Roger Whitley's Diary: February 1695

February 1695

[fo. 183v]

February 1. Friday, Houseman went to settle accounts with my tenants at Whitley; Wilbraham came to me & promised to pay the money he owes me next week; Danold came, promises to endeavour to pay 20 li. this month; Browne & Dicas (Collectors for the poore of St Mary's came for the poore tax; I told them I had payed a years tax; 2 days fines I would enquire if any more were due & doe what I ought to do; sister Angell & Sidney dined with us; Houseman came back from Whitley about 5.

2. Satorday (Candlemas day) I went to the Parish church with the Almesmen; they dined with me; also Parson Wright. Hand, Cratchley, Key, sister Lloyd & Sidney: after diner came Burges about the cattle at Shotwick; John Griffith with linen from Peele; Minshall about his rent at Bechin; an officer for, quarters for 22 recruits from Ireland; I sent to the sheriffs about it; Cooper of Houghton came to advise for a warrant against Ales Taylor's daughter for suspicion of having a bastard child & making it away; I sent Houseman with him to Mr Booth; Hickock (Bakers steward) came at night for the sample of wheate.

3. Sonday. was not at church; G.Mainwaring dined with us; went a2. about 4 came Captaine Coote & Captaine Steward went about 5 4. Monday, Hempthorne came with a complainte about a building that the churchwardens of St Martin's are erecting to his damage; I sent to the Treasurer about it; Sheriffe Bolland & Griffith came about the same matter; I desired them to forbeare the work till Wednesday when we would meete in the Penthouse about it. Mr Fluil & his son came about his lease, had it sealed, dined with us; before 3. Homethorne & Key dined with us. Frith came to visit me; & the Sheriffe to complaine that Homethorne had struck him; they stayd 1/2 houer; past 5 I & Mainwaring went to visit Mr Warburton; he was abRood. we called on Salisbury; he had no fyer ready soe we went to the Feathers; there was Edward's. Lloyd, Basnet, Bostock, Hemthorne, Deane, Kinaston, Achinshead of Liverpoole; we parted at 8.

5. Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday) Griffith came from Peele & went for oates to Shotwick: past 2 I went to the Penthouse; then to the Rood Dee there they shot for the Gleaves? ran for the Bell & for a peice of Plate. I retorned to the Penthouse (neare 5) Warburton with me; Hesket, Houghton,Trindall &c. came to us; we had wine &c. the strangers went about 6 the rest past 7. came home.

6. Wednesday, Cratchley came to me, about 11; an officer came to get leave to beate for volunteers; the constable of Little Moldsworth came about Ales Taylor & her daughter; they went to Mr Booth &c. Kinaston the woodman came to see me, stayd not; I went to the Penthouse; there was severall of the comitte for building the Hall & of the Revenue comitte; we composed the business betwixt the Sheriffe & Homthorne. parted past 2. Streete, Lloyd, Mainwaring, 2 Treasurers, Hand & Sheriffe dined with us; about 4 came Lee of Darnall, all went before 5, Angell went to Williamson; came to me to give account of his indisposition; Bowker came for naiels, for Griffith retorned with oates from Shotwick.

7. Thursday, Sparks came to me about the carpenters businesse; Lee of Darnhall dined with us, also Key, sister Whitley & Lloyd; after diner came G.Mainwaring; we parted past 4. past 5. I & G.Mainwaring went to visit Williamson; then to the Feathers; there was Edwards, Lloyd, (Cratchley interl) Huet, Brereton, Hickock. I & G.Mainwaring went thence (to the Ship) past 7. Edwards, Lloyd, Cratchley came to us; then Lee of Booth & his cosen, we parted past 10.

8. Friday, Burges came with the cattle from Shotwick. Alderman Lloyd's son came about money Roger owes him; Houseman & coachman went to Shotwick to secure Wrights rent for the Butcher's field: Fletcher the tanner came to get leave to sue as a pauper; Bolland about a man that took a house from him; Bells man to arrest one that owes him money. Mr Narman from.

[fo. 184r]

8. Dyssert about going on with our copper works; about 2 or 3 of the clock this afternoone Alderman Williamson dyed soone after letting blood; Roger Brereton was with me to give account of it; I went at night to the Feathers, there was Lloyd, Edwards, G.Mainwaring, Cratchley, Parry. Kinaston, Hickock (Johnson interl) Brereton. I went about 8 to the Ship, there were G.Mainwaring, Streete, Deane. Anderson came to us, we parted before 10. Houseman & coachman retorned at 6.

9. Satorday, I went to the Penthouse, then to view Mr Heath's encroachments & the Aldermen, Sheriff & Treasurer; then to the Fleshall & to view the cisterne; then to Penthouse then home about 2. Hardware, G.Mainwaring, Lloyd, Edwards, Key dined with us; Wright of Tarvyn came about sonne Thomas money; Jackson with a complainte against Robinson; Bolland against Madocks; all went about 4. at 5 I went to the Penthouse, there was the comitte for building the Hall; about 7 I went to the Ship, there was Mainwaring, 2 Sheriffs, Edwards, Streete, Parry, Roger came to us; we parted neare 11.

10. Sonday, was not at church; Flint, Grill, Jordan, Claxon were with me in the evening; Seawell dined with us; in the evening I went the funerall of Alderman Williamson; G.Mainwaring, 2 Sheriffs &c. came in with me; parted before 7. past 8 the Recorder & Kinaston came to me, parted before 10.

11. Monday, Mercer & Gowther came to me; then Treasurer Cratchley & Heath; he desired to referre his difference & that the enditements might be stopt; he moved the same in the Penthouse & it was ordered accordingly; we went to the Hall past 12; retorned past 2. Recorder, Streete, Lloyd, G.Mainwaring, Edwards, Cratchley, Huet, & Sheriffs Kinaston, Adams dined with us; all went before 5. Griffith came from Peele. Claxon & White were with me about 11. Bolland came about 6 to be permitted to sue (he named nobody) in the Exchange; Salisbury came to offer me a staffe of cocks; they stayd not long.

12. Tuesday, Houseman & White (carpenter) went to Bechin early; I went to G.Mainwaring about 12 to speake about choice of new Alderman; stayd not; sister Lloyd & Key dined with us; about 2 came Bingley & Isack Thomas about building the Shambles; past 3 came Wright to acquainte me of a Processe against me from Shepherd; he sayd he would retorne it; then came Adams & 3 of St Warburgs Parish to make oath about a child that was sent from Wigan; I signed a warrant to retorne it; past 4 I went to G.Mainwarings; there was Frost, Roger, Wright; I left them, went to Angell; thence I & G.Mainwaring went to Lady Bellots; then to Bathos, Salisbury came to us; went home past 7; Deane & G.Mainwaring supt with us; Johnson came past 8. went past 9. we all parted past 10, Houseman retorned from Bechin.

13. Wednesday, White & Bostock came to me about the cisterne & Shambles; Gill came about the hay at Lach; Nat. Lee to visit me after diner, went past 3. before 5 I went to the Penthouse (being the anniversary of the Kings coming to the Crowne) there were some Aldermen & other cittisens; some military officers & other strangers; I came home past 7.

14. Thursday, Lightfoote came about the hay & other concernes at Lach; Houseman went to Shotwick about Wrights sheep seised for rent; Adams to receive directions for forming a General Assembly on Friday to choose an Alderman; sister Lloyd & Key dined with us; Warmigham came after diner to discourse of the paine in my arme, Ince to let me blood; about 5 I went (.................?..interl) to visit the Deane; then to Angells; then to the Feathers; there was Nat. Lea. Wright, Deane, Kinaston,Yomans, Pugh, Parry &c; G.Mainwaring came to us; went with me; Lea & Parry to the Ship; Deane came to us; parted about 10.

15. Friday, G.Mainwaring, Deane & Treasurer came to me; agreed to put off the General Assembly that day; then came Johnson & Deane againe; then came Huson from Frodesly & Cadwalader; Houseman & coachman went to Lach about hay; Nat. Lea, Johnson & Deane dined with me; after diner came yonger Sheriffs & Kinaston; all went about 3.

16. Satorday, Mercer & Gowther came against the woman that would sue as a pauper, Cooper, Constable of Moldsworth about Ales Taylors daughter; I went to the Penthouse about 12. retorned about 2. Lloyd, G.Mainwaring, 2 Sheriffs & Key dined with us, parted about 4. a butcher came with a complainte the Steward was desired to compose it; Lloyd came about cordwood; Sparks about a woman in house of Correction & Stewards of the Bakers for sample of corne.

[fo. 184v]

February 17. Sonday, I was not at church; Roger, daughter &c. were; no company; after supper came Johnson & G.Mainwaring; parted before 10.

18. Monday, the yonger Sheriffe & Sparks came with Nicholson (who hath bin criminale & loyters still about the Citty) I told him he should immediately remove or finde good security for his good behavior & to be forthcoming when sent for, soe dismissed him at present; 2 Bollands came about Madocks (with a complainte) refered to the Penthouse at night; Gray came about about buying the old Hall; fell off from his former proposall; White about the Shambles; sister Lloyd dined with us; after diner came Nat Lea, stayd not: Coxon about disbarking? Shotwick; I offered to sell him all the deere; about 5 Cratchley came to discourse of Heath's businesse; then I went to the Penthouse to the new Hall comitte; & concluded about the Shambles at the cesterne; neare 7 I went to the Ship, there was Nat. Lea, G.Mainwaring, Allen, first Sheriffe. Hand & Roger; we parted about 10..

19. Tuesday, Houseman went early (with White) to Bechin about wood for the Shambles; the gardner came from Peele; Lightfoote to speak about a church tax for St Mary's. Key dined with us; after diner came Pemberton about a passe; Wolfe (& his cosen with him) to renew a lease; Woodfin about taking downe the old Hall; about 5 came Johnson & Simpson who desired leave to arrest Nathan Madocks; I told him I was loath to surprise any freeman; nor would I hinder the examination of the law; I would send for him, & if he would not agree to his satisfaction he should leave to arrest him; Cranck came to complaine of the Macebearer for exacting toll on his goods; I told him I would determine it with the Justice of Peace at the Penthouse.

20. Wednesday, sister Sidney dined with us; John Wright brought some rent; he & his sonne dined with the servants; Griffth came with barley & went to Shotwick for oates; Nixon & coachman fetched oates from thence in the morning; after diner Nathan Madocks wife came about the complainte Symson made yesterday; then I went to G.Mainwarings; there was Minshall, Taylor (the Minister of Wigan). his wife; then came Thomas Griffith & Johnson; I left them past 4.

21. Thursday Huson came about 12. Brereton came to complaine that some tenants of Juely refused to pay toll; pretending some authority from Huson for it; Huson denyed it; but I orderd Brereton to insist on it; Griffth went to Peele with oates from Shotwick; I went (at 12) to meete Lach tenents at Billings; there was Meadows. Danal, Kemble & Shelley; I left them (Huson & Houseman with them) before 1. Minshall, Taylor, Wright & Key dined with us; G.Mainwaring came after diner; all went about 4, but Minshall; Robinson came about the wood at Bechin from one Knight; also to speake about Woodfin to be imployed; they went past 5. Huson came past 6. sayd he would goe to Peele; Burges went to Lach & Gill to Bechin.

22. Friday, Ormes came to get a certificate for his sonne; Streete about Heath's encroachments inditements &c; Serjeant Warmingham his sonne, the Castle Governor & another about the money due to them for pay; having tallyes but cannot get money; to desire me to write to Mainwaring about it &c.. Angell, sister Lloyd & Sidney dined with us; a man came with a complainte against Dantith; I sent Houseman to speake with him about it; at 3 came the 2 Treasurers about compounding with Heath for his encroachments; they were to give us an account at 5. then came Brererton, Griffith, Johnson & Yong about an assignement of a lease of Citty land from Francis to Yong; they are ordered to come tomorrow to the Penthouse about it.

23. Satorday, I went to the Penthouse past 11; retorned past 2. Street, Lloyd (Minshall interl). G.Mainwaring, Kenion dined with us went past 4.

24. Sonday, was not at church. Roger, daughter Mainwaring &c.were. about 6 Cratchley came to give me accounts they had composed the difference with Heath; Flint came retorned past 4.

25. Monday, Recorder came to towne; I went to the Penthouse past 11. to the Hall before 1. came home neare 4; Recorder. Streete, G.Mainwaring, Lloyd, Edwards, Johnson, Huet, Captaine of Invalids dined with us; then came Kinaston & Holland; all went by 7.

[fo. 185r]

February 26. Tuesday, went to the Penthouse at 11. examined the carryers books (Hatchinston & Payne) about Simson's sending money to London; ceised on Symson's books. papers, letters &c. sealed & brought them to the Penthouse; did other businesse &c, dined about 3, retorned to the Penthouse at 5. Simson came to us at 6. took his examinacion & Paynes; took Simsones recognisance to appeare next morning; went to the Ship (past 7) with Streete, Ince, G.Mainwaring; Johnson came to us. went about 9. we all parted about 10 27. Wednesday, went to the Penthouse past 11. examined & made remarks on Simson's books, took his & 2 frinds recognisance for his forthcoming &c. I retorned at 1. dined, sister Lloyd & Sidney with us; after diner Birkes & severall from Soughall came about Chamberlaine's giving up a lease of Penkets to 3 parsons named in the lease; and had my allowance of it. Captaine Frank came to get a passe for some recruits; Trindall to visit us; Ned Burrows & his mother, old Alcock the taylor; I went to the Penthouse at 5. about Francis lease; Key's pretensions &c. also about the Citty revenue; parted about 8. went to Angell, did eate there; went home at 9.

28. Thursday, I went to the Penthouse at 2 to enter on the Commission of the land tax; apointed another meeting on Satorday; then the Excise officers brought many before us Justices for not paying the duty of Excise; then went to the Ship; there was Streete, G.Mainwaring,, Lloyd,, Sheriffes, Jackson; Lawton, Lee (Parry interl) & Roger, Frith, another excise officer; Frith payed the reckoning, went at 11.