Roger Whitley's Diary: May 1691

May 1691

May 1st. Friday, Angell came before 12; dined with us; went about 6.

2.Satorday, Mainwaring Bidolph & I went to Chester; alighted at Jacksons; there Donald trimmed me; a glasier came for money; 3 of Mr Glasier's tenants came about the mortgage; we dined at G.Mainwarings with his wife, sister, sonne & daughter & Morgan, Streete came to us; & Taylor after dinner; I went thence past 3 to Angells; then to Jackson's; there was 2 Mainwarings, Bidolph, Streete, 2 Andersons, Governor (awhile), Wright, Parry, Viccars, &c. I discoursed Parson (at G.Mainwaring's: doore) about the Chappell; we took coach (Morgan with us) past 6; as we went without the Gate, I gave Ro: Madocks & sonne halfe a crowne to drink with the rest that came from Ireland; we came home past 8.

3.Sonday, I went to church in the afternoone; then to the Viccars for an houer; then home; Burgesse came to me about the lay at Shotwick; then Huson, also Lightfoote about his lease; Jackson came before supper; G.Mainwaring when we were at supper; they stayd all night; I left them past 11; a Tarvyn man borrowed 6 li of me.

4.Monday, 2 Mainwarings went (about 6) towards London; Morgan about 8 to Chester; Jackson soone after him, Bidolph with him to fish at Stanford Bridge; Huson & Tomkinson went about the lay (at 5) to Shotwick; Sefton came to take some ground at Moldsworth; Huson & Tomkinson came back past 9.

5.Tuesday, Farington & Swift came about 4 to Bidolph, stayd all night; Hardwar came to me about 5, stayd not; past 6 Bidolph & I went to Bromleys, where was Barker, slaters, & Huson; we parted neare 8; Huson went home in order to his going to Frodesly & soe did Bidolph & I; found Oswald at Peele; stayd all night; I left them past 10.

6.Wednesday, Oswald went early towards Dysert; Bidolph, Farington, Swift & Houseman went to the forest to fish; Sefton came & took a field; Bidolph, Farington & Swift retorned past 8, supt.

[fo. 131v]

May. 7. Thursday, after dinner came Gerard, his wife & brother went before 6; about 4 Bidolph Farington, Swift & Houseman went to the forest; retorned past 9; Jordan & his men came to me about 7 to talk of work & Yates about 9 to talk of slating.

8.Friday, Tomkinson went to Shotwick; & a cart for wood, &c. Grantham (& one Mr Arderne with a letter from Taylor) came past 9; stayd ½ an houer; Bidolph Farington, Swift & Houseman went to fish at Trafford; retorned at 8.

9.Satorday, Bidolph I & Farington went in the coach to Chester; Swift on horseback; lighted at Jackson's; dined at Angells (Bidolph & I) with the Doctor, sisters & brother Peter's sonne; I was trimmed there by Donald; went to visit the Bishop, then to the Sunne; there was Johnson, Deane, Murray, Wright, Farington, Parry, Sparkes, Meoles, Morgan,&c. parted neare 7.

10.Sonday, was not at church; Bidolph was, & daughters.

11.Monday, no company; went at 7 (with Bidolph) to Bromley's; there was the slater; stayd not.

12.Tuesday, Angell dined with us, retorned past 4.

13.Wednesday, Lightfoote came about 10 to speake about his lease & the woman in the house at Lach; a man came from Eccleston to take meadow at Lach.

14.Thursday, Birket came from Maders (of Chester) with the decree & other papers about sister Whitley's businesse, I refused to signe, having a month's tyme to consider; he dined, went about 2; I sent Houseman to see Lady Aston, &c. & Nixon to visit Mr Minshall & with a letter to Mr Taylor; Charles Davyes was with me in the morning, about making seates for the vineyard & Arbor, &c. Huson retorned [in] the evening; went home agen past 8.

15.Friday, Mr Minshall, Major Daniell, Millington, Wentworth, Hughes, 2 Mainwarings Hardwar & Jackson dined with us; 2 Mainwarings Wentworth, &c. went about 4; then came the Deane; he stayd till 7; Daniell, &c. went past 5; Minshall stayd all night; Barker & Yates were with me in the morning about work; 2 men shore the sheep.

16.Satorday, Tomkinson, cart, &c. went early to Shotwick; Bidolph, Minshall & I went ½ hour past 2 to Chester; lighted at Jackson's; Donald trimmed me; there was Streete, Wright, &c. went to Angells; then to see Scranmore, he was gone sick to bed; went back to Jackson's; there I discoursed my concernes with Taylor; then went to the company, where was Governor, Bell, Streete, Wright, Parry, Huson, &c. Governor left us; Bidolph & I parted about 8, came home neare 10. I imployed Parry about the ?scire=facies.

17.Sonday, was not at church; Angell dined with us; retorned at 4.

18.Monday, Tomkinson went to Shotwick; Houseman to Chester; Huson came to Peele past 10; Hickman with him; Bidolph went a fishing, retorned about 8.

19.Tuesday, Major Brooks came after dinner; I left him at Peele; Hickman retorned about 2; Bidolph & I going to Chester past 2; we lighted at Jackson's; went to waite on Lord Scranmore; there was the Governor, Colonel Luson, Minshall, Streete, & many others; we stayd with him neare an houer; went then to cosen Mainwarings (Scranmore called there as he went by) we went then to Angells; then to Jackson's, there was Streete, Minshall, Farington, Bellot, Leeming, &c. we left them past 7, dranck a glasse af ale at Charles Griffiths (in the coach) went home.

[fo. 132r]

May 20. Wednesday, the fast day, but I did not goe to church; Bidolph & Charlotte & servants did; Huson went to the Receipte at Chester; Jack Wright came to take his leave, going agen for Ireland; I gave him a crowne.

21.Thursday, Moldsdale came about some horses that had trespasd & was very rude in his expressions; no company all day.

22.Friday, Tomkinson & the cart went to Shotwick; retorned in the evening; about 6 Bidolph & I went to Bromleys; the carpenters & Gill were there; and retorned at 9; then Huson came back;.

23.Satorday, Tomkinson went to Chester to buy wheate & Lady Aston's servant came to see us about 11; went agen before diner; no company all day.

24.Sonday, was not at church; daughters were; Morgan came in the evening.

25.Monday, Huson came about 7; Lightfoote came about his lease; one Bolland, Calcot & another Chester man dined with us; went past one; Minshall came at the end of dinner; went past 3; Danily & Finchet came about a lease; also Hackney.

26.Tuesday, Donald came about 11 to trimme me; Angell before 12; both dined; the first went past 2 (Morgan before him) Angell about 7; Daintys wife & her brother came about a lease; Randle Foster about work; Morgan retorned past 8.

27.Wednesday, Bidolph went about 5 to Elmehurst; Morgan with him, soe to London; Huson & Tomkinson to Shotwick; Tomkinson retorned at night; I went (at 3) to Utkington; saw Crew & his lady; came thence past 6; met the Deane by the way, he came into my coach to reade his news to me; parted presently; I called at Bromley's; soe home past 8.

28.Thursday, about 5 came Robinson & another Tanner, to treate of bark; then Mottershed about interest due on Lady Bombery's account; then one Lloyd from Denbigh; to endeavor to get some imployment from me; he stayd all night; the other 3 went past 6; Huson came about 4 & Oswald with him; Oswald retorned about 6.

29.Friday, Lloyd went before 7, I did not see him; a surgeon from Chester let daughter Mainwaring blood; stayd not; Thomas Whitley came about 12, dined with us; went about 6; Crew's man brought me some books about 7.

30.Satorday, Huson went to Chester about 10; no company this day.

31.Sonday, I went to church in the afternoone; the minister of Hargrave preached.