Roger Whitley's Diary: February 1696

February 1696

February 1. Satorday, Houseman went early towards Frodesley, tooke Huson with him; Roger went to Chester; retorned at night with sonne Thomas & his sonne; Grantham & Mrs Sherard dined with us. I gave her discharge for her fine on the back of her lease; Gerards came about 2, but stayd not.

2. Sonday, sonnes & daughters went to church; Madamoiselle to see Charlotte at Chester; Gill & Bowker came to me in the evening; Roger's wife came in the evening; soe did Ben: (my old gardner) to see me, 3. Monday, Rogers wife went away this morning; Streete, Edwards. Lloyd, 2 sheriffs, Virginia Lloyd, James Mainwaring, Pemberton, Brereton, Angell, Cattrell, Griffith, Chadwick, Macebearer dined with us; went about 3 & 4. Crew sent his man to visit us &c. Kensey came this night with his sonne (to be my servant) Gill came & signed the counterpart of his lease.

4. Tuesday, we left my sonnes at Peele; we began our journey towards London; called on Crew; stayd not; met Cattrell at Hampton post; went together & lay Whitchurch; saw cosen Brereton & her sonne.

5. Wednesday, Cottrell went with us to Newport; we lay there that night.

6. Thursday, Cottrell retorned; we lay that night at the Harp; a London Goldsmith & Sir Bryan Broughton supt with us. Huson & Houseman came to us from Frodesley; Coles of Lichfield came to us thither; we lay there.

7. Friday (Huson retorned interl) we came to Coventry; met Mainwaring (& Salmon interl) there & lodged at the Star.

8. Satorday, we went to Davintry; lodged there; Sir John Combes sent us a present of wine, ale & beere.

9. Sonday, Mainwaring & his daughter went to church; then he & I visited Sir John Combs; dined at an Inne & about 2 took coach for Northampton. lodged there 10. Monday, we stayd awhile at Newport Panell & lodged at Wooborne that night.

11. Tuesday, we stayd awhile at Dunstable & lodged at the Red Lyon at St Albans.

12. Wednesday we came to London 1/2 houer past 3. had our lodgings provided at Salmons in Bedford Court; thither Wood, his daughter, Kate Morgan, Priscilla Whitley. Jones his mother Sir Michael Bidolph came to see us &c. there we had letters from Chester with the sad news of my deare daughter Charlotte's death.

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February 13. Thursday, Lord Warrington sent to visit us; brother Peter came to us & dined, soe did Gibson, Priscilla Whitley &c; Morgan called but would not dine; after diner came Maxwell, Kent; went past 4. in the evening Lady Wood; went about 7. Mainwaring; came from Parlement past 10.

14 Friday, Jackson came to see me; then Bidolph, Mainwaring; went to Parlement about 11. Fowler was with me about Harnesse &c. Houseman & Kit went to London, Billingsgate, Jones, &c; Mrs Wood dined with us with Mainwaring & Bidolph; Minshall came at the end of diner &c. all went about 9.

15. Satorday, I sent back the horses with Ned & Thomasm[as] &c. Jack Lloyd came to see me. Mrs Tovey dined with us; Morgan & Kent came afternoone; stayd not long.

16. Sonday, Kate Morgan dined with us; Duncombe came at night, they went together; Wood came in the evening; stayd 1/2 houer; Jackson came about 9. went at 10.

17. Monday, I went to the House of Commons; took the oathes; retorned past 1. Mrs Wood dined with us; I stayd at home all day; discharged Kit, the Hackney coach man; one Hastings came at 7 to get money; Ireler? with him.?18. Tuesday, Booth was with me; I went to the House (& Mainwaring) neare 11. retorned past 4; met Stodard & his father in law at Westminster; Bidolph came home with me; &c dined with me. soe did Jackson & brother Peter; Gibson came at diner; stayd till past 3. Sir James Bradshaw came about 7. then Edwards & his father in law; parted about 5; Wood came; I went with him to the Crosse Keys; there was Wood, Cooper. Maxwell, Crispe, Rose & Mainwaring. we parted past 9. I had an ill fit of vapors this night 19. Wednesday, Morgan came to see me; I went to the House past 12. retorned past 4; Stoddard his father & Kate Morgan dined with us; about 6 Comberbach came to visit me; stayd an houer. I went to the Crosse Keys; there was Wood, Maxwell, Rose, Cooper, Mainwaring. we parted past 9.

20. Thursday, I went to the House, dined at the Balls with Mainwaring, 2 Onslows &c. Sir Andrew St George (sate by) we parted at 6 came home; went to the Crosse Keys to Wood, Maxwell.

21. Friday, went to the House at 12. we rose at 4. dined at the Balls with Andrews, Venables, Mainwaring, Lindall, (Sir St John sate by), Colonel Montague came after diner, parted past 6. went home & to the club; there was Wood, Maxwell, Coling, Chase, Rose, Cooper came but stayd not, parted past 9.

22. Satorday, past 10 came Fitz Hugh & 2 or 3 more of the copper farmers about some disputes at Sir Thomas Stanley's works in Cheshire; then came Gibson, Greg & 2 more about sealing my security on Bechin for 2500 li. to Mr Franchin; they parted before 1. a coachman (that had served Serjeant Darwell) came to be hyred; he was to come on Monday for an answer; Houseman went to Bosoms Inne to send 4 tame rabets to Peele by Harison the carryer; I was not at Parlement this day; was at Crosse Keys at night.

23. Sonday, was not at church; Sir James Bradshaw, Maxwell, William Mainwaring,, Jackson, brother Peter dined with us; I went to the Crosse Keys at night; the usuall company.

24. Monday, went to the House at 12; dined at the Balls; went with Mainwaring past 5 to Foches to signe writings &c. about Ashton; Lewes came there to us, then Harison, March; came thence about 10; called at Crosse Keys; there was Kerby, Chase, Cooper & another; parted at 2.

25. Tuesday, went to the House at 11. the House was called, I signed the Association; came home before 3; dined, Mrs Tovey with us; went to the Crosse Keys past 7; there was Wood, Maxwell, Mainwaring, Chase &c. retorned past 10.

26. Wednesday, Minshall & Bidolph were with me about 10. then Wood, then Banand from Mr Bunbery's on account of the Statute in Sheaphards hands; I wayted on Lord Warington about 12. went to the House; retorned neare 3; dined at home, went to the club about 7 before I went came Stodart & his father, but I stayd not long with them.

27. Thursday, I went to the House at 12. retorned at 4. Mainwaring & Bidolph with me; dined and went to the club about 7. there was Captaine Blake, Wood, Mainwaring; parted past 9.

28. Friday, my great cold kept me from going to Parlement; Owart came to me about Standards businesse; brother Peter, Mrs Wood & Pris; dined with us; Owart, Stodard & an attorney came to me about 6. went at 7. I went to the club; Fitton Gerrard came to us past 8. I left past 9.

29. Satorday, Hetherton came to see my legs, I gave him a guiney; I went to the House past 12. retorned neare 3. dined at home. Morgan came after diner; Comberbach past 6. went at 7. I then went to the club.