[From Manx Soc vol 20]

DIARY OF JAMES, VII^TH EARL OF DERBY,

WHO WAS BEHEADED AT BOLTON-IN-THE-MOORS OCTOBER 15TH, 1651, AGED 45 YEARS.

(WITH NOTES BY MR PAUL BRIDSON, HON. SEC.)

JANUARY 7–My sonne Edward was borne, 163 (sic).¹

,, 19–My sonne Charles was borne, 1627/8.²

,, 31–I was borne, 1606.

Februarie 24–My sonne Henry Frederik was born, 1634³.

March 4–Wee fired the Spanish shipp at Wire Water in Lanc. &c., 1642.

,, 10–My daughter Charlotte was born, 1628.⁴

,, 18–Wee tooke the towne of Lancaster by assault &c., 1642.

,, 20–Wee tooke Preston by assault, 1642.

,, 27–My sonne James died, 1638.⁵

,, 29–Wee defended the Calfe of Man agt 3 Parliam^t shipes, 1651,

April 3–Our Enemies were routed at Stocken heath, near Warrington, 1643.

,, 4–My daughter Charlotte died, 1629,

,, 21–The Enemies' Cannon played 29 times, the Morter peece 5 times, against Lathum, 1644.

,, 24–My sonne Henry died, 1635.

,, 26–Wee relieved Warrington, 1643. The Morter piece was taken at Lathum, 1644.

May 27–The Seige was raised from before Lathum, 1644.

,, 28–The towne of Boulton was taken, 1644.

June 15–I came first into the Blessed Isle of Man, 1643.

,, 17–Mrs. Anne Cotting, the Lord Cott daughter and my daughter-in-Law, died, 1643. [fpc described as Lady Strange in Malew burials - later re-interred at Ormskirk - 'daughter-in-law' however is confusing as eldest son Charles was only born 1628]

,, 25–I was married, 1626.

July 17–My daughter Amelia Anne Sophia was born, 1633.⁶

^,, 30–My Wife landed in the Isle of Man, 1644.

August 15–I escaped a great danger of being killed in a Mankes Boat company from Captaine Barkett's Ship at Derby Haven, a shott being made from the snide Shipe (whether by chance or no is doubtfull). It was as is pretended a mistake of one piece for another, but it was charged with Muskett Bullets, pieces of Iron, &c., w^ch killed my dear freind Mr. Rich. Weston and a Man that rowed, and wounded Colonell Snead in a grevious manner, and I sitting in the midst of them escaped by the great Goodness of Almighty God, 1650.⁷

September 22–As I was reading alone in my Chamber at Castle Rushen about 12 in the Night, blood fell in a very strange manner upon my booke, 1647.

November 2–My sonne James was borne, 1636.

,, 18–My sonne William was borne, 1640.⁸

,, 30–My sonne William escaped a great danger at Castle Rushen where he had fallen down a precipice near a stayre, but that he being but fur year old held by the handes until his Sister Mary came to help him, &c., 1645,

December 4–My daughter Katherine was borne, 1631.

,, 15–The Enemies forces were routed at West Haughton Common in Lanc., 1642.

Footnotes

1 Edward his eighth son, born January 7, 1638-9, died at Portsmouth unmarried, and was buried at Ormskirk on the 7th March, 1664-5, aged 26 years.

2 Charles, eldest son and heir, married in 1650 Dorothea Helena, daughter of William, Baron de Rupa, by whom he had fifteen children, and dying at Knowsley he was buried at Ormskirk on the 21st December, 1672, aged 45, leaving heritable issue. The sentence of attainder being reversed, he was restored to all his father's honours and to much of his estate at the Restoration; he succeeded without any interruption to his titles, bore a sword before Charles the Second at his coronation, received the Lientenaney of Lancashire and Cheshire. He had the honour of conveying his father's unsullied "George" to the King, but received no favours or acknowledgments in return, notwithstanding all that his family had suffered and lost to secure his Majesty the Crown.

3 Died an infant on the 24th April, 1635, and buried at Ormskirk.

4 Died on the 4th April, 1629, and was buried at St. Nicholas's Chapel in Westminster Abbey.

5 Third son, died young the 27th March, 1638, and waa buried at Ormskirk,

6 Married on the 5th of May, 1659, "was made the happiest creature alive," according to her own statement, by her marriage with John, second Earl and first Marquis of Athole, K.T. By him she hecame the mother of John, first Duke of Athole; of Lord Charles Murray, created Earl of Dunmore; and of Lord William Murray, who succeeded to the Barony of Nairne. The Marquis of Athole died in 1703, and the Marchioness was living in 1691, but the date of her death has not he ascertained. Lady Athole's religious views and devotional spirit appear to be very similar to her father's. The present Duke of Athole possesses MS. duodecimo volume hound in black leather with black edged leaves, containing a diary of his Grace's ancestor, Amelia, Lady Athole, with sundry occasional prayers, a short catechism, and a variety of religious observations and moral reflections in her handwriting and apparently her own composition. In this book are several of her father's devotional writings.

7 An account of this adventure is given in several of the Parish Church Books of the Isle of Man, and in the Parish of Malew is described as following – Extract from the Register of Burials in the Parish of Malew, in the Isle of Man, in the year One Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty–" The fifteenth of August, 1650. Our Houble Lord James, Earle of Derby, wth some men weare a.bourd a Shipp of Capt. John Barklow's in Derby Haven, and at his Honour's returne from that shipp after night fall beinge scarce fiftie yards gone from the said shipp, a peece of Ornans loaden with cartagges was discharged out of the s^d ship & shott Collonell Snayd through the shoulder & brake all the hones thereof, beinge on the one side of our hoble Lord in the boate, and Collonell Richard Weston on the other side of my Lord was shott through the head (the topp of the scull & ye braines was taken away) & dyed imediatly; yet (the Lord god of Israell be praised for ever for his mightie & miracleouse pteccon & pesservacon) our right hoble Lord was kept hy ye hand of providence safe & not touchd. likewise one Phillip Lucas, maister of the fishinge boate was shott through y^e head & pessntly dyed. And the next day beinge August 16th the sayd Collonell Weston was buried in the Chancell of Kk Malew hy the side of the Alter (on the east side) and Phillip Lucas buried in the Church yard." The above is a true copy.–HUGH S. GILL, Vicar of Malew.–8th April, 1873.

8 Died unmarried, and was buried at Ormskirk on the 23rd December, 1670, aged 30 years,

These Notes are chiefly extracted from Part III., vol. ii. of those very interesting documents the "Stanley Papers," edited by the Rev. F. H. Raines, M.A., F.S.A., for the Cheetham Society.