to whome I very heartily give my service, and doe assure you that I really am Sr. if you please to write to me & direct yr letter from London to be sent by the westerne post to my house Tregwitts neer Bodmyn in Cornewall I shall soone receaue it. Dear Sr. Yr honouring Kinsman To the Honord Thomas Parker esq" at his House Brousholme in Lancashire p'sent these To be left wth, the post-master at preston in Lancashire to be convayed as aboue sayed. Lancashire post payd to London. 'HONERED VNCLE. I HAVEING this oppertunity should haue thought my Selfe very vnciuell if I had not made a tender of my most humble seruis to your Worthy Selfe and Aunt and my kind respects to my Good Cozens and shall be very happy to here of all your healths my husband presents his seruis to you so I rest Parke hall feb: 22th 1665 your very obedient neece BRIDGET PARKER. The Copy of a Letter from Sr Thomas Parker Ld Chief Justice of Great Brittaine to Ralph Thoresby of Leeds. Sr. London 22 Nov. 1711. YOURS came att a time when after reading it over, I was obliged. to lay it by, till I could have more leisure to give it an Answer, & by some misfortune it was so mislaid that I have not been able to find it againe tho I have often & diligently sought for it; that I might give it the more exact Answer, but I am at last forc'd to send this upon the sleight memory wch one hasty reading hath left wth me. The family of the Parkers wch you are bestowing your labour upon is not allyd to mine in the manner you suppose, but yet wth more tyes than one. I think you mencon Bridgett a daughter of that family to have been marryed to James Carryer of Helpston & to have had a daughter whom you suppose to have been my mother. that Daughter was marryed to my fathers eldest brother, & by him had Issue one son George who lives now at Park Hall in Staffordshire, a very sober religious man & one of the best Justices of the peace in England & serves his Queen and Country wth great application in that Office. I believe you said another sister Jeanett marryed to another Carrier. I think his name was Robert, he was brother of James, that Jennett had Issue by him, Robert Carrier, who was father of my wife, & left Issue no son & only 2 daughters besides my wife, who is named after her Grandmother. The Answer to that part of yo' letter putts me in mind of my promise to send you the Queen's hand-writing, wch appears upon yr first opening this, only I am to Informe you that the first is her Matys writing, the other is a stamp wch she was forc'd to use when the Gout in her hand had disabled her to write, Pray give my service to Mr Parker & tell him that I am very proud of my relacon to his family wch has furnished me wth two so very near to me, the one the best & faithfullest friend & the other the best wife in the world. This is a true Copy of my Lord Chiefe Justices letter to me, wittness my hand RALPH THORESBY For E. Parker Esq. at Browsholme, these Slaidburne Apr. 10. 1691. THIS is a very unmannerly request I'm making to you, but ye exigïcy of ye affair is such) y' though with blushing I must request you to let this Bearer have two gallons or (if not so much, yet what you can spare of) Claret; for now we find by our vessel yt it will not be sufficient to fill ye Comunicants on Sunday, some persons have tapt it-unknown to us. We had one Rundlet from Lancaster & was all we could get in the Town, however it would have done our business if there had been no foul play. Sir if this will consist with your conveniency, I will either pay you what you please for it, or will send you the same quantity when I can procure it. If you cannot furnish me, yet if you thought they had as much at Waddow yt. they would spare it if you would write to Mr. Wilkinson by this bearer, it would be a great favour: But I am very much affraid we must use (ye practice of) the Greeke and Armenian Churches & mix our wine with water, F God will have mercy, but not sacrifice, therefore I doubt not He will par don us, necessity pleading our excuse. So, Dear Sir, with Service to your Father, &c. I rest Your obliged Humble Servant E. TOWNLEY. "On this extraordinary representation it may be observed, 1st, That Claret, and not Port wine, was in general use so late as 1691.-2d, That two gallons were required for the communion in a country parish church; it is therefore to be feared that the consecrated element was sometimes drank to excess at that time, as it is now and then in country churches at present.-3d, A small rundlet was all that could then be obtained at Lancaster, when some hundred of pipes are now imported annually.4th, It was then doubtful whether the wine-cellar of Browsholme could furnish two gallons of wine, a quantity which would not exceed the consumption of many single days, in the lifetime of its last resident and hospitable owner." -Dr. Whitaker's History of Whalley. Vic. de Pendle. You are desired to meet Us and others, honest and truehearted Souls, to drink a Cup of Saplin Ale; at the signe of the Devil upon Dun in Cliderow, upon Thursday the 2d December next by tenn a Clock in the Morning. Dated this 27th of November Anno Domini 1686 To Edward Parker Esq. Severall of yo' pticuler ffriends will be there besides us. SONNE. CHRI: WILKINSON Jo: LISTER ROBT SCLATER VPON the 29th Instant when wee att our bonefyre att the topp of the ouer feilds were reioycinge for the birth & safe arrivall of our soueraigne I received your letter, which made our ioy the greater in regard you write that yt was reported that his maiestie would bee alsoe Crowned that verye day the Act of Indempnitie & obliacon the settlemt of the Militia in his Maietye & the restitucon of episcopacie are things that are much talked of & much desyred by verye manie whoe thinke they will be verye conducible to the good & quiett of the kingdome. I would haue you by anye meanes see your brother furnisht with A Chamber in ye house before you come downe. Mr. Sherburne will bee verye convenient and good companie for you to come with, and lett vs knowe when you Intend your iourney home. If my brother Willm may posess his old liueinge I would haue you certifie him thereof as fast as you cann. I doute not but you will see my Cosin Pudsay, my Nephewe Langdale, Sunderland, and the rest of our friends & acquaintance and Remember to obserue what I saide to you in relačon to them, your brother is soe Curte in his relačons that hee neuer giues mee any full satisfactory Account of newes such as I expect from him in anye of his letters, though hee writt latelie to vs that hee was scarce well yet wee hope hee is well recouered & nowe pfectlie in health yt otherwayes wee think you would haue menconed yt in your letter: most of our Vicars yet refuse to reade the booke of Common prayer but wee heare tis commonlie reade at Londo & generallie in the south. See your brother & you doe what I writt to him by the last post, haue a Care of your gouernemts & healths god blesse you both Yr lov: father Brousholme Assension day vlt. Maij 1660. fayle not to write by euerie post: EDW: PARKER Westridg Com Eborr WEE whose names are hereunto subscribed deputie Leiutnts. amongst others in the said Rydeinge for the setling & regulateinge the trayned bands in the said Rydeinge in consideračon of the Certificate of seu'all psons of qualitie and a letter from Edward Parker Esq and severall other reasons Alledged by a pson of qualitie entrusted by Collonell Pudsay, and the Allegations of severall other Inhabitants of Slaidburne Newton and Grindleton in the said Rydeinge, doe thinke fitt and soe Order that notwithstandinge a reference to a Peticon of some Inhabitants who haue Improued lands in the said seu all Townshipps that the said Inhabitants who haue such lands doe pay and beare their proportionable parts towards the Common Armes in the said Constableries as they doe in other Assessments gaulds or Charges it appearinge to vs that it would bee a great preiudice to his Maties; service to haue the said lands beinge soe considerable to bee freed for any reasons by the Owners Alledged, they payinge their dues for other Charges, and of the pformance hereof, they or anie of them, are not to fayle, as they will Answere the Contrarie at their Perills. Giuen vnder our hands the xxviijth day of May Anno Dom 1661 THE Kings Maties Iustices of ye peace at their last Generall Quart' Sessions for ye County pallatine of Lanc takinge into consideracon y excessive Deareness of Corne and beinge Informed yt seu'all persons haue bought uppe or gott together great Quantityes and store of Corne and Graine, Meale Malt and provitions more then their ffamyles can vse or haue need of, and will neyther bringe forth ye same into ye Markett or sell to their poore neightb as by Law and in consience they ought, The said Iustices haue therefore thought fitt hereby to giue notice yt if this practice shall be pved agt: anie person whatsoeu': they the sd Iustices haue resolued to proceed ag*: euery such offendr: wth: such Rigor and seueryty as ye Law in yt case hath provided, And yt vpon just complaint made to anie of ye said Iustices by anie of ye poore people or others whoe shall make out ye same agt: anie person whatsoev. due course for redress hereof shall be furth: taken by euery of ye sd Iustices accordingly. And all Badgs: Ingross's: Regrats: forstallers and all others offendinge in this Kynd are required to take notice hereof at their pill May ye 9th 1674 By speciall ord": of the Court ROGER KENYON. Clericus Pacis. ibid DEAR COZ: PARKER I SEND you here inclosed the Proclamačon of our Gracious King which I am Satisfied will be very acceptable to you, I can alsoe informe you that this Morning the news of the D: of Monmouths landing Came to Towne and the house of Comons unanimousely voted to stand by the King with their lives & fortunes & alsoe a Bill was read for the Attaind". of the s D: & they alsoe voted that all his Adherents to be traitors. I hope this happy union betwixt our Graciouse King & his Parlmt. will mightily |