Of XF01{ D-S HI%E. w 



ordinary, and therefore unknown texture. Such are thofe in 

 many places accounted fo foveraign for the Eyes, and cure of in- 

 veterate Ulcers, after the ineffe&ual tryals of the bed Chirurgi- 

 ons : Thefe for the moft part, and perhaps not undefervedly, are 

 commonly ftiled Holy-wells^ not only for the good they have for- 

 merly done, but for that they feem to be the immediate gift of 

 God, and defigned for the poor. 



6 8. A very eminent one of thefe there is in the Parifh of Sand- 

 ford, not far from Great Tew, which within the memory of many 

 thereabout, hath done great cures upon putrid and fetid old fores, 

 a long time before given over for incurable. Thefe watershzve 

 with them, according to the obfervations of the ingenious Doftor 

 Beal l ,a kind of aclive fri&ion, but intermingling with their afpe- 

 rities fuch a pleafant titillation, as invites the Patient to rub On 

 the tetfive water, and will all along recompence the pain of fearch- 

 ing the wound, with fuch fpeedy and indulgent degrees of fana- 

 tion, as mitigates the torment with variety of pleafures. 



69. And thus (as I am informed by perfonsof unqueftionable 

 fidelity, that have often ufed them for their eyes, and in fome o- 

 ther cafes) do the waters of St. Crojfts in the Suburbs of Oxford, 

 whofe Well was heretofore, and in fome meafureyet remains, fo 

 confiderable for fuch like purpofes, that the great refort of peo- 

 ple to it has given occafion of change to the name of theParifti, 

 which to this very day we call now nothing but Holy-well. 



70. But of much greater Fame was the Well 0? St. Edward, 

 without St. Clements at Oxford, now quite ftop'd up; but as 'tis 

 remembred by fome of the antienteft of the Parilh,was in the field 

 about a furlong S. S. Weft of the Church ; this at leaft was be- 

 lieved to be fo effe&ual in curing divers diftempers, and there- 

 upon held to be of fo great fanolity, that here they made vows, and 

 brought their alms and offerings ; a cuftom, though common e- 

 nough in thofe days, yet always forbidden by our Anglican Coun- 

 cils , under the name of u/ilpeopjjun^a \Wilveorthunga~\ more right- 

 ly translated Well-worjbip than Will-worjbip, as is plainly made 

 appear by the Reverend and Learned Dr. Hammond^, out of an 

 old Saxon Penitential, and a Saxon Homily ofBi/lop Lupus ; where 

 the word r<f is rather (hewed to fign'ihe font em, than vohntatem. 

 Ag-ainft thefe fuperjiitions Co ordinary in thofe days, there are fe- 



1 PMof.Tranfici-Num.-j j. m CanonUusful>f.dgaroCan.6o- * Annotat.onEpft.ColoJfc. 2.V.23. 



G veral 



