duncombe or the officer I know not; I left them together & finding Sir [blank] Snow in the shop, I talked with him till Mr Duncombe came out, who went with Sir Snow towards the East Indya house, & I went to the Sunne Taverne where I met Mr Dorisla & Mr Gardiner (by appointment); we discoursed about my suite in the Exchequer concerning the Post Accounts & my Lord Arlington's concerne in it; Mr Gardiner stayed not long; there came Sir G. Gerard, my sonne, Alderman Mainwaring, Mr Minshall &c. to us where we stayed till past 10; I then took coach & went with cosen Minshall to our lodgings.

[fo. 2v]

22. on Tuesday I dined with cosen Minshall in Grays Inne; there dined with us Sir G.Gerard, my sonne & brother; after dinner I went to Mr Williams chamber; afterwards to Sir G. Gerards & thence Sir G, Mr Minshall & I went to the Temple; I discoursed with Mr Humfreys & visited Mr Browne, according to his desire and retorned to London, (I think to the Sunne Taverne, (neare or in Milk Streete) where was Alderman Mainwaring, Mr Borroby, Mr Ben Gerard, Mr Baskervile; Mr Newton &c;. I left them betimes & went to my lodgings with Mr Minshall.

23. Wednesday I dined with Sheriffe Dashwood, Sir John Banks &c; Mr Duncombe mett me neare my lodgings & took me into their coach; besides us there dined Alderman Mainwaring, my sonne, Mr Noell, Mr Abraham Dashwood &c; after dinner came in Mr Frances [Abrah crossed out] Dashwood; we stayed there till about 5 o'clock; I went thence with my sonne to Mr Pages, thence to the East Indya house where we found Mr Page; went home with him; drank a bottle of wine with him, then went to the Exchange & parted; I mett Mr Scotto; went with him to the Sunne; had a bottle of wine; then came in Mr Rowlande, Mr Jones, Mr Saladine; Mr Scotto went away soone after the rest; when Mr Abraham Dashwood, my sonne & Mr Minshall &c. came to us we went down behinde the bar; found Mr Val Duncombe there; drank a bottle of wine & went home.

24. Thursday we dined at my Lord Maxfeilds with Sir G.G., Alderman Mainwaring, my sonne, Mr Minshall, Mr Ben Gerard, Mr Thomson, Mr Wyne (the attorney) Sir Robert Cotton, a Serjeant Rigby &c; about 5 o'clock I went with Lord Maxfeild to Mr Williams chamber at Grays Inne; from thence with his Lordship, Mr Minshall & Mr Wyne to Mr Wards chamber in the Temple; after that we parted; I went to Mr Humfreys & from thence with Mr Minshall called on Alderman Mainwaring at the George Taverne neare Fleete Bridge where was Mr Arrowsmith & (I think) Mr Borroby (but am not certaine) with 3 or 4 other gentlemen, strangers to me, nor did I know their names; I stayed but awhile; they would not let me pay, [fo. 3r] saying they had tokens to spend &c; I went thence with cosen Minshall to the Sunne; Mr Cook came to the roome to us gave us a bottle of wine (my sonne & I think Michael Whitley was there) I bespoke diner for Lord Brandon, Sir G.G. & myselfe on Saturday; soe we went home to my new lodgings at Mrs Brittons house in or neare Broad Streete.

25th. Friday I dined at Sir Robert Claytons with himselfe, Lady, brother and his wife, sister & her husband & Mr Keck; I went thence at about 4 o'clock; as we were parting on the stone stayres we met Sir Robert Thomas; he told us of some passages about removing some prisoners in the King's Bench to closer lodgings &c. but I left him his discourse & went to speake with my Lady Player at Mr Winstanleys house near Blackwell Hall; she & her sister gave me 2 glasses of wine, desired me to send Sir G.G. & Mr Jones to her; as I went out Mr Winstanley mett me in the court & brought me to the outward doore &c; I went thence to my lodging, sent for my coach & went to the Temple to Mr Humfreys lodgings, then to Mr Gulstons chamber where we discoursed about Mr Egerton's statute, also he enquired after my suite in the Exchequer; advised me to compound it; offered his assistance; I promised to wayte on him againe; parted; I went thence to Auditor Doanes house in Lincolne Inne feilds where I found him with Sir Thomas Griffith & Mr Hoard (or some such name), Surveyor or Controler of the Mint. with another gentleman, I think his name is St. Leger or some way related to that name;. I dranck a glass or 2 with them; they asked me about our new Cheife Justice of Chester, I gave him a faire character for a sober civill gentleman &c. soe I went with the Auditor to his closett; discoursed him about my disbanding accounts &c. & soe parted & from thence we went up to Bosome Inne to sup with [fo. 3v] Alderman Mainwaring (it being anniversary of his wedding); there was my sonne, brother Peter, cosen Minshall, Mr John Wright, Mr Ashurst, Mr Barroby, Mr Baskervile, Mr Arrowsmith, Mr Warburton & Mr Ben Gerard; came in late one Mr Fleming, Mr Newton & some others; I had aquaintance with four of them; Mr Warburton came after supper, placed himselfe by me, told me Mr Marbery's estate would be sold, that I might have a bargaine &c. but I answered I was not in a condition to buy; then he fell in discourse that Langley Curtis was pilloryed that day (but others sayd it was another) and that it was for printing a libell called my Lord Russel's Ghost; I told him I heard nothing of it; he made it strange; sayd somebody at the Crowne Taverne in Bloomesbury was concerned in it and sayd something of a watchman &c. but I, considering that he sayd a man was pilloryed for printing the story, I thought it not fit for me to heare it; soe got up and went to the other table where my brother, Mr Ashurst & some others were taking tobacco; I dranck a glasse of wine with them; then walked a while in the roome talking to Mr Baskervile and Mr Arrowsmith; sate downe again, drank another glasse of wine & went away; Mr Minshall went with me & Mr Arrowsmith; we parted at the end of the streete; Mr Minshall & I went home to our lodgings about 11.

26. Saturday I dined at the Sunne Taverne with Lord Brandon, Sir G., a stranger (one Mr Parker) & my sonne; about 4 o'clock Alderman Mainwaring came to us; we stayed there until past 6; then I & Alderman Mainwaring left them; we went to Sir William Gulston's house without Algate, but he being abroad we went to Bednal Green to see 2 neices of his; stayed about ¼ of an houer; returned to Sir William Gulston's but, hearing he was at Garroways coffee house called there on him; drank a bottle of cyder together & a dish of coffee, soe parted.

27. Sonday, I went twice to church in the Parish Church; dined at home (my sonne onely with me) went afterwards to Sir Edward Wood and thence to Mrs Jones where I sent to desire Mr Yard to come speake with me; I told him of the Exchequer suite againe [fo. 4r] 27. that there would be a necessity upon me, when we came to a tryall, to enquire into the Secretary's offices whether all letters they franckt there were on the King's businesse & for his service and desired him as an old acquaintance not be bee offended but recollect himself & doe me right as occasion offerd &c; he then asked me about Lord Maxfeild's businesse & concernes in the contrey; I gave him a short, wary answer (for I thought he lookd a little strange); I told him I was bringing an informacion of perjury against a person that had sworne falsely against me that I kneeled to the D[uke] of M[onmouth] &c. I wished all the reports of me (both of words and deeds) were refered to be examined that his M[ajes]ty might truely know my integrity; I sayd I durst make him chancelor in the case; he sayd in a short time he hoped all would be well; I sayd I never did nor never would give just cause of offence to his Majesty but would live and dye, praying for him and serving him; soe drank his Majesty's health with hearty prayers for him and desired Mr Yard to have that charity as not to believe ill of me without evident proofe; in the meanetyme to do me good offices as occasion should require and till he found that I should deserve the contrary which I am sure would never be, & soe we parted & I came to the Sunne Taverne where I found Alderman Mainwaring, one Mr Barry & another gentleman with a red face but I knew him not (I had seen Mr Barry once at Chester with Alderman Mainwaring but had no acquaintance with him) they talked of lead & lead and articles relating to that trade which I understood not; we drank 3 or 4 glasses; my sonne and Mr Minshall came in & Morgan Whitley; I went & walked with Mr Cooke awhile in the court; when I came in againe Mr Barry and the other gentleman went away; then Mr Duncombe came to the next roome having spoke to my sonne that day to desire me to meete him that night; we were a while together talking about my Lord Arlington's concerne in my Post Office suite; but he had been drinking; so our discourse was short and he went away; I returned then to Alderman Mainwaring, my sonne, Mr Minshall, Morgan Whitley & Mr Cooke(4v April 1684) in the next roome where they got a piece of cold beefe before them; we drank a bottle or 2 of wine; I promised to send Mr Cook a cheees; so we parted & went home.

28. Monday, I dined with Alderman Mainwaring, my sonne & brother Peter at the Cock over against the Exchange; after dinner I went to the Temple where I met Mr Williams clark who told me Sir Sam Askey had refused to file the informacion of perjury against Morris without a judges hand to it; yet it was offered to Judge Holoway for his hand but he refused, saying it was a limbe of the Lord Maxfield's business; I went with him to the Crowne Office, but Sir Sam being out & his clark (I think his name is Fanshaw) telling me that it could not be admitted without a Judges hand I went, with Mr Williams clark, to Judge Withers who signed it; soe it was left at the office by Mr Williams clark & I went thence to Lord Maxfield, but missing him at home, I found him at Mr Willliams chamber at Grays Inne where, after a little discourse of other business, I went up to the stage to enquire for Mr Foche the Scrivener & Sir William Gulston; I asked Mr Sherriffe Dashwood, Mr Godfrey, Mr Perrrott if they had seene them but, none of them giving me any account of them, I went to my lodgings & soone after to bed.

29. Tuesday I went first to Mr Duncombe where was Colonel Titus, Mr Pate & Mr Brett; I talked awhile, went to Mr Duncombe; called on my sonne & Mr Abraham Dashwood at Mr Nokes & went to dinner at the Swan in Friday Streete where dined with me Mr Alderman Mainwaring and Dr Bernard (a stranger to me) & Mr Daniel Thomas; we parted thence about 5; my sonne & I went to the Temple; he went to the auditor Rabone's (as he told me ) & I went to Mr Humphreys; also I made a visit to Mr Browne; whilst I was with him a clark brought him coppyes of my answer, Lord Arlington's & Mrs Ellis &c; he discoursed some particulars of my businessse, confessing it was hard on my side &c. I left him & mett Mr Williams clark (who I had sent for) he told me there was a Rule of Court that morning that my informacion of perjury should not be admitted, he brought Sir Sam Asky's [fo. 5r] clark to me who told me the same; that he had been chid & threatened about it &c. I was going to the Crowne office & met Sir Sam by the way; he told me he was but a minister; all officers could not proceed without an order; promised me a coppy of the rule; advised to move it at the syde bar or in the Court and so we parted &c; I acquainted Mr Humphreys with it; thence went to Sir Robert Claytons; discoursed some businesse with Mr Keck; went thence to Garroways; found Sir William Gulston (but Mr Foche was not there) drank a cup of tea; Sir Anthony Deane & some others where in the roome; came to us to the fyerside; talked about land in Cheshire; about butter, cheese rents &c. Mr Londes came in & sate by us; I saluted him & presently went away with Sir William Gulston; we parted at the Exchange and I went home & to bed; I mett Mr Griffiths, the marchent, with Sir Anthony Deane at the Coffee House who invited me to dine with him next day.

30. Wednesday. I met Mr Griffith at Garroways (according to apointment) he was busy in the upper roome; I stayed there about ½ an houer for him; there I mett with Mr Foche, we discoursed of Mr Marbery's estate to be sold & about Frodersley; afterwards I mett there Mr Henshaw; after him Mr Colwell; we discoursed of old friends &c; about 2 o'clock Mr Griffith & I went to his house to dinner, there dined his lady, a young gentlewoman & an elderly woman (I think his sister) with 3 other gentlemen; I think they belonged to him; after dinner a minister came in & talked about selling a pair of coach-horses; drank a glasse of wine & went away & I went immediately after him; I went thence to Mr Duncombe's, mett Mr Philip Howard at the doore; went into the shop together; he went away & I went upstaires; presently Mr Duncombe came up to me; we had a bottle of clarett; I stayd there about 2 houers, we had several rambling discourses but nothing serious but about my particular concerns, as to the hardship of the suite against me, my ill usage in the contrey, being presented &c., the difficulty of getting a informaceon of perjury admitted in the Crowne office, how it have bin overuled, desired his advice & assistance for rendering me better at Court. [fo. 5v] & coming out of my troubles &c. we went thence together to Whitehall to speake with Mr Guy about the Disbanding account; we met Balstrode in the court who told us Mr Guy was gone; whilest Mr Duncombe went into the Treasury chamber Mr Bulstrode called me agen and asked me what became of Lord Maxfeilds businesse & the Cheshire gentlemen that were presented; I told him his Lordship went on with his suite, soe did many more of the gentlemen & I among the rest; that hoped his Majesty would not be offended that so many gentlemen, who had always been loyall, & would live and dye soe, did endeavour in a loyall way to make their loyalty appeare & free themselfes from such fowle & injurious aspersions; he told me we had reason & soe we parted; Mr Duncombe told me he would goe to my Lord Rochesters & would call me at Sir Edward Woods whither I went & stayed with him & his Lady about ½ an houer; then Mr Duncombe came & after him Mrs Wood; we immediately came thence; met Mr Waindham & Mr Harbord in the Court who told me the news of Flanders &c; we parted & went to the Exchange where we parted; I went to the Sunne Taverne where I found Mr Edisbury, my sonne & yong Mr Lee of Darnhill; after a while Mr Minshall came in, gave an account of his proceedings at Grays Inne as to his call to the Bar; also he and Mr Lee sayd something of the Judges refusall to admit the informaceon of perjury without further order; that Mr Williams would move it tomorrow &c; we talked also of the newes from Turkey, Hungary, Low Contreys &c. & parted past 11 o'clock to our lodgings.