Roger Whitley's Diary: December 1686

December 1686

[fo. 67r]

Decr; Ist. Wednesday, (being at Chester) I met the Recorder about businesse at sister Whitley's; then went to G.Mainwarings; saw him & his wife; dined at the Ship with Alport (he was with us at night before at the Sunne), Streete, 2 Mainwarings, Dr Angell, Recorder, Minshall, Farington &c. whilest at dinner came Lee of Booth, Pennington & another; after dinner came Starkey to speake with me; I left them before 3, went to Jackson's with Streete & Minshall; had a bottle of wine; my sister called about 4; we went to Peele together; my sonne, Mainwaring & Lee of Booth came to us past 8; we supt, sate up till past 11, 2. Thursday, my sonne, Mainwaring & Lee went a hunting; about 12 Sir John Crew, Sir Thomas Stephens & Mr Sherwood came to dine with us; went away about 4; Mainwaring, my sonne, Lee & Traverse came a little before they parted; they supt, I left them past 10.

3. Friday, Mr Cokaine & his wife dined with us; also Traverse, Morgan &c. Lightfoote was with me before dinner about Winpennys tenement; after dinner Withins sonne came to tell us he had gott a hare; drank a glasse of wine; most of the company went a coursing; came back to supper, stayd all night; I left them past 10, 4. Satorday, Mainwaring, Lloyd, Cokaine & his wife went to Chester; Mr Robert Lloyd came to my sonne about his businesse but stayd not; Swetnam & Morgan stayd all night.

5. Sonday, went to church, in the afternoone (my sonne with me) as we had dined Mr Crew of Chester & another came with him to my sonne; they dined in the buttry; went to church when we did; there parted; Mainwaring & Morgan came back from Chester in the evening; we supt & Swetnam &c; parted past 10.

6, Monday, Mr Robert Lloyd came to my sonne from Chester, (he & Traverse dined with us); stayd all night.

&. Tuesday, Dr Angell came in the afternoonne; in the evening came G.Mainwaring, Minshall & Jackson stayd all night; also Swetnam & Traverse & Robert Lloyd.

7. Wednesday, G.Mainwaring & Jackson went away about 11; the rest dined with us; about the end of dinner came Mr Bromhall from Namtwich & one Hulson, a Londoner with him, his businesse (he sayd) was to buy cheese in the contrey, Bowen & his unkle came at 4, went past 6 & the rest stayd all night (with the rest) about 7, Hulson was in drink; went to bed; the rest supt; parted about 11., this day Boswell the paver came to work.

9, Thursday, my sonne (about 11 o'clock) went towards London; Morgan & Lloyd dined with us; I went to Tarvyn to Mrs Grantham's funerall; Dr Hanmer preached; after the burying we went to Mr Grantham's house; there was Hardware, Bruen, his unkle, Mainwaring , Minshall & severall others; we had wine &c; stayd but awhile; went home; took the paver up with me to talk of his work; gave him, Profet & Mosse a cup of ale; &c. after supper Mainwaring; Morgan & Lloyd had a bottle of wine.

10. Friday, we had no company at dinner but Morgan; he went in the evening; Lloyd in the morning; & Mainwaring & Swetnam supt with us; we parted past 10.

11. Satorday, I went to Chester, Swetnam with me; we dined at the Sunne; Mainwaring , G.Mainwaring , Streete, Jackson & Morgan with us; after dinner came Cockaine & Lloyd went with me to Dr Angel's; Lloyd went with me to Jacksons then Mainwaring & I went to the Bishops; he was abroad; we went to Jacksons; thither came G.Mainwaring, Streete, Minshall, 2 Andersons, cosen Whitley 8 Morgan; then Sir John Hanmer & Captaine Fitz; Herbert; we stayd till 1 2 houer past 5; went home, Mainwaring & Swetnam with me; Johnson the bayliffe of Longhall & Bradshaw my tenant came to the Sunne & Jacksons about a fine, herriot &c.

12. Sonday, I stayd at home all day; had no stranger (but Swetnam) with us., 13. Monday, Mainwaring & Swetnam went to Badeley; Hughson towards Frodesley; Houseman went with him to farme to meete the Bechin tenants; Hardware & his sonne dinned with us; stayed till about 4; no company after.

14. Tuesday, as I & my daughter had taken coach one Mr St Johns Booth rid towards [fo. 67v] the stables; overtook us agen in the next field, sayd he came to bring a dog for Houseman; he left us; my daughter, her mayde & I went to Ukington; there Mainwaring & Swetnam met us; there dined with us, the Ladyes, Sir John Crew, Sir Thomas Stephens & Mr Stanyers; ½ hour past three, we left them, came home by 5.

15. Wednesday, Mainwaring , Swetnam & I went in the coach to Chester to the funeral of G. Mainwarings servant; we dined at Jacksons with cosen Whitley, Morgan, Captaine Vaughan, G.Mainwaring, Streete, Minshal; also Mr Egertion & his brother came to us; drank a glasse of wine; &c; about 3 Mainwaring & I went to the Bishop; stayd till he went to the Quire; we went then agen to Jacksons, thence to G.Mainwaring, then to Mr Thames (the funerall house) brought them to the church; took coach there; called at Jacksons doore for some things; soe home about 1/2 houer past 8; we found Moldsdale the smith, another fellow & Tuttle much in drink in the cellar; sent them away; Mainwaring Swetnam &c. supt; parted past 10, 16 Thursday. Swetnam & his man went towards Mr Edisbury's; after dinner came Mr Rutter & another gentleman (a stranger with him) they offered to sell the lands in Kingsley; had 2 bottles of wine; went before 4; Morgan Whitley came at night.

17 Friday, Sir John Hanmer, Captaine Winter. Arderne, Minshall, Burrows, Jackson, Warmingham, another Minshall &c. came & dined with us; most of them had bin hunting with Mainwaring they stayd till neare 9; Traverse till 11; Minshall & Morgan stayd all night; 18. Satorday, Mainwaring & Minshall went to meete Sir John Crew a coursing; Morgan & Houseman went to Chester; no company that day.

19. Sonday, I, my daughter & sister went to church in the afternoone, the Deane preached; Mainwaring & Ewart went to him to the vicar's; came home about 6; Hughson & the buttler retorned from Frodesley & a man with venison.

20. Monday, Siddall & his assistant came to kill a beefe; Mayrick came about a trespasse my cattle had done him; no company.

21. Tuesday, G. Harvey, Robinson & Bostock came to see me to enquire after work &c; I gave them a tankard of ale & left them in the buttery; they afterwards dined in the hall with the servants; I had no more discourse with them; Hardware & his wife dined with us; left at 4.

22. Wednesday, Mainwaring went a coursing to meete Crewe; Hughson to Chester; & Houseman with the fowler towards Ince; no company.

23. Thursday, Mainwaring & I went to Chester, light at Jacksons; dined with the Bishop; there was Sir John Crew, the Deane, Hanmer, 2 of his officers, Angell & his wife, Shakerley & his wife, Mrs Hurleston, Bishop, his wife, sonne, daughter, Collis, a strange minister &c. we parted neare 4; called at Jacksons; there was Morgan & Thomas Hughes, had a bottle; G. Harvey brought a grate thither; we parted past 5; came home about 7.

24. Friday Hughson went to Chester; we went into the garden to hunt a hare, Mainwaring, my daughter & several servants, workmen &c with us; Morgan came at night. supt, parted before 10, 25. Satorday, Christmas Day, went with my daughter & sisters to recieve the Sacramnent at Tarvyn; Mainwaring Eywart &c returnd with us; dined at home, Gerard with us.

26. Sonday, dined at home, went to church in the afternoone; supt, Morgan & we parted about 10.

27. Monday, Hughson & Morgan went to Frodsam, Houseman to Chester, Mrs Lightfoote, Grantam & Traves dined with us; the 2 first went at 4; Traves not till 10.

28. Tuesday, Mainwaring ; went to Peover; Morgan dined with us; Henry Akerley the clark of Tarvyn & one Pack of Chester dined with the servants; after dinner they came to me, I gave each of them a glasse of wine; they parted presently; my servant Williams father came to see him.

29 Wednesday, Morgan & Hughson went to Chester & Shotwick; came agen at night; Cadwallader brought venison from Frodesly.

30. Thursday, Hughson went to Tatenhall, was to goe the next day to Bechin, Morgan dined with us; the postillions father was here; I spoke to him to give him some good advise; a man came from Duddon to sell a calfe; Fryer came to be hyred for the whole yeare; I sent Harper with venison to Mrs Crew & Cokaine, John Wright came to be my servant in Tittle's place;31 Friday, Morgan went to Chester about Mainwarings mourning; I sent Houseman to Peover to condole for Mrs Alport's death; Mainwaring came from Peover about 11, went to Chester & returned with Morgan at night; cosen Whitley of Aston came about 4, stayd all night,Jan 1st, Satorday, Morgan went to Chester; G.Mainwaring & Jackson dined with us; parted past 4, cosen Whitley stayd all night,2. Sonday, Mainwaring & I went to church in the afternoone; cosen Whitley & Morgan stayed all night; an old man brought me some fowle from Shotwick &c; 3. Monday, Mr Mainwaring & the keeper came from Shotwick, dined with us; after dinner came Lord Delamer in his way to Chester; did eate &c. went with Mainwaring about 3 o'clock; cosen Whitley & Morgan went with me in my coach; we came about 6 to Chester, I went to Angells; there was G.Mainwaring; then to the Sunne Taverne to meete the Recorder; G.Mainwaring & I went to wayte on the Bisho]; he was abroad; retorned to the Sunne; there was the Recorder, Streete, Minshall,&c; then came Lord Delamer, Mainwaring, his brother, Gleg &c. the Bishop's sonne came to Lord Delamer & to me to apologise for his being abroad, would be glad to see us; his Lordship & I went past 8; stayd with the Bishop till past 12; dranck 2 bottles of hock & one of canary; we retorned to the Sunne; there was most of the company we left there; we parted about 2; Mainwaring & I lay at Angells.