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IntroductionWhere would I be without Dr. Peter's background research? Thanks, as always to Dr. Peter for unearthing this wonderful piece of information.
Carvajal & PepysSamuel Pepys comes into our story with Antonio as it appears that Antonio was operated on by the same surgeon who had operated on Pepys a year earlier for "ye Stone". Unfortunately this surgery was not successful and Antonio died. Below are some of the details we have.
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Sources:
Dec 3, 1659"Being this morning (for observacion sake) at the Jewish Synagogue in London I heared many lamentacions made by Portugall Jewes for ye death of Ferdinando ye Merchant, who was lately cutt (by the same hand wth my selfe) of ye Stone. [Addressed] For ye right Honoble Generall Mountagu at Hinchingbrooke, Huntingdon. post pd 2. [Endorsed] Sam: Pepys Decembr 3. 1659" (1 above)
Ye Stone"Pepys early life had been dogged by his problems with the Stone or Ye Stone. Many of his family suffered and he was to keep interest in the disease of the stone even in the Animal world. He held a yearly anniversary party for his friends. Since he was 20 he had suffered under a constant series of attacks of stone in the bladder. In the winter of 1657-8 the trouble grew rapidly worse so that by March an operation could no longer be averted. Remember now that we are in a period when medical science had not invented (or discovered) anaesthetics and septic germs were rife. A major operation was more than likely to result in death rather than cure. No wonder he was worried about having the Operation! The surgeon was one Thomas Holier, assisted by a brilliant young Doctor Joyliffe. On 26th March the operation took place and was a complete success. In the same year Hollier cut thirty more for the stone and all lived, though soon after four others whom he operated on perished". One of these was Antonio Ferdinando Carvajal. Pepys attended the memorial service for Antonio as noted above. (2 above)
Change of Name (Rogativa)Antonio, was in later years and prepared his will prior to his operation and we find from the source above (3) that Abraham Israel Carvajal was buried as Abraham Hisquiau Carvajal (Hisquiau = Hezekiah). The author states that his name must have been changed in a major "rogativa" between his lithotomy operation and his death. A "rogativa" is a Sephardim prayer of supplication for recovery of a person who is seriously ill, and a major one includes a change of name. Hezekiah was apparently a name often adopted in a rogativa because King Hezekiah, though told by Isaiah that he had no hope of recovery, lived another 15 years as a result of his entreaties to God. (3 above)
It is amazing to think that these two may have even known each other at some time although we tend to think of Antonio's life being involved with and ended before the Commonwealth period and Samuel Pepys firmly in the Restoration period.
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