Page:The History of the Church & Manor of Wigan part 2.djvu/156

Rh Sealed with a stamped seal bearing the arms of England, Scotland, Ireland, and England, quarterly, and directed "To the right reverend ffather in God our right trustie and welbeloved John, Bushop of Chester." This letter was enclosed in one from his friend Lord Wentworth, dated from Westminster, 27th April, 1631.

From this time the bishop lived partly at Chester and partly at Lever Hall.

In the spring of the same year the country was again visited by the plague, and we find the bishop once more taking order to preserve his town of Wigan from infection, as appears by the following correspondence, which is recorded in the Wigan Leger:

"My Lord's letter to the Maior and Com'unalty of Wigan touching the ffaire there in ye Plague time at Preston &c."

"After my hearty commendations:

It hath pleased God to visit diverse places in this County of Lanc' so dangerously wth the plague of Pestilence, as I have oftimes seriously considered wth myself whether it were better for the com'on good to hold my ffayre at Wigan this Ascention day now following or forbid it. Some of you lately represented to me the necessities of the people, wch are at this time to buy and sell cattell, and by a disapointment of this ffayre may be much prejudiced; but (on the other side) when I consider that the safety of their persons is much to be preferred before any commodity in their Estates, and that the extraordinary confluence of men from all parts to such a ffayre may bring some infection to the Towne, I have thought it fitter to forbidd their meeting ye to endanger the inhabitants; and do rather choose to loose my present profitt, than to bring that place into perill of utter undoing. And therefore I have resolved to cause proclamation to be made in diverse Markett Townes of this County, that there shall be no ffayre held in Wigan for this time, unless you shew me some greater reasons to alter my intention wthin these 3 days. And so, praying God to hold his hand of protection over