Spadacrene Anglica Or, the English spavv-fountaine. Being a briefe treatise of the acide, or tart fountaine in the forest of Knaresborow, in the west-riding of Yorkshire. As also a relation of other medicinall waters in the said forest. By Edmund Deane, Dr. in Physicke, Oxon. dwelling in the city of Yorke.

CHAP. 3.

Of the fountaines, of pure and simple waters neere, and about the Towne.

AS generally most parts of the West Riding of Yorke∣shire (especially the hilly and more mountaineous places thereof) are stored with fountaines and springs of cleare, limpide, and pure simple waters; so likewise the territorie here abouts is not without plenty of them. Two whereof haue gotten and purchased that reputation, as to be saincted: The one called by the name of Saint Mag∣nus, or Mugnus-Well: th'other, that of Saint Roberts.

These, formerly for a yeere, or two, haue beene in great request in these parts amongst the common sort, much sought vnto by many, and great concourse of peo∣ple haue daily gathered and flocked to them both neare, and a farre off, as is most commonly seene, when any new thing is first found out. Fama enim crescit eundo, euen vn∣to incredible wonders and miracles, or rather fictions, and lyes. All which commeth to passe as wee may well sup∣pose, through our ouermuch English credulity, or (as I may better say) rather superstition. For to any such like Well, will swarme at first both yong and old (especially the female sexe, as euer more apt to bee deluded) halt, lame, blind, deafe, dumbe, yea, almost all, and that for all manner of maladies and diseases, both inward and out∣ward.

But for as much, as these are springs of pure, and sim∣ple waters meerely, without any mixture at all of minerals,

to make them become medicinable, it is verily thought, that the many & seuerall cures, which haue bin attributed vnto them in those times, when they were so frequented, were rather fained, and imaginary, then true, and reall; and that those, who then visited them, were desirous (ei∣ther to vphold, and maintaine the credit, and reputation of their Saints, or else, to auoyd the scorne and deri∣sion of their owne delusion) to haue others likewise de∣ceiued.

Time hath quite worne all their strength, and consu∣med all their vertues; so that nothing of worth now re∣maines with them, sauing onely their bare names and titles:

Sic magna suâ mole ruunt.

Wherefore to omit these, as scarce worthy the men∣tioning; those are chiefly here to be described, which doe participate of minerall vertues, and faculties.