observed to have them either in such plentie, or
variety in so small a distance, as this. For here is found not onely
white and yellow marle, plaister, oker, rudd, or rubricke, free-stone,
an hard greet-stone, a soft reddish stone, iron-stone, brimstone,
vitreall, nitre, allum, lead, copper, (and without doubt diverse
mixtures of these) but also many other mineralls might (perhaps) be
found out by the diligent search and skilfull industrie of those, who
would take paines to labour a little herein.

All which do manifestly demonstrate, that nature hath stored this little
territorie with a greater diversitie of hidden benefits, then great and
spacious Countries otherwise abounding in outward native commodities,
and that the fountaines, or springs of water hereabouts cannot otherwise
then participate of their severall natures, and properties.

_CHAP_. 3.

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

As generally most parts of the West Riding of _Yorkeshire_ (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 have gotten and purchased that reputation, as to be saincted:
The one called by the name of Saint _Magnus_, or _Mugnus-Well_: th'
other, that of Saint _Roberts_.

These, formerly for a yeere, or two, have beene in great request in
these parts amongst the common sort, much sought unto by many, and great
concourse of people have daily gathered and flocked to them both neere,
and a farre off, as is most commonly seene, when any new thing is first
found out. _Fama enim grescit eundo_, even unto incredible wonders and
miracles, or rather fictions, and lyes. All which commeth to passe as
wee may well suppose, through our overmuch 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 ever
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
outward.

But for as much, as these are springs of pure, and simple waters
meerely, without any mixture at all of minerals to make them become
medicinable, it is verily thought, that the many & severall cures, which
have bin attributed unto them in those times, when they were so