Friday 3 July 1668

Betimes to the office, my head full of this business. Then by coach to the Commissioners of Accounts at Brooke House, the first time I was ever there, and there Sir W. Turner in the chair; and present, Lord Halifax, Thoms[on], Gregory, Dunster, and Osborne. I long with them, and see them hot set on this matter; but I did give them proper and safe answers. Halifax, I perceive, was industrious on my side, in behalf of his uncle Coventry, it being the business of Sir W. Warren. Vexed only at their denial of a copy of what I set my hand to, and swore. Here till almost two o’clock, and then home to dinner, and set down presently what I had done and said this day, and so abroad by water to Eagle Court in the Strand, and there to an alehouse: met Mr. Pierce, the Surgeon, and Dr. Clerke, Waldron, Turberville, my physician for the eyes, and Lowre, to dissect several eyes of sheep and oxen, with great pleasure, and to my great information. But strange that this Turberville should be so great a man, and yet, to this day, had seen no eyes dissected, or but once, but desired this Dr. Lowre to give him the opportunity to see him dissect some. Thence to Unthanke’s, to my wife, and carried her home, and there walked in the garden, and so to supper and to bed. —[Mr. Unthanke was Mrs. Pepys tailor. D.W.]

13 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"But strange that this Turberville should be so great a man, and yet, to this day, had seen no eyes dissected, or but once, but desired this Dr. Lowre to give him the opportunity to see him dissect some."

The handicap of all but members of the Barber-Surgeons' Company? What would they have seen? and to what end? What guidance may they have received from the late conjectures, discussions and experiments of the Royal Society?

Geoff Hallett  •  Link

Wondered where everyone had gone, thanks Phil.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

It is curious Turberville hadn't done so.

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"and so abroad by water to Eagle Court in the Strand, and there to an alehouse: met Mr. Pierce, the Surgeon, and Dr. Clerke, Waldron, Turberville, my physician for the eyes, and Lowre"

L&M: All were physicians; Richard Lower the most distinguished of them.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

'Charles II: July 1668', in Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles II, 1667-8, ed. Mary Anne Everett Green (London, 1893), pp. 469-516.
https://www.british-history.ac.uk…

@@@
July 3. 1668
Yarmouth.
Rich. Bower to Williamson.

Passage of ships.

The Act for wine is not yet put into execution, any further than to summon the vintners and distillers.
On appearing, they found no Commissioners at the office appointed;
they are supposed to be waiting for Wm. Kirkman, a wool merchant, who has undertaken the management of 7 counties, and is detained at Ipswich by sickness, so that nothing is done.

I have perused the Act, and find it so lame that it will never answer the fourth penny of what was intended to be raised by it, so that there must be an additional Act next session.
They may perhaps rely too much upon the help they shall have the third year, when 4l. per tun is to be paid for all wines imported;
but if the merchant shall stock himself by importing a greater quantity of wine in the vintage of 1669, and so to 24 June 1670, little will be paid for wine imported the third year, as there will be so little brought over.
[S.P. Dom., Car. II. 242, No. 130.]

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July 3. 1668
Proclamation
for further adjourning the Parliament from 11 August to 10 November next.
[Printed. Proc. Coll. Charles II., 260.]

THE STUART BROTHERS AND THE CABAL CABINET DON'T NEED THE HOUSE OF COMMONS MEDDLING IN A WAR WITH FRANCE, THANK YOU.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

"... so abroad by water to Eagle Court in the Strand, and there to an alehouse: ..."

Five eminent physicians and the Clerk of the Acts for the Navy meet at an alehouse off the Strand to disect sheep and oxen eyes. I wonder what the innkeeper made of that. "George -- we need another plate ASAP. No, we don't need any food, thanks."

Makes me aware of how sanitary conditions are taken for granted these days.

Mary K  •  Link

"set down presently what I had done and said..."

i.e. at once, without delay.

James Morgan  •  Link

My understanding is that physicians and surgeons were two distinct groups. Physicians dealt with all medications, psychological and external treatments. Surgeons were less highly regarded and dealt with amputations. Scientific research by dissection was new to both.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

You are correct, James.

However, these are eyes of oxen and sheep, and the physicians were not operating on eyes; they were dissecting them.

However, I see that 'physicians' have done cataract surgery for 4,000 years, and I wouldn't want someone used to doing amputations to do that, would you?
https://www.eyeops.com/blog/histo…

In this case I think the context of eyes is everything.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

The following correspondence was discussed by Charles II and the Privy Council today.

PLANTATION CORRESPONDENCE,
https://www.british-history.ac.uk…

[July 3.] 1668
#1780.
Petition of the Royal African Company to the King. [Charles II]

Petitioners have lately received from Thomas Pearson, their chief agent on the Gold Coast of Guinea, the annexed papers, and apprehend that the Director-General of the Hollands West India Company on that coast intends to repeat what he practised in 1662, in order to the exclusion of petitioners from their rights and trade.

Pray therefore for an examination of the matter, and his Majesty's commands concerning the same.
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Annexed:

#1780. I.
Thomas Pearson and others to the Royal African Company.

Since his last they have been visited by the Dutch, who demanded the relinquishment of Adga and to desist from settling at Commenda.

Has sent their letter and protest about Adga, possession of which shall be maintained till decided by their Honours and the Dutch Company; who as justly may plead a right to all their possessions as to Adga, which is a place of importance, the natives of which are very desirous that the English Company traffic in their country.

Desire supplies of necessaries for fortifying and repairing their forts and factories, for want whereof their possessions are extremely gone to ruin.

A very dead trade at present, owing to a war in Arcanij.

Since the arrival of the ships licensed by their Honours have not taken one mark of gold, nor can expect it, said ships selling their goods at such low rates.
Adga was possessed by them in 1666 in the time of the siege of Cormantyn, and has not been possessed by any nation since; and as to Commenda, their Honours always had a house and factors there, till the late war.

The King of Commenda is very desirous they should settle there as formerly.

Cape Coast Castle, 1668, February 18.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

#1780. II.
Dirck Wilree to Thos. Pearson.

Refers to the bloody wars between the two nations caused by differences in these and other remote parts, and to the blessed peace lately brought to pass.

Is informed to his great amazement that Pearson is resolved to erect a lodge for the Royal Company at Little Comanij, and that he has already at Adga set up his Majesty's standard, contrary to the treaty.

It is beyond all dispute that the coast of Comanij, by a free resignation of the natives, solely belongs to the Dutch Company and has always been possessed by them; for though Adga was in 1664 under pretence of friendship subdued by his Majesty's forces, yet by the reducing of Fort Cormantyn by Admiral Michael De Ruyter it was recovered, as was the case with Audmabo.

Both Little Comanij and Adja were conquered and possessed by the Dutch Company before the 10/20 of May last;
desires him therefore to quit both places.

But if Pearson persists will be forced to transmit his complaints to those it belongs to, and meantime use such means as he shall find most fitting.

Castle of St. George De Mina in Guinea, 1668, Jan. 23/Feb. 2.
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#1780. III.
Answer of Thomas Pearson to Dirck Wilree.

It does not a little trouble us that you should bring our right of repossessing Adga in question, for by the treaty the English have justice on their side, since they were the last possessors in the late war.

And as to Commendo, the English bought their possession there, and were never dispossessed by arms;
the Netherlands Company had also their factory there, and each enjoyed a full trade, than which there is nothing more desired by them.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

#1780. IV.
Dirck Wilree to Thomas Pearson.

Had hoped that his just request would have prevented further proceedings, but perceives the contrary to his grief and amazement.

That Adja was possessed by the English in the late war can never be made appear.
It is true that when an English naval force in 1666 arrived at Cormantyn they passed and repassed through Adja, but when that force fruitlessly departed, Adja also was deserted, and since that time, being under the guns of Cormantyn, it has been kept by the Dutch.

As to Comanij, it is sufficiently known that without any interruption the Dutch did ever solely keep and possess it, and it was never deserted by them, and if the English purchased that coast, the Dutch have bought the same, and their purchase will exceed in priority of time.

Again therefore desires him to quit Adga, and wholly to leave Comanij, and for the future no more to undertake such actions near any places belonging to the Dutch.

But in case Pearson shall reject this request, hereby protests in the name of the States General and their West India Company to be innocent of all mischiefs, damages, &c. which through said causes may happen to the two nations.

Francis Roman, Commissary for the West India Company, is commanded to "insinuate" the contents of this protest to the agent for the Royal English Company, and deliver the same, bringing back an act of such insinuating, and of his behavior and answer upon the same.

Castle of St. George De Mina, in Guinea, 1668, Feb. 14/24.
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#1780. V.
Protest of Dirck Wilree against the officers of the ship James.

The inhabitants of Commendo on the 9/29 July, without any cause, but merely instigated by those of Fetu, despoiled the lodge belonging to the Dutch and cruelly murdered their servants, by reason whereof the Dutch have for five months kept their harbors closely blocked up till they make amends.

And seeing the James is arrived on the coast for trade, entreat them to desist from trading near the country of Comendo, Cape Corse, or Fetu, for the Dutch are not to suffer any nation to drive a trade there till the inhabitants give the Dutch plenary satisfaction.

Presume they will not refuse this request, much less commit any acts of hostility, though in such case they protest they are innocent of all mischiefs and damages which may arise.

Castle of St. George D'Elmina, 1662, Oct. 29/Nov. 8.
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Together six papers, 12½ pp., each one indorsed,
Read in Council, July 3, 1668.
[Col. Papers, Vol. XXIII., Nos. 1-6.]
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Some background to this was provided by Pedro on 30 Jan., 2008 https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
Otherwise, my US Google has never heard of these places.

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