11th November 1786

Hail. News that Mistress Wellock of Hag Farm was condemned to death for dealing with the Birmingham coiners. She is awaiting her end in Derby gaol

It appears that a gentlemen travelling on the road between Macclesfield and Buxton was attacked by two footpads with bludgeons in the most audacious and brutal way. Mr Stretch who had some loose gold and at first offered them 4 guinea coins, but not content with this they wanted to take his bags in which there was considerable property. He again presented them with his purse in which there were 40£ which they took and made off the dullness of the night and having their faces covered with handkerchief it was impossible to provide a minute description.

It is suggested that travellers take advantage of the day or take a guard against the villainous lurchers have hitherto escaped without punishment or want of example tis to be feared will follow them to further depredation

4th November 1786

Mist. On the way to Buxton I noted several urchins engaged in the ancient practice of cat throwing.( I recall fondly from my youth) Amongst them was the son of my manservant Goiter. In the town I found that damnable rogue Swelt the Magistrate fixing a notice to the board in the market place looking as always as if he had licked piss off a nettle.

 The notice read

“Several complaints have been made to the magistrates that apprentices and others have been playing at a number of games unlawful. The Magistrates are determined to prosecute with the utmost severity all persons playing at cards, dice, Billiards, Skittles, Cock fighting, Cat throwing and he-who-could-expectorate- the -furthest which practices are deleterious to public health and morals of the populace”

I retired to the Goat and Quaker where I heard the following curious tale gleaned from a newspaper. It seems that there was a house of a Greek in Constantinople which had been set on fire. By the assistance of a few Janissaries, he had nearly saved all his goods, but by some fatal chance, one of the children lying in a cradle had been forgotten. No possibility was left of re-entering the house and the despairing father had given up the child as lost. At the very instant a large mastiff the property of the Greek was seen coming out of the fire holding the baby in his mouth. Vain were the attempts to make the dog stop. The sagacious hound ran through the crowd and did not stop until he reached the home of a friend; he dropped the bundle at the door. The gratitude of the father to his precious servant cannot be experienced but the Greek killed the mastiff and had the animal dressed and served at a meal to solemnize the child’s escape. So much for Greeks bearing gifts