Articles, records and resources relating to the history of the Lancashire town of Preston
March 1690
For background information about the diaries and their transcribers see Introduction
March ye 1st. Much raine last night and this morning. I was late att Cravens wth Mr. Fleetwood, Parker [probably Christopher Parker], Percivall [not identified], and severall others.
Ye 2d. A fayr day. Ye Danes had ye Sacrament administred. They sing all theyr service, and differ from us in ye matter of Consubstantiation.
Ye 3d. A hard frost. I was wth Ld Brandon at ye Coffee house. There were some few Cock matches. Mr. Dodwell [not identified] came here from Yorkshire. Ye Danes exercised.
Ye 4th. A frost. Severall Cock matches. Sr Tho Stanly and Mr. Farrington had some difference about counting ye law. We had Major Billings [Probably Major Richard Billing of the Queen Dowager’s Regiment of Foot [1] ] and others drank att Crabtrees [hostelry, not identified], where were most of ye gentlemen of ye town and ye Danish minister a good scholar and ready in Latin. I spoake more Latin than I have done these 20 years. There are orders come for ye Danes to march. We supt att cousen Johns[on’s]
Ye 5th. A frost and very fayr weather. I din’d att cousen Pattens. Cousen W. Bellingham went hence for Lancaster. Coll Rawstorne and I walk’t wth Mrs Winkley [wife of Thomas Winckley] and Mrs Francks [wife of John Franks] as far as to ye boate. Money came to pay ye Danes. Att night one of them stabb’d young Wm Patten [son of William Patten] wth his bayonett att widdow Carrs [hostelry, not identified]
Ye 6th. Much raine. Ye Danes went hence towards theyr embarquing. Some hopes are conceiv’d of W. Patten’s recovery. I saw him dress’d. Dr Tarlton [see 8 August 1688] came att night, wth cousen Patten, and has but small hopes. This day ye election was att Lancaster. Coll Kirkby and Mr Preston Chosen.
Ye 7th. A fayr day. About 2 this morning young Patten dy’d. Ye Coroner’s inquest found it murder in both ye Danes. Ye town dispatch’d messengers wth ye account, to the coll and major, to Liverpoole.
Ye 8th.Lord Brandon came to town. Young Patten was buryed. Mr. Stanley, Earl of Derbyes brother, came hither. He and Lord Brandon are to stand for Kts of ye Shire, none opposing them. Sr Richard Standish and Mr Shackerly [Peter Shakerley [1]] are for Wiggan.
Ye 9th. A cold frost. A second breife read for ye distress’d Protestants of Ireland. Mrs. Fleetwood [Edward Fleetwood‘s wife] dyed. Comment The brief was possibly an appeal for funds for the Protestants.
Ye 10th. A cold day. Lord Brandon and Mr Stanly went to Lancaster, in order to ye election.
Ye 11th. A very fayr day. I walk’d to Penwortham, to condole Mr. Fleetwood for ye death of his Lady. We hear that severall vessells are gone wth ye Danes for Ireland. God prosper them.
Ye 12th. Very fayr. A monthly fast begins this day for success to theyr matye’s forces in Ireland. Madam Fleetwood was this day bury’d att Penwortham. Sr Rich Standish gave me an account of the quarrell between Sr Edw Chisnell and Mr. Shakerly.
Ye 13th. Very fayr. This day began ye election here. Lord Willoughby, Mr. Rigby, Mr. Greenfeild, and Mr. Patten candidates. Mr. Rigby soone quitted his interests to ye Chancellour. There were great heats. Ye mobile struck ye Mayor, and twice confin’d him in ye town hall. Ye Court adjourn’d till to-morrow morning. Mr. Pollard and Mr. Nicholson [neither identified] came to this town. Comment The History of Parliament on line has the following succinct account of the election, based partly on the Bellingham diary entries. Richard Harrison, who transcribed the second Rawstorne diary, was the co-author: The 1690 election saw a fierce contest in which it was made clear that the duchy interest did not confer upon the chancellor an automatic right of nomination. The chancellor, Lord Willoughby de Eresby, stood but found himself involved in a hotly contested battle with the Tory lawyer Christopher Greenfield, the borough recorder John Warren, Thomas Patten, the Whig member from the Convention and a local notable, Edward Rigby, all canvassing in the borough. Edward Fleetwood† was asked to stand by the corporation, but declined as ‘his lady is grown very weak’. Warren withdrew before the poll, but one local non-juror wrote in February 1690 that while Greenfield’s election was safe that of Willoughby was doubtful, ominously pointing out that ‘his clerk has not been over sedulous for him’. After polling had commenced, ‘Rigby soon quitted his interest to the chancellor’, and as the day wore on one observer noted that ‘there were great heats’ and that at one point ‘the mobile struck the mayor’. These disturbances caused the mayor to adjourn the court of election to the following day, though before he was able to do this the mob had ‘twice confined him in the town hall’. When polling resumed there was ‘still heat among the rabble, which occasioned the court to be adjourned to the afternoon’, and after a fierce contest, in which it was reported that ‘bed-rid men are brought to the court’, Willoughby defeated Patten for the second seat by three votes. Patten petitioned on 25 Mar., alleging partiality on behalf of the mayor and members of the corporation. [1]
Ye 14th. Very fayr. Ye election continues. Still heat among ye rabble, which occasion’d the Courte to be adjourn’d to ye afternoone. all arts are us’d on both sides to procure votes: bed-ridd men are brought to ye Court. Att last ye Chancellor and Greenfeild carry’d it, and were declar’d. I walk’d wth Mr. Pollard, Mr. Hodgkinson, etc., to Walton, where we stay’d till ye noyse was over. I was after wth ye Recorder and ye vice Chancellor, and stayd out late.
Ye 15th. Some raine. Ye fayre was proclaimed. Att night I was wth Sr Edward Chisnell, and visited Capt Neale [not identified] who is sicke att Mr. Rishtons.
Ye 16th. Storme and raine. We had an account of Scravenmore’s [This would be the general of that name [1] ] being come from Bellfast to Chester. He sayes severall Danes were landed in Ireland before his coming away.
[1]A True and Faithful Account of the Present State and Condition of the Kingdom of Ireland Together with the Intire Defeat of a Body of Irish under the Command of Colonel Sarsfield by a Detached Party of 1200 Horse and 300 Dragoons by Lieut. Gen. Scravenmore within 14 Miles of the City of Cork., 2011, http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A63383.0001.001.
Ye 17th. Some raine. Ye beast fair. I chargd Mr. Stanly wth what Mr. Livesey tould me, which he obstinately deny’d, and has promis’t to disown it before company. We had some of Billinges [see entry for 4 March] token drunke att ye Talbott, where we were very merry and sate late. Comment The diary supplies no further information about what Stanley was accused of. Possibly Major Billing was repaying the hospitality he had received while in town.
Ye 18th. Moyst weather. Ye horse fayr. I had a bill from Mr. Chaddock of £5 [Chaddock was a wine merchant]. I was wth Sr Edw Chisnell.
Ye 19th. A fayr day. I walk’t to and din’d att Penwortham [Priory]. Was wth Mr. Hornby att ye Dogg.
Ye 20th. A fayr day. This day ye Parliament meets att Westminster. I was to take leave of Mr. Greenfeild att night. I was wth Mr. Rishton of Antly and severall others of ye order of Montgomery, and consented to admits of Dr Lee and Mr. Chaddock, they having pay’d for theyr contempt. Comment No further information has been discovered about the Order of Montgomery.
Ye 21th. Fayr, dry, cold weather. Mr. Greenfeild went to London. We admitted Mr. Chaddock, Dr. Lee, and cous Johnson into ye order of Montgomery, by ye names of Mithridates, Hippocrates, and Memnon. There were at ye Chapter Lucius, Amphialus, Columbus, Scanderbegg, and my selfe, Cicero. Sr Tho Clifton had newes of his daughter Peters being deliver’d of a boy, and treated most of ye town att ye ale-house.
Ye 22th. Dry weather. Mr. Bland came home. I gave him his wellcome to town. I sup’t att my sisters.
Ye 23th. Fayr weather, newes of a second defeat given att Cavan and Buttlers Bridge by Wolseley [see entry for 27 March]. Mr Chaddock payd his way going to Liverpoole.
Ye 24th. Very fayr. I walk’t wth ye women to Enam [Avenham], and treated them att ye ale-house. Supt wth my sister.
1690 [25 March was the start of the year in Bellingham’s day]
Ye 25th. Very fayr. A horse race at Penwortham, where Krichley’s [not identified] horse Beat Rigby’s mare [unclear which Rigby].
Ye 26th. Very dry. I treated ye women att Enam [Avenham]. Cousen Patt[en] and Dolly were both in ye pets.
Ye 27th. Very fayr. We walkt and din’d wth Mr. Crossan, [possibly Richard Croston] near Whittle hills [Whittle-le-Woods]. Came to Dundee ale-house [hostelry, not identified], and came home in good time. Mr. Chaddock return’d from Lerpoole.
Ye 28th. Some showers. I was treated att Mr. Chaddocks, and were late wth Dr Wroe.
Ye 29th. Moyst, growing weather. Cousen Johnson‘s brother Harry came to town. He is to be purser of the Pearl. Ye Mayor of Leverpoole came hither, and sayes that there are 4 French prizes taken by our ships, 2 of which are brought into Highleake, and yt Sr Cloud Shovel [Sir Cloudesley Shovell] wth 9 ships are stood for the bay of Dublin. Comment The mayor of Liverpool was William Clayton, the son of Capt Robert Clayton of Fulwood.
Ye 30th. A fayr day. Harry Johnson went to Leverpoole. In ye evening ye High Sheriffe [Peter] bold came to town. I sup’t wth him, and sate upp late. Mr. Greenfeild came hither about 10 att night.
Ye 31th. Some raine. We have an account yt Sr Clouy Shovels wth a squadron of ships are come into Highleake. Dr Wroe came to town, and I was wth him.
preston history 