Wednesday 25 June 1662
Up by four o’clock, and put my accounts with my Lord into a very good order, and so to my office, where having put many things in order I went to the Wardrobe, but found my Lord gone to Hampton Court. After discourse with Mr. Shepley we parted, and I into Thames Street, beyond the Bridge, and there enquired among the shops the price of tarre and oyle, and do find great content in it, and hope to save the King money by this practice. So home to dinner, and then to the Change, and so home again, and at the office preparing business against to-morrow all the afternoon. At night walked with my wife upon the leads, and so to supper and to bed. My wife having lately a great pain in her ear, for which this night she begins to take physique, and I have got cold and so have a great deal of my old pain.
12 Annotations
First Reading
A. De Araujo • Link
"a great pain in her ear,for which this night she begins to take physique"
methinks she wants to get rid of bad humours,but somehow I wonder if there were not some folk remedy,like warm oil ear drops at the time! Does anyone know?
dirk • Link
"I have got cold and so have a great deal of my old pain"
If Sam is referring here to the old pain connected with his "stone" problem, maybe what he means is that each time he sneezes or coughs, it hurts.
dirk • Link
For the fun of it:
"A Bill of Fare of Suitable Meat for every Month in the Year" - June
1. A Neats-tongue, or Leg of Mutton and Colliflowers.
2. A Steak-Pye.
3. A Shoulder of Mutton.
4. A fore-quarter of Lamb.
5. A Dish of Pease.
Second Course:
1. Sweet-bread- Pye.
2. A Capon.
3. A Goose-berry Tart.
4. Straw berries and Cream. Or Strawberries, White-wine, Rosewater and Sugar.
From:
"The Gentlewoman's Companion: or, A Guide to the Female Sex", 1675
http://chaucer.library.emory.edu/…
Cumgranissalis • Link
Such good advice to those that run any business. Do some blind runs."...there enquired among the shops the price of tarre and oyle, and do find great content in it,..."
Just another example of why Sam and his Ilke made the Navy great, it is in the details watching the pennies, still a factor for a succesful business or government. He changed the practice of govt. purchase, tho., I doth think we have now reverted to 1000 doll. toilet seat or then the hausers with defects or overprice yellow tallow.
A penny difference on 10 million vehicles a year, would be a very nice income for 2 families in poverty.
Just to-day a Bank now charges $1.35 per transaction [20$ &up] and people still do not object. Here is a man, Sam that watches the pennies of his boss the Prince James titular head of the admirables and fleet .
Australian Susan • Link
Sam and his cold.
I was wondering if he had a cold that triggered a secondary infection in his kidneys and/or bladder which would give him pain in the area of the operation, but I think dirk's suggestion is probably more plausible - anyone who has had stitches or a healed wound with scar tissue in Certain Areas will know (experience speaking here!) that it "pulls" and cause pain if you sneeze or cough. Ouch!
I am surprised that there is no mention of household remedies for Elizabeth's ear such as olive or almond oil in the ear or a heated stone wrapped in woollen and held to the ear. Maybe she's been trying this and it has only come to Sam's attention as she needs physic which costs money and he needs to be talked to about this to pay for it. He always seems very considerate of Elizabeth's ailments.
Australian Susan • Link
"Oyle"
What kind of oil would this be and for what purpose?
DrCari • Link
Sam's "old pain" would most likely be a reference to his old surgical incision. It never completely healed...Sam suffered with perpetual oozing drainage from the incision. From time to time it pains him.
At the time of Sam's operation to remove the bladder stone, surgeons believed it best to leave the wound unsuteured to allow for internal drainage during the healing process. Sam's wound never closed completely
JWB • Link
oyle
Linseed oil used as wood preservative, varnish. Low country wind mills were the major source.
JWB • Link
oyle, another dab
Linseed oil was used to waterproof sail cloth which was fashioned into first capes then slickers for sailers to wear as foul weather gear. Those who have used linseed oil paints know that it yellows over time. In the same manner rain gear made of linseed oil impregnated sail cloth yellowed, thus the traditional yellow color for slickers.
Pedro • Link
Linseed oil has been mentioned before
Second Reading
Bill • Link
"there enquired among the shops the price of tarre and oyle"
After the sides of a ship are sufficiently scraped, they are varnished over with turpentine, or a mixture of tar and oil, or such materials; which preserves the planks from being rent or split by the sun and wind, and gives the ship a more gay and splendid appearance on the water.
---An Universal Dictionary of the Marine. W. Falconer, 1784.
Gerald Berg • Link
What activities would Sam be up to at 'the Change' I wonder?