Friday 7 June 1667
Up, and after with my flageolet and Mr. Townsend, whom I sent for to come to me to discourse about my Lord Sandwich’s business; for whom I am in some pain, lest the Accounts of the Wardrobe may not be in so good order as may please the new Lords Treasurers, who are quick-sighted, and under obligations of recommending themselves to the King and the world, by their finding and mending of faults, and are, most of them, not the best friends to my Lord, and to the office, and there all the morning. At noon home to dinner, my father, wife, and I, and a good dinner, and then to the office again, where busy all the afternoon, also I have a desire to dispatch all business that hath lain long on my hands, and so to it till the evening, and then home to sing and pipe with my wife, and then to supper and to bed, my head full of thoughts how to keep if I can some part of my wages as Surveyor of the Victualling, which I see must now come to be taken away among the other places that have been occasioned by this war, and the rather because I have of late an inclination to keep a coach. Ever since my drinking, two days ago, some very coole drink at Sir W. Coventry’s table I have been full of wind and with some pain, and I was afraid last night that it would amount to much, but, blessed be God! I find that the worst is past, so that I do clearly see that all the indisposition I am liable to-day as to sickness is only the Colique. This day I read (shown me by Mr. Gibson) a discourse newly come forth of the King of France, his pretence to Flanders, which is a very fine discourse, and the truth is, hath so much of the Civil Law in it, that I am not a fit judge of it, but, as it appears to me, he hath a good pretence to it by right of his Queene. So to bed.
15 Annotations
First Reading
Bradford • Link
"Colique": what exactly have we decided that Pepys means by this term?
JWB • Link
"...his pretence to Flanders..."
When Louis 14th married Marie Teresa, daughter of Philip 4th of Spain, she was to renounce all claim to Brabant. But Philip couldn't pay the dowry. The French saw the settlement voided and her claim re-established.
Betty Birney • Link
Bradford, I'm assuming "Colique" is what we still call "colic" that babies have, which is painful gas/wind/bloating, leading to a lot of crying. It sounds as if Sam feared it was something more serious but realized it was only indigestion.
Terry Foreman • Link
The Mayo Clinic's take on baby colic.
Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff
The cause of colic is unknown. Researchers have explored a number of possibilities, including allergies, lactose intolerance, an immature digestive system, maternal anxiety and differences in the way a baby is fed or comforted. Yet it's still unclear why some babies have colic and others don't.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/…
Andrew Hamilton • Link
I note that Sam is quick to perceive a danger to Lord Sandwich in the new Treasury committee and also to take steps to put in order the Wardrobe accounts to protect him (and himself?).
Todd Bernhardt • Link
Nice that Sam is still looking out for "My Lord"...
Jenny Doughty • Link
Off today's topic, but I can't find the link to the e-group and thought other Pepysians might enjoy a non-fiction book I'm currently reading called "Newton and the Counterfeiter: the unknown detective career of the world's greatest scientist" by Thomas Levenson. I knew about Newton's scientific career of course but didn't know anything about his amazing achievements as Warden of the Royal Mint, during which his work against counterfeiters and the corruption of the currency can almost be said to have rescued the country from an economic morass. Sam makes a few appearances, as a correspondent of Newton's and as a visitor to the Royal Mint.
JWB • Link
'Brabant' brings to mind magical Lotharingia & Middle Francia. I'd have chosen it, if I'd had a choice at Verdun in 9th century.
Claire • Link
I seem to recall an earlier mention of indigestion or "colique" after a "coole drink." Was it thought that too-cold liquids brought on indigestion? Given the state of sanitation & lack of medical knowledge, I could imagine nasty bugs frequently running rampant in the water and sometimes in the food.
Australian Susan • Link
When my husband was young, he used to be told not to drink cold liquids very quickly or he would get "a fog on his stomach". Old wives' tales regarding the stomach linger on.....
A. De Araujo • Link
"Brabant"
Brings to mind a knight in a shining armor in a small boat pulled by a white swan;cf Lohengrin
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
" a discourse newly come forth of the King of France, his pretence to Flanders, which is a very fine discourse, and the truth is, hath so much of the Civil Law in it, that I am not a fit judge of it, but, as it appears to me, he hath a good pretence to it by right of his Queene. "
L&N cite A Dialogue concerning the rights of Her Most Christian Majesty (1667) which . summarizes the arguments of the government's recently-published Traitte des droits de la reyn and say: In it a French avocat makes the case for Louis XIV's claim to the Spanish Netherlands at the death of Philip IV of Spain. Louis' Queen (Maria Theresa, Philip's daughter) claimed the territory by virtue of a local law (the law of 'devolution') by which the inheritance devolved upon the children of a first marriage, their father having only a life interest. The argument is developed through 78 pages, with many marginal citations of legal authorities and local customals. The French had invaded Flanders on 24-24 May.
Terry Foreman • Link
The War of Devolution (1667–68) saw the French armies of Louis XIV overrun the Habsburg-controlled Spanish Netherlands and the Franche-Comté (or Free County of Burgundy), only to be pressured to give most of it back by a Triple Alliance of England, Sweden and the Dutch Republic, in the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.
....
On 8 May 1667 Louis XIV transmitted to the Spanish court a declaration, in which he repeated his demands. This declaration was likewise advertised by the French ambassadors in every court in Europe. The campaign was presented not as an invasion, but as a reclamation of lands that rightfully belonged to Louis XIV. The King himself called the invasion a "voyage".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War…
At stake in this border-war was a quarrel over a rightful property claim, a claim litigated primarily in series of publications of which those cited above were representative. L&M also reference other pamphlets in the controversy:
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… and
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… and https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
San Diego Sarah • Link
"I note that Sam is quick to perceive a danger to Lord Sandwich in the new Treasury committee and also to take steps to put in order the Wardrobe accounts to protect him (and himself?)."
I dunno about quick, Andrew, but you're right about it being a move to protect himself. Pepys has already dodged one request for funds to bail out his cousins at the Big House.
mountebank • Link
I would imagine that Pepys is still perceived as Sandwich's creature by many.