Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Diary of Bonnivert, 1690 (Author: Gédéon Bonnivert)

entry 3

Thursday I met the party at Nantwich. Within three miles of that place is a very fine house belonging to Sir Thomas Delf, with a very fine pool full of all wild fowls. You may take notice of a carp that was taken there three quarters of a yard and odd inches long, which is set up as a weather cock at the top of the house Friday we came to Chester, the chief town of

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the county. Generally Cheshire is a very fine county for corn and grass, which, being intermixed with fine woods, render it very pleasant to the eyes, Chester is a very large town of great trade, it being the sea port town,18 though the ships come no nearer on than sixteen miles at a place called Hoylake, there the river Dee runs by its walls, and it has a pretty strong though small castle.

Sir (John) Morgan19 is now Governor of that place. The two main streets of Chester have covered walks where you may walk at the hottest sun free from heat, and in wet weather sheltered from rain; their shops are underneath these walks.20 Round about the walls of the city you may walk upon large stones, and have a prospect of the town and country. Hoylake is the sea port, and has but two houses beside the King's store house. We stayed there from Monday in the evening (of) the 16th, till Tuesday at eight in the morning, then we embarked our horses, and us selves, we hoisted our sail about three in the afternoon, with the tide, but with a contrary wind, which made us ply to and fro all that day. About ten in the night no wind stirring we cast anchor till two in the morning.

All the day after we had no wind, and our ship was only carried by the tide.