Thursday 13 September 1660
Old East comes to me in the morning with letters, and I did give him a bottle of Northdown ale, which made the poor man almost drunk. In the afternoon my wife went to the burial of a child of my cozen Scott’s, and it is observable that within this month my Aunt Wight was brought to bed of two girls, my cozen Stradwick of a girl and a boy, and my cozen Scott of a boy, and all died. In the afternoon to Westminster, where Mr. Dalton was ready with his money to pay me for my house, but our writings not being drawn it could not be done to-day. I met with Mr. Hawly, who was removing his things from Mr. Bowyer’s, where he has lodged a great while, and I took him and W. Bowyer to the Swan and drank, and Mr. Hawly did give me a little black rattoon,1 painted and gilt. Home by water. This day the Duke of Gloucester died of the small-pox, by the great negligence of the doctors.
- Probably an Indian rattan cane.
Paul Brewster Link to this
This day the Duke of Glocester dyed of the small-pox -- by the great negligence of the Doctors.
per L&M: "They had forecast recovery and had prescribed nothing."
Paul Brewster Link to this
Duke of Gloucester died
per Wheatley: "Elegies on the Duke of Gloucester's death were printed. One of these was entitled, 'Some Teares dropt on the Herse of the incomparable Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester'."
A. De Araujo Link to this
"...two girls...a girl and a boy...a girl"I wonder if they were delivered by the same midwife!
Paul Brewster Link to this
I in the afternoon to Westminster,
L&M: Insert the "I".
Paul Brewster Link to this
Aunt Wight was brought to bed of two girls, my cozen Stradwick of a girl and a boy
I assume this means that both Aunt Wight and Cozen Stradwick gave birth to twins? It's interesting that SP doesn't seem to comment on what I would think is a higher than expected instance of twins but does comment on the fact that all of them died. I would have thought that the infant mortality rate was not all that exceptional for the time.
Andrew Hamilton Link to this
Zero survivable births in a short time span for five children (including, remarkably, two sets of twins,if Samuel is to be taken literally) spread among three mothers all related in some way to Samuel, was certainly "observable," and makes me wonder to what extent scientifically minded medical personnel of the times were seeking reasons for still-born/early infancy deaths, and to what extent Samuel may have been aware of any such speculation.
Jackie Link to this
It seems from medical pratices at the time, that the poorer a family and helce the less chance that they were able to afford a doctor the better the chances of survival in situations such as childbirth. The future death of Charles II was in effect due to being tortured to death by his doctors, following a minor fever. Each, increasingly appalling, medical pactice was applauded by the doctors of the day.
The survival rate of chldren at the Royal Court was appalling. Several children were poisoned by doctors' insistence that there was "nothing more poisonous" for a child's wellbeing than a mother's milk.
I suspect that, given the main treatment of the day for anything was bleeding, that Prince Henry's survival chances would not have been improved by the doctors working hard.
helena murphy Link to this
We might also bear in mind Samuel's controlled sense of loss at the deaths of these children. In spite of the high infant and child mortality rates, children were no less cherished then than they are now. This is especially attested to in their portrayal in portraiture , and in 17th century Dutch painting.Letters, memoirs, and autobiographies of the period bear witness as well to this. Milton and Ben Jonson both wrote elegiac verse on the deaths of children.
martha wishart Link to this
I wonder if infant mortality was even more common with twins that with single births, given the more difficult delivery, as well as the increased risk of prematurity?
A. De Araujo Link to this
Martha Wishart you are right in regard to twin births and increased neonatal mortality,because it is a more difficult delivery and Julius Cesar and
Duncan(from Macbeth)notwithstanding C-Sections were not routinelly done at the time;but the infant mortality was very high at the time because of infectious diseases;
Jenny Doughty Link to this
For those interested in the history of child care, I highly recommend Christina Hardyment's book 'Dream Babies', which goes into some detail about childbirth practices and the care and feeding of babies and children at this time. I believe it is out of print now, but it should be available through library loans.
Nigel Thomas Link to this
It was Macduff, not Duncan who "was from his mother's womb / Untimely ripp'd” (Act V, Scene VII). See http://www.bartleby.com/70/4157.html
Glyn Link to this
Poor Aunt Wight. She's just lost two newborn babies and last June her only child died:
28 June "and would have gone to my Aunt Wight, but that her only child, a daughter, died last night."
vincent Link to this
"twins" and J Evelyn on 13 sept 1660 did "I saw in Southwark at St Margarites faire, a monstrous birth of Twinnes, both femals & most perfectly shaped, save that they were joyn'd breast to breast, & incorporated at the navil, having their armes throwne about each other thus:{ a picture ,a sketch } It was reported quick in May last, & producd neere Turne-style Holburn: well extent(e)rated & preserved till now: 'We saw also a poore Woman, that had a living Child of one yeare old, who had its head, neck, with part of a Thigh growing out about Spina dorsi: The head had the Place of Eyes & nose, but none perfected. The Head monstrous, rather resembling a greate Wenn; & hanging on the buttocks, at the side where-off, & not in due place, were(as I remembered) the excretements it avoided,....". Survival ? Faires were very popular places for the strangest Human tragedies o f LIFE..