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Transcriber's Note: A carat is used in some instances to indicate
superscript. If part is in brackets, then only those letters in
brackets are superscripted and the rest of the word is the normal size.
SPADACRENE ANGLICA. OR, _The English Spa Fountain._
BY EDMUND DEANE, M.D. OXON.
The First Work on the Waters of Harrogate.
_REPRINTED WITH INTRODUCTION_ BY JAMES RUTHERFORD, L.R.C.P. ED.
_AND BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES_ BY ALEX. BUTLER, M.B.
BRISTOL: JOHN WRIGHT & SONS LTD. LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON,
KENT & CO. LTD. 1922
INTRODUCTION.
If the Author of "Spadacrene Anglica" could see our modern Harrogate,
for whose existence he is to no small extent responsible, he would be
justly entitled to consider his labours as well spent, however surprised
he might be at the change that had taken place in the village as he knew
it in the year 1626. For so was Harrogate in those years, a small
scattered hamlet, part of that great Royal Forest of Knaresborough,
extending westward from the town of Knaresborough for about 20 miles
towards Bolton Abbey, with an average depth of about 8 miles from North
to South, a Royal Forest, as Grainge in his History thereof premises,
from the year 1130 until 1775. Not only the change in the physical
aspect of Harrogate would have been noted by our author. Since his days,
within a radius of a few miles, have been found over 80 mineral springs,
whereby Harrogate is distinguished from all other European health
resorts. Not that the curative powers of these waters were altogether
unknown before Edmund Deane extolled the merits of the Tuewhit Well in
"Spadacrene Anglica." Indeed, he would be a bold man who would
dogmatically lay down at what period the powers of these waters were
unknown. Thus, in mediæval times the waters of St. Mungo's and St.
Robert's were accredited with miraculous powers. The Tuewhit Well itself
derives its name, according to some authorities, from its association in
pre-Roman times with the pagan God Teut.
"Spadacrene Anglica" was published by Dr. Edmund Deane, an eminent
physician of York, in the year 1626, and passed through three editions
after his death. All these editions are very scarce, and although there
are copies of the four editions in the British Museum, there are only
two other copies known to exist. I was indeed fortunate, therefore, when
some seventeen years ago I picked up a copy in a well-known second-hand
book shop in Harrogate. Now I am reprinting it, not so much for its
interest to my professional brethren as a quaint and learned
contribution to medical literature in the seventeenth century, but
because it is the earliest and most indispensable source of the history
of the waters of Harrogate.
A careful study of it will correct a number of remarkable errors, which
now pass current as historical facts in connection with the rise into
fame of Harrogate as our premier Spa. These errors would never have
arisen had there been a more free access to this very scarce book. Most
writers appear to have depended for their knowledge of its contents
upon the summary of it contained in Dr. Thomas Short's "History of
Mineral Waters," published about a century after the publication of
"Spadacrene Anglica." In commenting on this and other works abridged in
his History, the learned author states:
"Some of them are very scarce and rare. Therefore, such as have them
not, have here their whole _substance_, and need not trouble themselves
for the treatises." Unfortunately, they did not have their "whole
substance," and hence these errors.
"Spadacrene Anglica" deals mainly with the Tuewhit Well or the English
Spa. It is not my intention to discuss here either the history of its
distinguished author or the early history of the English Spa. This task
has been kindly undertaken for me by my friend and colleague, Dr.
Alexander Butler, to whom I take this opportunity to express my grateful
thanks for his very suggestive contribution.
Suffice it for the purpose of this short introduction to state that the
medicinal qualities of the Tuewhit Well were discovered about fifty-five
years prior to the publication of "Spadacrene Anglica," the credit of
the discovery being due to a certain Mr. William Slingsby, not to his
nephew, Sir William Slingsby as has been persistently but erroneously
stated. The Tuewhit Well was first designated "The English Spa" in or
about the year 1596 by Timothy Bright, M.D., sometime rector of both
Methley and Barwick in Elmet, near Leeds, which goes far to support the
well established belief that the waters of the Tuewhit Well were the
first to be used internally for medicinal purposes in England. To-day
the word Spa is, of course, a general term for a health resort
possessing mineral waters, but in the days of Dr. Timothy Bright no such
meaning attached to it; Spa was the celebrated German health resort, and
one can readily conceive with what patriotic enthusiasm Dr. Timothy
Bright would proclaim the Tuewhit Well as "The English Spa" when the
medicinal properties of this Well were found to resemble those of the
two famous medicinal springs of Sauveniere and Pouhon at Spa.
"Spadacrene Anglica" (as already mentioned) was published in 1626. Later
in the same year appeared another work on Harrogate, entitled "News out
of Yorkshire," by Michael Stanhope, Esq. Further, the time of Mr.
William Slingsby's birth has been traced back to between the years 1525
and 1527. The year 1926 is therefore the tercentenary of the publication
of Deane's "Spadacrene Anglica," and Stanhope's "News out of Yorkshire,"
and may also be regarded as the quatercentenary of the birth of Mr.
William Slingsby. What a triple event for commemoration!
In this edition of "Spadacrene Anglica" the original title-page and
initial letters have been artistically reproduced by the publishers;
the text has not been modernized except in the case of the old vowel
forms I and U for the consonants J and V. Otherwise, the original
spelling and the use of capitals and italics have been retained. The
long S has not been retained. With these slight changes one cannot but
admire the forceful English in which it is written, and the clearness of
the style of the author.
I am indebted to my daughter Dorothy for the sketch of the Tuewhit Well.
JAMES RUTHERFORD.
_Saint Mungo,
12, York Road,
Harrogate, 1921._
_Biographical Notes_ OF _Edmund Deane, M.D. and others in relation to
the Tuewhit Well, The English Spa_.
BY ALEX. BUTLER, M.B.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
_=of Edmund Deane and others in relation to the English Spa.=_
The present reprint of "Spadacrene Anglica" should arouse a keen
literary interest in its author, Edmund Deane, and in the early history
of Harrogate. As one who had the privilege of reading the original
edition of this work, belonging to Dr. Rutherford, I was struck by the
marked contrast between Deane's account of the history of the medicinal
waters of Harrogate, and that which is to be found in more recent
writings on that subject.
These modern accounts cannot be better or more authoritatively
exemplified than by taking a short extract from the article "Harrogate"
in the "Encyclopædia Britannica."[1]
"The principal chalybeate Springs are the Tewitt well called by Dr.
Bright, who wrote the first account of it, the English Spaw,
discovered by Captain William Slingsby of Bilton Hall, near the
close of the 16th. Century...."
This paragraph, as a statement of facts, accurately sets out what is to
be found in more or less detail in the accessible literature of to-day
and will be referred to afterwards as the recognised history of
Harrogate. It has received the express or tacit sanction of the
Corporation of Harrogate and is embodied in its publications. Further a
memorial has been erected to Sir William Slingsby, the Captain William
Slingsby of Bilton Hall referred to in the above quotation, as the
discoverer of the Tuewhit Well.
Notwithstanding the complete credence that has been given to this
account for many years, I think there can be no doubt that it is
entirely erroneous, and that unmerited fame has been given to Sir
William Slingsby as the discoverer of the medicinal qualities of the
Tuewhit Well, and to Dr. Bright as the author who first wrote an account
of it.
Deane's history of the medicinal springs of Harrogate in the Elizabethan
period is to be found in the earlier chapters of his book. It is
therefore only necessary to mention here that, according to "Spadacrene
Anglica" the Tuewhit Well was _not_ discovered by Captain (or Sir)
William Slingsby, it was _not_ discovered near the close of the 16th
Century, and Dr. Bright did _not_ write an account of it. It is hardly
credible that the history as given in the extract from the "Encyclopædia
Britannica" is actually derived from "Spadacrene Anglica." Yet such is
the case. Owing to the great rarity of the first edition of that book,
and the fact that the later editions were all, more or less, abridged or
incomplete, a series of plausible conjectures by later writers founded
on these imperfect editions has evolved a history of Harrogate in this
period which is, as regards the main facts, largely fictitious. The
object of the following biographical notes is, briefly, to restate the
history of Harrogate during the Elizabethan period, in terms of the only
reliable source for such a purpose, and to trace the accumulated errors,
as far as possible, to their origin and source, an inquiry which the
reprint of "Spadacrene Anglica" at the present time makes not
inopportune.
No history of Harrogate should be written, unless preceded by a
biographical note of the author of "Spadacrene Anglica," to whom and to
whose work Harrogate doubtless owes its position as the premier Spa of
this country; and it is with no little sense of the fickleness of fame
that one finds his name so little known, and his worth as a writer
unrecognized. As far as I know, no biography has been written
heretofore, nor is his life given in the various collective records of
the lives of British medical men, such as Aikin, etc.[2] The same
neglect of him occurs in the "Dictionary of National Biography," where
in view of the national importance of the Spas of this country, a
biography of Deane might not unreasonably be expected. Here and there
one is able to glean some small scraps of information about him, but the
result of all the gleanings from contemporary records, so far, can be
condensed in a very small compass. It does not seem amiss therefore to
record here what is known of the "father of Harrogate" albeit at present
unrecognized by his off-spring.
Deane was descended from a family who for many generations lived at
Saltonstall, a hamlet in Warley in the parish of Halifax, and whose
history appears to have been quite uneventful.[3] Owing to the frequency
with which the same Christian names occur in the Parish Registers, it is
by no means easy to identify the several families of the name of Deane,
but in 1612 the family from which the author of "Spadacrene Anglica" was
descended, recorded in the College of Arms a short entry of pedigree, of
which a copy is appended. His parents were Gilbert Deane of Saltonstall
and Elizabeth, daughter of Edmund Jennings of Seilsden in Craven, and
their family consisted of four sons, viz. Gilbert, Richard, Edmund and
Symon (twins). The date of birth of Edmund is not known, but the entry
of baptism is on 23rd of March 1572.[4] The mother seems to have died at
their birth, for the date of her funeral is but two days' later.[5]
Gilbert Deane of Saltonstall,-+-..... dau. of .....
Co. York | Horsfold under the
| bank, near Heptonstall
|
+---------------+------------+-------------------------+--+
| | | |
Richard Deane Gilbert Deane of-+-Elizabeth dau. William 3
s.p. Saltonstall | of Edm. Jennings Roger 4
| of Seilsden in Craven
|
+-----------------------+------+----+-----------------------+--+
| | | | |
Gilbert Richard Edmund Deane--Anne Michaell
Deane -+-Susan Deane, of the City dau of Symon s.p.
| dau of Bishop of of York, ... Faurie
| ... Bentley Ossory in Doctor of of Leicester,
| Ireland Phisick & Widow of
| Marmaduke
| Haddesley of
| Hull, Alderman
+------------------+
|
John Deane, son & heir.
Of the brothers of Edmund, Gilbert, the eldest, apparently lived at
Saltonstall, and it was his son, John Deane, who eventually became the
chief beneficiary under the Will of Edmund. Symon (or Michaell Symon),
the twin brother, died at the age of seven years. His remaining brother,
Richard, born in 1570, entered Merton College, Oxford, in 1589, and in
1609 succeeded Dr. Horsfall as Bishop of Ossory. He died in 1614.
Edmund also entered Merton College, matriculating 26th March, 1591, and
took the degree of B.A. on the 11th of December, 1594. He then "retired
to St. Alban's Hall, where prosecuting his geny which he had to the
faculty of physic" he was licensed to practise medicine on the 28th
March, 1601, subsequently taking his degrees of M.B. and M.D. as a
member of that hall on the 28th of June, 1608. He was incorporated at
Cambridge in 1614. After taking his degrees in medicine he retired to
York and practised in that city till his death in 1640.[6]
Nothing further is known of his life in York, except that Camidge[7]
states that he occupied a house adjoining the residence of Mr. Laurence
Rawden in the street called Pavement, a name, it has been suggested[8],
derived from the Hebrew Judgement seat "in a place that is called the
Pavement,"--this being that part of the City of York where punishment
was inflicted and where the Pillory was a permanent erection. It is not
unreasonable to suppose that this fact was responsible for Deane's
tender pity for the "poore prisoners" in his Will.
In 1626, Deane published his "Spadacrene Anglica" which is here
reprinted. "Spadacrene Anglica" is a model of lucid and logical
exposition. It provides a quaint and interesting epitome of the medical
opinion of the day, but it is of more special interest as the source for
the earliest history of the Harrogate waters. Its importance from this
particular standpoint will be considered later.
Later in the same year Michael Stanhope published his "Newes out of
Yorkshire," and in this book he gives a lively description of his
journey with Deane to the Well "called at this day by the country
people, Tuit Well, it seemes for no other cause but that those birdes
(being our greene Plover) do usually haunt the place." The following
extract of the first recorded visit to Harrogate will, I think, be of
interest.
"In the latter end of the summer 1625, being casually with Dr. Dean
(a Physitian of good repute at his house at York, one who is far
from the straine of many of his profession, who are so chained in
their opinion to their Apothecary Shops, that they renounce the
taking notice of any vertue not confined within that circuit) he
took occasion to make a motion to me (the rather for that he
remembered I had been at the Spa in Germany) of taking the aire,
and to make our rendez-vouz at Knaresbrough to the end wee might be
the better opportuned to take a view of the Tuit-well (whereof he
had sparingly heard) for that it was by some compared to the so
much fam'd Spa in Germany. I was not nice to give way to the
summons of his desire: the match was soon made, and the next day,
accompanied with a worthy Knight and judicious admirer, and curious
speculator of rarities, and three other physitians of allowable
knowledge, we set forwards for Knaresbrough, being about fourteen
miles from Yorke. We made no stay at the towne, but so soone as we
could be provided of a guide, we made towards the Well, which we
found almost two miles from the Towne. It is scetuate upon a rude
barren Moore, the way to it in a manner a continual ascent. Upon
our first approach to the Spring we were satisfied that former
times had taken notice of it, by reason it was encloased with
stone, and paved at the bottome, but withal we plainely perceived
that it had been long forgotten[9], which the filth wherewith it
was choaked did witnesse, besides that through neglect the current
of other waters were suffered to steale into it. Before any
peremptory triall was made of it, it was thought fit first to
clense the Well, and to stop the passage of any other waters
intermixture, which within the compasse of an hour we effected. The
bottom now cleared, we plainely descried where the waters did
spring up, and then the Physitians began to try their experiments.
But, first of all I dranke of it and finding it to have a perfect
Spa relish (I confesse) I could not contain but in a tone louder
than ordinary I bad them welcome to the Spa. Presently they all
took essai of it, and though they could not denie, but that it had
a different smack from all other common waters, most confessing
that it did leave in the pallate a kinde of acidnesse, yet the
better to be assured whether it did partake with Vitrioll, the
prime ingredient in the natural Spa, they mixed in a glasse the
powder of Galls with this water, knowing by experience if this
Minerall had any acquaintance with the Spring, the powder would
discolour the water and turne it to a Claret die; wherein they were
not deceived, for presently (to their both wonder and joy) the
water changed colour, and seemed to blush in behalf of the Country,
who had amongst them so great a jewell and made no reckoning of
it.... You may suppose (being met together at our Inne, where we
found ourselves very well accomodated for our provision) we could
finde no other talke but of this our new Spa.... Three days after
our return to York, Dr. Deane (whose thirst for knowledge is not
superficially to be satisfied) by the consent of his
fellow-physitians sent for a great quantity of the water in large
violl glasses, entending partly by evaporation and partly by some
other chimical means to experiment it...."
It would certainly appear from a perusal of the above, that at the
latter end of the year 1625, Deane knew little of the medicinal value
of the English Spaw. But such a conclusion is entirely opposed to the
dedication and text of "Spadacrene Anglica," which clearly indicates
that Deane was a close personal friend of the eminent physicians Dr.
Timothy Bright, and Dr. Anthony Hunton of Newark-upon-Trent, who for
years had been recommending the waters to their friends and patients.
Moreover Deane himself had paid many visits to the English Spaw with the
physicians of York, and had been at last induced to commit his knowledge
to print. Is it permissible to use imaginative license and see in Deane
a humorist who persuaded Stanhope "of taking the aire" while professing
no intimate knowledge of the spring, yet going the length of taking the
powder of Galls in his pocket to produce a stage effect, which he had
never found to fail?[10]
Stanhope readily adopts the plover origin of the name Tuewhit, but the
silence of Deane is suggestive of his doubt, and especially so as he
mentions the pigeons haunting the sulphur springs as "an arguement of
much salt in them." There is no obvious reason of this kind for the
plovers frequenting the Tuewhit Well in preference to any other spring
in the neighbourhood.
In 1630, Deane published a number of Tracts which had been left more or
less incomplete by Samuel Norton. His share in the authorship of the
different tracts varies. The titles of one or two will sufficiently
indicate the nature of the subjects, and it can be seen that his studies
included the philosophical stone, and other subjects receiving attention
at the present time, such as "culture pearls."
"Mercurius Redivivus, seu modus conficiendi Lapidem Philosophicum."
"Saturnus Saturatus Dissolutus et Coelo restitutus, seu modus
componendi Lapidem Philosophicum ... e plumbo...."
"Metamorphosis Lapidem ignobilium in gemmas quasdam pretiosas, seu modus
transformandi perlas parvas ... in magnas et nobilis ..." etc. etc.
Edmund Deane married twice, first to Anne, widow of Marmaduke Haddersley
of Hull; the date is not known, though it was before the entry of
pedigree was recorded in 1612. In 1625, he had a license at York to
marry Mary Bowes of Normanton at Normanton. There does not appear to
have been a family by either of his wives.
He died in 1640, and was buried in St. Crux Church, York. This church
was demolished about the year 1885, as it was considered structurally
unsafe, but there does not appear to have been any memorial erected to
him in the church. The manuscript Registers of the Parish of St. Crux
are in the College of Arms: the manuscript extracts do not commence
until the year 1678. His Will, however, is preserved. It is dated 30th
of Oct. 1639, and was proved at York on the 14th of April, 1640.
In a biography it should be the task of the writer to visualise the
personality of his subject as well as to record merely the material
events of his life. In this instance it would be quite impossible to do
so from lack of material, but yet from his works, and from the opinion
held of him by Michael Stanhope, and last, but not least, from the
contents of his own Will, I think some picture can be painted of him. A
man of learning is shown from his writings: a perusal of "Spadacrene
Anglica" will exhibit both the clearness of his intellect and the
forcibleness of his style. For many years he successfully practised
medicine at York. He was held in high esteem among his professional
brethren, and was recognized by them as a leader in the profession with
a broad mind, ready to listen to and investigate new ideas. His
personality is fully and finely revealed in his Will, and as this is the
only biography, as it were, written by himself, I append an extract from
it, so that he may speak for himself.
In the name of God, Amen.
I Edmund Deane of the Cittye of Yorke Doctor of Phisicke being some
what weake of bodye, yett in good & pfect remembrance of mynd &
understanding (praised be God therefore) and calling to mynd the
uncertainety of this my naturall life & my mortality, not knowing
howe soone I shall laye downe this my earthly Tabernackle & be
gathered to sleepe in the grave wth my fathers doe therefore
accordinge to the holy Ghost directions make, constitute, ordayne &
declare this my last Will and Testament for the better setleing of
peace & concord amongst my wife, friends & kindred heareby
revokeing in acte, deede and in lawe all other former Wills &
testaments whatsoever. In manner & forme following.
That is to say first & principally I comend & bequeath my soule
unto the ever blessed hands of Almighty God my heavenly father my
maker & creator, whoe out of his meer mercy, free will & love to
mankinde & to me in pticuler did vouchsafe to send his onely
begotten sonne before all eternity, Christ Jesus the pmissed
Messias into this world to save sinners (whereof w^th S^t. Paull I
confesse my selfe the greatest) to laye downe his life for mankinde
& that he dyed for me & for my salvac̅on, & that he rose againe
the third day for my iustificac̅on, that where he now is, I shall
be there alsoe after my dissolution & I hope & looke to be saved
only by his mirritts, death & passion alone, & by noe other meanes
whatsoever, & when itt shall please Almighty God to putt an end &
period to these my dayes here on earth, ending this my pilgrimage,
and layeing downe this my earthly Tabernackle.
Then I comitt & bequeath this my nowe liveing body to the earth
from whence itt came, & the same to be buryed (yf I fortune to dye
in Yorke or otherwise yf itt may be done wth convenyency) in the
p'ish Church of St. Crux w^{th}in the said Citty of Yorke in the
Chancell of the said Church & to be enterred as neare as may be
unto the body of my late dearely beloved wife Anne Deane deceased
w^{th}out any bowelling or embalmeing, & there to be decently
enterred by toarch light, w^{th}out any further funerall pompe or
solempnity whatsoever, beinge (as I thinke) a custome not
altogeither laudable to banquett & feast att funeralls w^ch rather
ought to be a tyme of mourneing, then banqueting and feasting
w^th said body of myne I knowe & beleive assuredly that I shall
rise againe att the last day, & be reunited & ioyned againe unto my
soule & that itt shall be made like unto Christ his glorious body,
that where he is, there I shall be alsoe liveing and reigneing w^th
him in his everlasting kingdome for ever.
Now concerning my temporall Estate w^ch God in his mercy hath
vouchsafed to bestowe on me (or rather lent me as his steward) I
bequeath it thus as followeth
First I give & bequeath to Mr. Roger Belwood my pastor thirty
shillings.
Item I give to the poore people of the Cittye of Yorke three pounds
XX^s whereof to be distributed to the poore of the Warde where I
now live and the remmant to the poore of the other three Wardes
equally to be divided.
Item I give to the poore prisoners of the castle of Yorke XX^s and
to the poore prisoners on Ousebridge called the Kidcoate X^s and to
the poore prisoners of S^t. Peters prison in Yorke X^s.
Item I give to the poore people of the old hospitall or massing
dewes of the Citty of Yorke thirty shillings. Item whereas....
Item my Will meaninge and harty desire is that my nowe loveing wife
Mary Deane shall & may quietly have & enjoye all her widdowe rights
whatsoever according to this pvince of Yorke w^{th}out any further
trouble molestac̅on or vexac̅on or suite in lawe and that my
Executor shall not make any claime to any such goods or plate as
she the said Mary had in her former widdowhood & brought w^th her
to me att her marriage w^th me. Item I give to my said nowe loveing
wife as a legacy my coatch horses & furniture & what hay or oates,
coales, turfes & fuell shall be in my howse att my death. Item I
give....
Item I give to Margery Smeton yf shee be my servant at my death
forty shillings and to each other of my servants att my death tenn
shillings.
All the rest of my goods & chattells unbequeathed, my debts and
funerall expenses discharged I give and bequeath to my loveing
nephewe Mr. John Deane of Saltonstall Atturney in his Maty Court of
Com̅on Pleas att Westminster & eldest sonne of my late brother
Gilbert Deane of Saltonstall deceased w^ch said John Deane I doe
ordayne constitute & make my sole & onely Executor of this my last
Will & Testament
And for as much as most of my Estate doth consist in debts, w^ch
will require tyme for gathering in, my Will & meaneing is that this
my said executor shall have twelvemonethes tyme for the payment of
the greater legacies....
And further my meaneing is That for as much as my said Executor
John Deane by Gods pvidence is likely to be lame by a fall & not to
live & followe his profession as an Atturney to London (but as it
weare undone) whome I have made my onely & sole Executor of this my
last Will & Testament. Therefore all my nephews & kindred may know
I have given them small legacy to doe him good
In Witness.... etc.
In "Spadacrene Anglica" Deane mentions that "out of the divers fountains
springing hereabouts" five are worthy the observation of physicians.
These are--
1.--The Dropping Well.
2.--The Sulphur Well at Bilton Park.
3.--The Sulphur Well near Knaresborough.
4.--The Sulphur Well at "Haregate head."
5.--The Tuewhit Well, or The English Spaw.
The number of springs worthy the observation of physicians has largely
increased and the relative importance of the five mentioned has altered
considerably since Deane wrote. But in 1626, The Tuewhit Well, or The
English Spaw, was regarded as the most worthy of fame. This well,
according to the later writers, was discovered by Captain (afterwards
Sir) William Slingsby:--in Chapter 6 of "Spadacrene Anglica," however, a
Mr. William Slingsby is given as the discoverer.
"The first discoverer of it to have any medicinall quality (so far
forth as I can learn), was one Mr. William Slingesby, a Gentleman
of many good parts, of an ancient and worthy Family neere thereby:
who having travelled in his younger time, was throughly acquainted
with the taste, use, and faculties of the two Spaw fountaines. In
his latter time, about 55 yeeres agoe it was his good fortune to
live for a little while at a grange house very neare to this
fountaine, and afterwards in Bilton Parke all his life long."
From this it appears that the discovery was made by Mr. William Slingsby
in his later years, about the year 1571, but if the Mr. William Slingsby
here referred to was Sir William Slingsby he would have been a youth of
some 8 or 9 years in 1571. Secondly, one would judge from the text that
the Mr. William Slingsby referred to by the writer was dead at the time
that he wrote, namely 1626, whereas, as a matter of fact, Sir William
Slingsby was alive until the year 1634. Thirdly, it is impossible to
conceive that Edmund Deane would refer to Sir William Slingsby as Mr.
William Slingsby, seeing that the former was knighted in 1603, or 23
years prior to the publication of Deane's work. It is therefore
abundantly clear that Sir William Slingsby--a very gallant
gentleman--has no claim to the fame which history has insisted upon
according him.
The fact is that the Mr. William Slingsby referred to[11] was the fourth
son of Thomas Slingsby of Scriven, who married Joan, daughter of Sir
John Mallory of Studley, and who had a family of six sons and four
daughters. The name of the eldest son was Francis, and, as just
mentioned, William was the fourth son. Sir William Slingsby was the
seventh son of Francis and the nephew therefore of Mr. William Slingsby.
Mr. William Slingsby was buried at Knaresborough on the 8th of Oct.,
1606, but the date of his birth does not seem to have been recorded. His
elder brother, Francis, died in 1600 at the age of 78, so that he was
born in 1522. It is not unreasonable to suppose that William, his
brother, one of a large family, was born between the years 1525 and
1527. He would therefore be somewhere between 44 and 46 years of age,
when he discovered the medicinal qualities of the Tuewhit Well, which
equally accords with Deane's statement that in his younger days he had
travelled in Germany.
So far as I can trace, Hargrove[12] is the first author to confuse the
uncle and the nephew. He writes that the well
"was discovered by Capt. William Slingsby, about the year 1571.
This Gentleman, in the early part of his life, had travelled in
Germany, where he made himself acquainted with the Spaws of that
country. He lived sometime at Grange House, near the Old Spaw, from
whence he removed to Bilton Park, where he spent the remainder of
his days. He made severall trials of this water, and finding it
like the German, he walled it about, and paved it at the bottom,
leaving a small opening for the free access of the water. Its
current is always near the same, and is about the quantity of the
Sauvenir, to which Mr. Slingsby thought it preferable."
From this quotation it is clearly apparent that Hargrove erroneously
inferred that Mr. Slingsby and Capt. Slingsby were the one and the same
person instead of being uncle and nephew. In the 3rd edition of the
"History of Knaresborough," published in 1782, the reference to Mr.
Slingsby is omitted and from that edition onwards, Captain Slingsby
appears as the discoverer of the Tuewhit Well in 1571, a discovery
clearly inconsistent with the fact that he was born in the year 1562.
The source of Hargrove's information in the above quotation is, without
doubt, the summary of "Spadacrene Anglica," published by Dr. Short in
1734 in his History of Mineral waters.[13] The summary by Short of
Chapter 6 of "Spadacrene Anglica" is as follows:--
"This fifth Spaw is a Mile and half from Knaresburgh, up a very
gentle ascent, near Harrigate, has much the same Situation as the
foresaid Spaws in Germany. It was discovered first about fifty
years ago, by one Mr. William Slingsby, who had travelled in
Germany in his younger Years, seen, and been acquainted with
theirs; and as he was of an ancient Family near the place, so he
had fine Parts and was a capable Judge. He lived some time at a
Grange-House near it; then removed to Bilton-Park, where he spent
the rest of his Days. He, using this Water yearly, found it exactly
like the German Spaw. He made several Tryals of it, then walled it
about, and paved it in the bottom with two large Stone-flags, with
a Hole in their sides for the free Access of the Water, which
springs up only at the bottom, through a Chink or Cranny left on
purpose. Its current is always near the same, and is about the
quantity of the Sauvenir, to which Mr. Slingsby thought it
preferable being more brisk and lively, fuller of Mineral Spirits,
of speedier Operation; he found much benefit by it. Dr. Tim.
Bright, about thirty years ago, first gave it the name of the
English Spaw: Having spent some time at those in Germany, he was
Judge of both; and had so good an Opinion of ours, that he sent
many Patients hither yearly, and every Summer drank the Waters
himself. And Dr. Anthony Hunter, late Physician at
Newark-upon-Trent, often chided us Physicians in York, for not
writing upon it, and deservedly setting it upon the Wings of Fame."
A more consistent form has been given to the error by Grainge, who in
1862 published a memoir of the Life of Sir William Slingsby, Discoverer
of the first Spaw at Harrogate. Grainge, like Hargrove, had only access
to Short's summary, but he sees the difficulty to which I have alluded,
for he writes[14]:--
"From the uncertain expression of the Dr. 'about 50 years ago' the
date of this discovery is generally fixed in the year 1576, though
it is probably twenty years or more too early, as at that time
Slingsby would only be fourteen years of age: and could not have
travelled much in Germany or elsewhere: while the expression 'in
his younger days' would infer that the discovery was not made until
he had attained middle age at least."
Grainge accordingly dates Captain (or Sir) William Slingsby's discovery
to 1596 or later, the origin of the expression "near the close of the
16th Century" of the recognised history.
In the first place Dr. Short is inaccurate in that Deane states it was
discovered "55" years ago, and not "50." In the second place, the only
authority whom Grainge could rely upon was Deane, either directly or
indirectly, and Deane could not have made the discoverer to be a boy of
nine years of age (not fourteen) for he must have known Sir William
Slingsby, a contemporary. Finally, Grainge only consulted the summary of
"Spadacrene Anglica" and not the actual work, and it is to be noted that
Deane in Chapter 6 says the first discoverer "so far forth as I can
learn." These words are not in the summary, but they show that Deane had
given care to his work, and if Sir William Slingsby had been the
discoverer, Deane could have obtained his information at first hand, and
would have given Sir William Slingsby as his authority.
Grainge was an eminent and careful historian, and he has written a
number of valuable works. He had the acumen to see that Sir William
Slingsby could not possibly have been the discoverer in 1571, and it is
fairly certain that if he had had access to Deane's work, he would have
rectified the error as regards Sir William, instead of questioning the
accuracy of Deane's statement.
Little has been added to the account of Mr. William Slingsby as given by
Deane, but it has been shown at any-rate that the facts of his life fit
in perfectly with that account.
The medicinal qualities of the Tuewhit Well having been discovered by
Mr. William Slingsby in or about the year 1571, this gentleman did
"drink the water every yeare after all his life time" and averred that
"it was much better, and did excell the tart fountaines beyond the
seas." Much pains were taken to bring the waters into notoriety in the
interests of humanity, and by reason of a pardonable national pride that
the country could boast of a health resort in every way comparable with
the famous German health resort of Spa. Chief among these early
advocates of this home fountain was Dr. Timothy Bright, who is
responsible for naming the well the "English Spa," which name was
apparently adopted by the gentry partaking of the water, whereas the
common folk still cling to the ancient name of Tuewhit Well.
Timothy Bright has had a varied literary history. For about three
centuries he was almost entirely forgotten, and some of his works even
ascribed to purely imaginary authors. In recent years full justice has
been done to his name as the "father of shorthand" following the
publication by J.H. Ford in 1888 of the tercentenary edition of his work
entitled "Characterie," and since that year there has been much written
of him. The curious may therefore consult the works mentioned in the
footnote,[15] but it will suffice for my purpose to give a brief sketch
of his life, not as the "father of shorthand," but as one of the
fathers of Harrogate.
Timothy Bright was born in Cambridge in the year 1551, matriculated in
Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1565, and took his B.A. in 1567-8. He
then went to Paris to study medicine, and in 1572 narrowly escaped the
Massacre at Paris on St. Bartholomew's Eve by taking shelter at the
house of Sir Francis Walsingham, the English ambassador. Returning to
England he graduated M.B. in 1574 and M.D. in 1579. In 1584 he was well
launched on his medical career, for he was the physician at St.
Bartholomew's Hospital. By this time he had achieved some reputation as
a writer and had obtained the friendship of the powerful Cecil Lord
Burghley, Sir Francis Walsingham and Sir Philip Sidney, which probably
explains how his now famous work "Characterie" was in 1588 dedicated to
Queen Elizabeth. His connection with these powerful personages led to a
change in his profession and incidentally to his connection with
Harrogate, for on July 5th, 1591, the Queen presented him to the Rectory
of Methley in Yorkshire, and on the 30th of Dec., 1594, also to the
Rectory of Barwick in Elmet in the same county. He held both these
livings till his death, which took place in 1615. By his Will he left
his body "to be buried when and where it shall please God." He was no
mean linguist for he bequeathed his Hebrew Bible and a Syriac Testament
as well as Greek, Latin and Italian works to his brother. His books of
Phisick and Philosophie he bequeathed to his sonne Titus Bright, M.D. He
was fond of music and possessed the standard work on harmony by Joseph
Zarlino. This he left, along with some instruments of music, a Theorbo
and an Irish harp, "which I most usuallye played upon" to his brother.
In spite of the fact that he took holy orders, it is evident from
"Spadacrene Anglica" that he was held in high esteem as a physician
(albeit non-practising) by his contemporaries in Yorkshire, and his
travel abroad in Germany well fitted him for the post of advocate, which
from humane and patriotic motives he assumed on behalf of the English
Spa.
Deane states that Bright first gave the name of English Spaw "about
thirty years since, or more," that is, in 1596 or earlier. This would
seem to indicate that Bright's association with Harrogate began shortly
after he was presented to the Rectory of Barwick in Elmet in 1594.
Dr. Bright was a prolific writer and the names of his works are given in
a footnote.[16] Some of his books passed through several editions.
Burton's "Anatomy of Melancholy" is said to have been suggested by his
"Treatise of Melancholy," and Shakespere was evidently acquainted with
his book, "Characterie, an Arte of shorte, swifte and secrete Writing by
Character."
"This is not my writing,
Though, I confess, much like the character"
Twelfth Night. Act V, Sc. 1.
"All my engagements I will construe to thee,
All the characterie of my sad brows."
Julius Cæsar. Act ii, Sc. 1.
Hargrove appears also to be the earliest to assert that Bright was the
first writer on Harrogate. In his "History of Knaresborough" it is
merely stated "soon after its discovery Dr. Bright wrote on its virtues
and uses."[17] There is no authority for that assertion in any of the
works of Dr. Bright mentioned in the footnote, and the only evidence in
support of Hargrove is that given by Wheater,[18] who writes:--
"Dr. Bright was first to rush into description and he acquits
himself with true Elizabethan flavour. He observes regarding the
water that 'It occasions the retention of nothing that should be
evacuated and by relaxation evacuates nothing that should be
retained. It dries nothing but what's too moist and flaccid, and
heats nothing but what's too cold, and e contra: that though no
doubt there are some accidents and objections to the contrary, it
makes the lean fat, the fat lean, cures the cholic and the
melancholy, and the vapours: and that it cures all aches speedily
and cheereth the heart.' Such a recommendation," &c.
This quotation, which is apparently the only evidence in support of
Hargrove's assertion that Bright wrote the first account of the English
Spa, is not taken from Bright's writings at all, but from Dr. Short's
summary of "The Yorkshire Spaw." "The Yorkshire Spaw" was a treatise
written by Dr. John French in 1652, and so far therefore from being
written by Dr. Bright, was actually written thirty-seven years after
Bright's death.
It is perhaps only fair to the memory of both Hargrove and Wheater to
state that neither of them would have fallen into this error if they had
had the privilege of reading Deane's dedication to "Spadacrene Anglica,"
in which he states that Dr. Bright intended to write an account "in case
hee had longer lived." No edition after the original edition contains
this dedication, for, as will be shown later, this very important part
of Deane's work was omitted by John Taylor in the second edition and was
not restored in any of the later. Moreover it is quite clear from the
dedication of Taylor's edition, in 1649 that copies of the original
edition were even then unobtainable, owing probably to the commotions
which had accompanied the civil war.
I may here therefore emphasise the good service that has been done to
restore the true history of the medicinal waters of Harrogate, by the
reprinting of the original edition of "Spadacrene Anglica" by my friend
Dr. Rutherford.
Before passing to the Bibliography of "Spadacrene Anglica," a brief
mention must be made of Michael Stanhope, Esquire, whose two books did
much to add to the celebrity of the English Spa, and were afterwards
associated with the later editions of "Spadacrene Anglica." His first
work was published towards the end of 1626, and is entitled,
"Newes out of Yorkshire, or an account of a journey, in the true
discovery of a sovereigne Minerall, Medicinal Water in the
West-Riding of Yorkeshire, neere an Ancient Towne called
Knaresbrough, not inferior to the Spa in Germany. Also a taste of
Other Minerall Waters of severall natures adjoyning" By M.S.
Ecclest. 38. 4. The Lord hath created Medicines out of the Earth:
he that is wise will not despise them.
A large extract has already been given from this book, which was
dedicated "To the Right Honourable, the Vertuous, and Religious Lady,
the Lady Katherine Stanhope, wife to the Lord Philip Stanhope, Baron of
Shelford."
Stanhope's other work was entitled,
"Cures without Care, or, a summons to all who finde little or no
help by the use of ordinary physick to repaire to the Northerne
Spa. Wherein by many Presidents of a few late yeares, it is
evidenced to the world, that infirmities in their own nature
desperate and of long continance have received perfect recovery in
the west Riding of Yorkshire. Also a description of the said water,
and of other rare and usefull springs adjoyning, the nature and
efficacie of the Mineralls contained in them, with other not
impertinent notes. Faithfully collected for the publique good by M.
St."
Tibul. "felix quicunque dolore
alterius disces posse carere tuo,"
London, 1632.
Stanhope dedicated this work "To The Right Honourable, Thomas Lord
Wentworth, etc., Lord President of his Majesties Council established in
the North." Lord Wentworth is better known as the Earl of Strafford, and
was beheaded in 1642. In it is contained a catalogue of persons who
have received either benefit or cure by the waters.
An abridgement of the two works of Stanhope was made by John Taylor and
published in 1649 under the title "Spadacrene Anglica ... Treatise of
the learned Dr. Deane and the sedulous observations of the ingenious
Michael Stanhope, Esquire." The ingenious Michael Stanhope, Esquire,
also appears in the 1654 edition, but in that published in 1736,
Stanhope appears as Dr. Stanhope. Short[19] seems to have been the first
to make Stanhope a member of the medical profession. His opinion was
soon adopted by others, and has apparently never been questioned. After
a perusal of "Newes out of Yorkshire" and "Cures without Care," it is
difficult to understand how Short arrived at his conclusion, for the
internal evidence is entirely opposed to it. Even in the extract from
"Newes out of Yorkshire" already quoted, it is obvious that Stanhope
dissociates himself from the physicians with the party, for he writes,
"then the physitians began to try their experiments," "three other
physitians of allowable knowledge," and he refers to Deane as "one who
is far from the straine of many of his profession." This extract was
selected for an entirely different purpose, yet it is clearly not the
language of a fellow-physician in practice in York. Short himself
partially recognizes this. He only summarised "Cures without Care," and
he justly remarks of the cures therein related that "some whereof are
perhaps the greatest and most remarkable in the Authentic Records of
Physic down from Hippocrates to this day." Short writes fully a century
after "Cures without Care" was published, whereas Taylor was a
Apothecary in York and a contemporary of both Deane and Stanhope there,
and is accordingly the best authority on the status of Stanhope.
Sir Michael Stanhope, Knt.,-+
had a grant of Shelford |
Manor: beheaded in 1552 |
|
|
+-----------------+------------------------------+
| | |
Sir Thomas Stanhope-+ Sir Edward Stanhope Other
of Shelford, Knt., | of Grimston, 2nd son,-+ issue
died 1596 | M.P. for Co. York |
| |
+-------------+----+ +------------+-----+---------+
| | | | |
Sir John Stanhope-+ Other George Michael Other
of Elvaston | issue Stanhope, D.D. Stanhope issue
| Precentor of York,
| Buried 26/7/1644
|
+----------+---------------------------------------------+
| |
Sir Philip Stanhope, Knt. ----+-Katherine, daur. of Other
Cr. Baron of Shelford, 7/11/1616 | Francis, Lord Hastings issue
and Earl of Chesterfield, 4/8/1628 |
Died 1656, Aged 71 |
|
A clue to the identity of Stanhope offers itself in the dedication of
"Newes out of Yorkshire" to Lady Katherine Stanhope, wife to the Lord
Philip Stanhope, afterwards the Earl of Chesterfield. An outline of the
pedigree of the Stanhope family was obtained from the College of Arms
and is here partly reproduced to show the relationship of Stanhope to
Lady Katherine Stanhope.
A Michael Stanhope entered Christ's College, Cambridge, in 1597-8, and
Gray's Inn in 1593-4, but there is no evidence to identify him with
Michael Stanhope the second son of Sir Edward Stanhope, and the author
of "Newes out of Yorkshire" and "Cures without Care." It may be
mentioned that in the latter book, Stanhope discovers and describes the
well at present known as John's well.
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF "SPADACRENE ANGLICA."
1626.
First Edition.
1649.
"Spadacrene Anglica," the English Spaw, or The Glory of Knaresborough.
Springing from Severall famous Fountaines there adjacent, called the
Vitrioll, Sulphurous, and dropping Wells: and also other Minerall
Waters. Their nature, Physical use, Situation and many admirable Cures
being exactly exprest in the subsequent Treatise of the learned Dr. Dean
and the sedulous observations of the ingenious Michael Stanhope,
Esquire. Wherein it is proved by Reason and Experience, that the
Vitrioline Fountain is equall (and not inferior) to the Germaine Spaw.
Aris[t]on men udôr. Published (with other additions) by John
Taylor, Apothecary in York, and there printed by Tho: Broad, etc., 1649.