Spadacrene Anglica Part 2

Twelfth Night. Act V, Sc. 1.

"All my engagements I will construe to thee, All the characterie of my sad brows."

Julius Caesar. Act ii, Sc. 1.

Hargrove appears also to be the earliest to a.s.sert 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 a.s.sertion 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 a.s.sertion 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 Yorks.h.i.+re Spaw." "The Yorks.h.i.+re 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 un.o.btainable, 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 pa.s.sing 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 a.s.sociated with the later editions of "Spadacrene Anglica." His first work was published towards the end of 1626, and is ent.i.tled,

"Newes out of Yorks.h.i.+re, or an account of a journey, in the true discovery of a sovereigne Minerall, Medicinal Water in the West-Riding of Yorkes.h.i.+re, 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 ent.i.tled,

"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 Yorks.h.i.+re. 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 t.i.tle "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 Yorks.h.i.+re" 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 Yorks.h.i.+re" 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 ident.i.ty of Stanhope offers itself in the dedication of "Newes out of Yorks.h.i.+re" 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 relations.h.i.+p 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 Yorks.h.i.+re" 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 udor. Published (with other additions) by John Taylor, Apothecary in York, and there printed by Tho: Broad, etc., 1649.

The important and felicitous letter of dedication in the first edition is discarded, and one of Taylor's own composition, of a very different character is subst.i.tuted for it. In it occurs the following, which is of bibliographical interest: "The importunate desire of my friends has forced me to reprint this little Treatise of Dr. Dean's Spadacrene Anglica, which the vacillation of these distracted and ruinous times had almost lost and obliterated. To this of Dr. Dean's I have added the Observations of Michael Stanhope, Esquire, which I have excerpted forth of his two books of the Spaw."

1654.

"Spadacrene Anglica," etc., York, printed by Tho: Broad, etc., 1654. The t.i.tle is the same as the 1649 reprint, except for the fact that Taylor's name does not appear on it. His dedication is also omitted.

1734.

Thomas Short, M.D., "The Natural, Experimental and Medicinal History of Mineral Waters."

In this volume, there are summaries of Deane's "Spadacrene Anglica": Stanhope's "Cures without Care": and French's "The Yorks.h.i.+re Spaw," etc.

1736.

"Spadacrene Anglica, or The English Spaw." Being An Account of the Situation, Nature, Physical Use, and admirable Cures, performed by the Waters of Harrogate, and Parts adjacent. By the late learned and eminent Physician, Dr. Dean of York, and also the Observations of the ingenious Dr. Stanhope. Wherein it is proved by Reason and Experience the vitrioline Fountain is equal to the German Spaw. To which are added Some Observations (Collected from modern Authors) of the Nature, Vertues and Manner of Using the Sweet and Sulphur Waters at Harrogate, Leeds, etc., 1736.

1921.

The present edition, reprinted from the 1626 edition.

[Footnote 1: "Encyclopaedia Britannica," 11th ed., 1910-11, vol. xiii, page 27.]

[Footnote 2: J. Aikin, "Biographical Memoirs of Medicine in Great Britain from the Revival of Literature to the time of Harvey," 1780. Wm.

MacMichael, "Lives of British Physicians," 1830. T.J. Pettigrew, "Medical Portrait Gallery," 1838. G.T. Bettany, "Eminent Doctors, their Lives and their Works," 1885.]

[Footnote 3: Watson, J., "The History and Antiquities of the Parish of Halifax in Yorks.h.i.+re," 1775.]

[Footnote 4: "The Register of Halifax," Part 1, 1910, page 205.]

[Footnote 5: "The Register of Halifax," Part 2, 1914, page 253, The Yorks.h.i.+re Parish Register Society.]

[Footnote 6: Anthony A. Wood, "Athenae Oxoniensis," ed. Bliss, vol. ii, page 660. "Alumni Oxoniensis," arranged by Joseph Foster. Vol. 1, 1500-1714.]