Roger Whitley's Diary: December 1696

December 1696

December 1. Tuesday, James Mainwaring and Holland came & dined with us; went at 4; Peter Bostock came to me, dined.

2. Wednesday, I sent Brock to Chester to the funerall of Alderman Streete & to excuse me by reason of my cold, bad weather.

3. Thursday, Mr Lloyd & Fenhall dined with us; went about 4. Claxton came to complaine that the Mayor had taken him off his work at the Hall.

4. Friday. Richard Lightfoote brought me a letter from Mrs Davyes to get some money from me because I had bought Ashton; I retorned her a reasonable answer (by message) by him. Park the taylor came for the post letters & to discourse me about money Roger owes him; he dined with Broster; went at 3. Amy & her husband came & lay here all night.

5. Satorday, the sadler of Tarvyn was payed his bill (about 1 li. 9s 0) Butler tenant of Frodesley Lodge brought us letters from Pursell about the tithes. I writ to him that I formerly told him & Gough that I would not be concerned in the suite & advised them agen (as I had formerly done) to agree the matter with the Parson at present; the man retorned presently; Roger came in the evening & Houseman.

6. Sonday, was not at church, my grandaughters were, our servants brought Amy home & dined with her. Moses came from Bechin & retorned agen.

7. Monday, Alderman Cratchley, Morrey, Croughton & Macebearer dined with me, went before 3. Crew writ to me to signe an order to remove the armes that were formerly ceised at Oulton, to Chester.Castle, Robins son, the printer dined with the servants. I saw him after diner, but he stayd not. I was ill this morning of the vapors from 3 a clock till neare diner tyme. Howsman went to Colebrooke, to befrind Ned Lightfoote, Withens &c. who were questioned for killing hares in Crews ground.

December 8. Tuesday, Mr Lloyd & John Mainwaring dined with us; went past 3; Jordan was with me about my building at Shotwick. Roger went in the morning before 10 to Chester. Huson came to Peele about 1. our doores were lockt; he lay with Smith; Nixon went to the funerall of Mrs Minshall 9. Wednesday, Huson came to me past 10. Mrs Lloyd past 12; I agreed with him about the Receivers Place; he stayd all night.

10. Thursday, Mr Lloyd dined with us; we sealed articles about the Receivers Place; he went towards [omitted]; about 4 Robinson (the tanner) came to see us; dined with Huson in the buttry went about 3. Hughes was at Peele; dined with the servants. I did not see him. I received a hamper of wine from Mainwaring.

11. Friday, I sent my cart to Chester for malt. a man came to claime a waife horse taken up at Kelsall & had him. Mr Woodall & Mr Hawley came after diner (we had dined) we got them 2 or 3 dishes presently; they went past 4 & Huson with them; cosen Whitley sent his man with a letter to me (about his. accounts) he stayd all night, 12. Satorday, Houseman went to Chester past 10 retorned about 9.

13. Sonday, was not at church; onely some servants; Bouker & Gill were with me about 6.

14. Monday, Madamoiselle went to Chester about 9. Jonathan was with me about 10 to discourse about the Common Ground &c. Bowker & Houseman went to view the trees at the Popes But to see if they could finde any timber in them for Ackerley's houses.

15. Tuesday, Mrs Streete sent to visit us; Alderman Johnson writ to me about the transport ship. my daughter writ to Sir John Mainwaring about it &c. Bowker came to crosse cut at Popes But.

16. Wednesday, Joseph Grundley trimmed me; Bridges & Sheene of Tatenhall dined with me, also Lashford; another Tatenhall man dined with the servants, Sheene gave me a bill for 20 li. (to be paid at London) in part of Bolton's debt; Huson came past 12; all went before 4, Madamoiselle went to bring Amy a tankerd from me; it cost 4 li. 11 s. 00 d. Mr Roberts came late, stayd all night to no purpose.

17. Thursday, Mr Roberts went away; I sent Nixon to Chester to the funerall of Huson's aunt at Tarvyn; about 1 Houseman went to Bechin; thence to Mr Knight & Frodesley &c. Broster went towards Dyssert, 18. Friday, Thomas went to Chester with cow hyde & tallow; Raph went about his owne businesse; son's to call on Mr Booth & get a warrant to search for my bottles &c. & to advise what to doe with Alex Taylor's daughter; she being with child of a bastard; the Constable of Houghton & Mosse were with me about it at 11, the constable came agen night. promised to goe to Mr Booth about it.

19. Satorday, no company nor businesse.

20. Sonday, the yong women &c. went to church; Houseman came from Chester about 11; not having bin in Shropshire, hearing Mr Knight was at Chester.

21. Monday, Alderman Hand, Norbery & his sonnes dined with us; retorned at 3; George Taylor left my daughter; I gave him 5 s.; Bowker workd here; yong Profit came for his wifes wages for weeding 22. Tuesday, no company nor businesse.

23. Wednesday, Brock went to Chester to buy provision; Grantham (or his tenant) sent in [blank] measures of barley at [blank] the measure; Jonathan agreed for the houses & Common Ground.

24. Thursday, Joseph trimmd me.; Richard Cond (my old butler) & his wife came & stayd all night.

25. Friday, (Christmas day) Mr Gerard came & administerd the Sacrament to us; Amy & her husband received with us; Gerard dined, went past 3. Amy & her husband after.

26. Satorday, Richard Cond & his wife went in the morning towards Wigan; I sent Smith & Brock with a warrant to search for the stolen ducks, bottles, &c. at Moldsworth, &c. Raph & Houseman went also to Aston to search.

27. Sonday, the ways were so broken that the coach could not well bring us to church.

28. Monday, Sir William Aston' servanr came to visit us; Deane came & dined with us; then Quatermaster Johnson; then Pack, they went past 3. Mainwaring came to us (from London) about 5.

29. Tuesday, some tenants of Moldsworth & Kelsall dined with us; also Parry & Richards from Chester, they all went past 3 &c. also Ben, the old gardner was here.

[fo. 212v]

December 30. Wednesday, Sheriffe Mainwaring, Murray,, Deane dined with us; went neare 4. Jackson came about the same tyme; Claxon was here about his work at the Hall.

31. Thursday, Sir William Ashton, Crew. Lancaster dined with us; also Jackson; Mr Grantham & his 2 sons came late, dined in the buttry; Ashton went about 3. Crew & the rest at 4 (my gransons came from Peover interl) Jackson; Huson came aboot 5 after Shotwick; Robinson and another man from Werrall; stayd all night; I sent Booth, Mr Brereton of the Crows=mill, by Sir John Crew as he desired; Houseman was out all night.