The last days of Charles II / by Raymond Crawfurd.

  • Raymond Crawfurd
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The last days of Charles II / by Raymond Crawfurd. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    part of Ailesbury. He asserts, in common with Welwood, that Charles had previously suffered from fits, and gives the date of the first fit as about Bartholomew tide, 1679. This was the well-known occasion on which James returned hurriedly from abroad to Windsor. The following letters from Sidney’s Diary clear up the point. Mr. Mountstevens to Mr. Sidney. Windsor, Aug. 29, 1679. Honoured Sir, The last account I gave you from hence was upon Tuesday: that night the King was taken ill with a fit, but much more moderately than upon Friday and Sunday night: since that he has had not the least appearance of one : so that the physicians are of opinion he will have no more of it. . . . Mr. Mountstevens to Mr. Sidney. Windsor, Sept. 2, 1679. It is now almost a week since the King has had any appearance of an ague; and you may guess, by the method he takes, he will soon recover his strength as well as his health, having exchanged water-gruels and potions for mutton and partridges, on which he feeds frequently and heartily. . . . Yesterday morning, the Duke of York arrived at Dover, and this morning he came hither, but very slenderly attended, who immediately went to wait upon the King. Sir William Temple to Mr. Sidney. Sheen, Aug. 29. . . I will tell you, because I am just now come from Windsor, that he [the King] was to-day much better than I expected to find him, after having passed a very ill day on Wednesday: though I had given the Prince of Orange an account of his health the night CRAWFURD B
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