Spadacrene Anglica: The English Spa FountainDeane, Edmund
History
Spadacrene Anglica: The English Spa Fountain
Deane, Edmund
Health resorts; Mineral waters -- England -- Harrogate -- Early works to 1800
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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