Roger Whitley's Diary: November 1695

November 1695

2. Satorday, about 11 the Recorder, Cratchley, Johnson, Kinaston & Faulks came to me; the Recorder told me his father was not satisfyed with my proceedings & that.unless I would joyne in the charge & declare more cordially for him; he would quit me & take other measures; I told him I had not made one false step as to his interest; I was not obliged to publish in the streets what I did but desired them that were to take notice that I did not quit Sir William Williams but he quitted me & accordingly I would also take my measures; Radford came to me to know if I would have any thing with him to Lichfield; Fletcher about the Hall; Cratchley to except him from coming with Recorder, that.they knew nothing of his businesse to me; I went to the Penthouse at 12. retorned about 2; the new Captaine & 2 of his officers dined with us, also Streete, Lloyd & Edwards; Deane came in at diner & did not stay long; Jack Johnson came with a complainte against his brother; about 4 my sonne Thomas & his sonne (being newly come from London) came to see me; all went about 5. Cottrell dressed my knee past 3. then Houseman went (after Huson & Moses) towards Frodesley.

3. Sonday, Cottrell dressed me past 10. in the evening I went to Lady Bellots, then to sister Whitley's; then home; after supper Morgan came then James Mainwaring; Smith came from Peele.

4. Monday, I had a fit of vapours in the morning; about 10 cosen Kate & my granddaughter went towards Peover (I was asleep, did not take leave of them) past 11 came Mercer & Coker about the election; would have my sonne to oppose Sir Thomas Grosvenor but I persuaded the contrary; they stayd 1/2 house. Cottrell dressed me before 12. my sonne, his wife & children, sisters, Bellot &c. dined with us. in the evening I went to the new Hall; then to the Penthouse; at 6 we had some bottles to drink the King's health (being his birthday) Sir Thomas Grosvenor & severall Aldermen &c. were there & the officers (of the 2 companyes) we parted about 8.

5. Tuesday, (Gunpowder Treason Day) I went to the Penthouse at 10. then with the Aldermen, Citty companyes, Almesmen &c. to the Great Church; then home agen; I gave Sir Thomas &c, mumms &c. Cratchley, James Mainwaring & Cottrell dined with me. he dressed me after diner. Morgan, my son & Kenyon came about 3. I left them after awhile with Mainwaring; about 7 came Parry, Taylor & Dr Wynne to keep his brother (Mr Wynne of Cop) from being Sheriffe of Flint.

6. Wednesday, Cottrell dressed me; Hardware dined with us; I went at 5 to the Penthouse; then to the Ship with Streete, Deane, Murray & 2 Bollands; Mainwaring came to us; we parted at 10.

7. Thursday, Cratchley came at 11, stayd till neare 12. then Cottrell dressed me. S. Hughes & his wife dined with us; past 6 I went to the Ship; there was Bellot, Mainwaring, Warburton, Lloyd, Streete, Roger, Morgan, Pemberton, James Mainwaring, Harrison, Jackson; we all parted about 10.

8. Friday, Cratchley came to discourse about Johnson & Lloyd about the money Roger owes him; Cottrell dressed me past 11. past 12 Gill brought venison from Frodesley.(.Angell & Gilroy dined with us interl).Mainwaring went this morning about 7 towards Peover; at 4 I went to the Shambles & Hall; then to sister Whitley & home about 6. after diner came Anderson, Totty, & one Cross to make him free, Pickmore came after diner.

[fo. 197r]

November 9. Satorday, Chatwick trimmd me about 10 then Cottrell dressed me.; Smith of Bombery came to pay money on his bond; I desired James Mainwaring to receive it; I sent for Coker about the bills on Ives to make good payment; I went to the Penthouse about 12. Sir Thomas Grosvenor came thither, stayd awhile; I retorned home before 2. Streete, Loyd, Edwards, Deane, Adams & Sidney dined with us went about 4. Coxon came about Shotwick concernes. Griffith retorned from Peele, Richard Hughes from Northop. Peter Bostock at 7 to talk of the masons concernes about the Hall.

10. Sonday, I was not at church; Cottrell dressed me past 11. my sonne, wife & children dined with us; Smith & Brower came from Peele. James Mainwaring came past 8. stayd an houer. Houseman retorned this night from Frodesley.

11. Monday, Houseman went early with Huson to Mold fayre; Adams came about keeeping the Courts on Monday next being the election day; Coxon was with we about Shotwick parke; sister Lloyd, Sidney & Cottrell dined with me; he had dressed me before 3. past 4 I went to the Penthouse then to the Ship with Streete & Allen; my son came to us; he went home with me about 9.

12. Tuesday, James Mainwaring came to me; then Rolles about Pickmore's businesse; Cottrell dressed me past 11. Adams was with me about keeping the Court on Monday next; James Mainwaring & sister Lloyd dined with us; Mrs Hickock came at 2 to complaine of being over taxed; past 5 I went to Jacksons; there was Bellot,Morgan, Taylor, Parry, James Mainwaring, Pemberton & Jackson; I left them at 9'13. Wednesday, Cottrell dressed me about 11. I went to the Penthouse past 12; retorned before 2. my son, his wife, children, sister Lloyd, Morgan, Key, dined with us; Houseman retorned about 2 from Mold; left Huson behinde him; at 9 I & daughters went to cosen Mainwarings to supper; Cratchley supt with us; Roger came about 9. we parted before 1014. Thursday, Cottrell dressed me past 11. Mercer came & Blag's cosen to make him free; I put him off till after the election; Fletcher came about the Hall; Payne about carrying a box to London; Antwistle's man (with a letter) about Deane & Chapter's rents; Hurleston, Shakerly & James Mainwaring dined with me, about 12 Houseman went to Peele. past 4 Mainwaring came from Bouer & with him came my grandchildren & Alport; after supper came James Mainwaring & Cratchley (went past 9 interl); Houseman retorned from Peele & Huson from Mold 15. Friday, Taylor came to show me Streete's affidavit about the Roughfield; Throughton dined with us (& 2 sisters); past 9 Cottrell dressed me; the 2 Sheriffs came about preparing a place at Roodee for the electin; at 6 came John Mainwaring to tell me that Johnson, Murray, Sparks &c. would come to me when I would appointe them, they came before 8 with Cratchley & James Mainwaring; theire businesse was to acquainte me that if Sir William Williams did not appeare (or his sonne for him), they & many others had a mind to put up Cooper; but they desired my opinion; I told them I had frequently declared for Sir William Williams & if he did stand he should have my vote (as formerly decared to the Assembly & others, but if he waved it I was free & if they would trust me to represent them in Parlement they might trust me as to the interests of the Citty (where they had trusted me with an eminent imployment) that I would doe it as became me on this occasion &c. they stayd about an houer.

16. Satorday, I went to the Penthouse at 12. Streete, Lloyd &c. dined with me; Cottrell dressed me past 5. I went (with James Mainwaring) to Jones in Northgate Streete; there was Streete. Lloyd, Morgan, Mercer, Antelet, Allison, Walker &c. I left them about 9. told the woman I would pay the reckoning.

17. Sonday, Cottrell dressed me past 10. my son, his wife & children dined with us; after supper came Johnson, James Mainwaring, Bellot, Cratchley &c. parted before 10.

18. Monday, the election day for Parlement members for the County & Citty; I went to Portmoote Court past 11. retorned before1. Streete, Lloyd, Edwards, 2 Sheriffs, Johnson, Murray, John Mainwaring, my sonne, Adams, Mr Meld & yong Hurleston dined with us; at the end of diner came Grosvenor, his unkle Sparks, Wilson, Allen, WArmingham, Starkey &c, drank a glasse of wine & went to the pole at Roodee, I went after them; about 4 the sheriffs(197v blank] [fo. 198r] November 18. ajourned the pole to the next day; I came home immediatly; about 8 came Mr Delves; went past 9. James Mainwaring came to us.

19. Tuesday , the 2 Sheriffs came to me about the pole; (Cottrell dressed me past 10). Angell was by; he, his wife, sisters & Leigh dined with us; the Sheriffs came againe before 2 they went to the Roodee; I followed them, within houer; they poled till past 4; I then came home; Streete with me; past 6 I went to the Ship; there was Bellot, Nat Leigh, Warburton, Streete; Grosvenor's man brought me account of the poll; then came Mainwaring, Roger & Parry; Mainwaring & Roger went first. I followed them them past 8; went home.

20, Wednesday, I went to the poll in the morning retorned past 12. about 2 was going agen met them in the way, the Court being ajourned to 4 at night in the Hall to cast up the booke & make the retorne; past 5 the Court mett; the Poll declared & the retorne made for me & Sir Thomas Grosvenor; we went then to Jackson's; there was Grosvenor & many aldermen & many of his frinds; Mainwaring.......Weston, my sonne &c. I parted before 10 & payed 5 li., my share of less than 2 houers rekoning.

21. Thursday, Bellot, Leigh, Swetnam &c. dined with me. Johnson, 2 Sheriffs, Pemberton, James Mainwaring were with me; Mainwaring came about 9; we parted before 11.

22. Friday, we had an Assembly; Johnson, Robinson, Cratchley, Sheriffs, Ely, Adams dined with me; Cottrell dressed me; about 9 came James Mainwaring.

23. Satorday, Cottrell dressed me about 11. Chadwick trimmd me; I went to the Penthouse before 12. retorned before 2. Lloyd, 2 Sheriffs, Key, Sidney dined with me; Griffith came from Peele & the brewer; Denson & Bingley came after diner; Morgan came neare 7; suppd & went about 9.

24. Sonday, was not at church; my sonne, his wife & cosen Whitley dined with me; Smith came from Peele, retorned before 5; Mainwaring took a vomit. Angell stayd with him past 9.

25. Monday, Cottrell dressed me past 10. Moses called on his way to Bechin, I & daughters, sonne, Mainwaring dined at Newton; there was Partington, Pennington &c. retorned about 5.called on Mrs Mainwaring; stayd with her & her sonne till past 6; then came Rhules, Huson about Pckmore's lease at Frodesley then Hilton about Jackson's demands & debts to Mrs Mainwaring; then Morgan. we had a bottle of wine & parted past 9.

26. Tuesday, Grandsons went back to Peover; Madamoiselle to Peele, Macebearer came to invite me, Mainwaring & daughters to dine with Sheriffe Holland on Thursday; Adams was with me, stayd not; sister Lloyd, Sidney & Key dined with us; past 5 I went to Mrs Mainwaring; there was Hilton. we discoursed of Jackson's debt &c. I told them I would doe something for her sake (not for Rogers or Jackson) but would consider what to doe & how & when to doe it.

27. Wednesday, Cottrell dressed me; I went to the Penthouse; retorned past 1. Hurleston & his family dined with us; also Streete &c. Egerton came after diner; all went past 4. past 6 I went to Mrs Mainwaring; there was Hilton (about Jackson's businesse) I promised a lease of Frodesley to passe to Mrs Mainwaring in part of the debts. after supper Cratchley, Johnson & James Mainwaring came & stayd with Mainwaring & me till after 10 a clock; Houseman went to Bechin; stayd all night.

28. Thursday, my barber trimmd me; Morgan came at 12. Houseman retorned from Bechin; I & James Mainwaring & daughters (with many others) dined with Sheriffe Holland; Grosvenor came about 3. stayd not long; after 5 I went to the Bishop. the Deane & Antwisle was with him; I retorned past 6. after supper the Sealekeeper & Johnson of the Beare came with retorne of the writ, it was delivered to Morgan (who was there present) & leave to London next day; we parted past 10.

29. Friday, Mainwaring & Morgan went early towards London. Cottrells man dressed me Sidney, Tomkinson dined with me past 5 the 2 Sheriffs came to see me; then Johnson; they stayd 1/2 houer past 7.

[fo. 198v]

November 30. Satorday, Houseman was out all night, came in past 9 this morning; Cotterell dressed me past 11. I went to the Penthouse at 12. retorned before 2. Streete, Edawrds, Lloyd, Deane, Johnson, Key, sisters dined with me; past 3 came the Governor & Major; al went past 9.