337 
YORKSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY 
200 YEARS AGO. 
{Continued from page Jif). 
3. Leeds also affords us several Waters of the medicinal 
Kind, which, for the Benefit they may afford to our Reader 
occasionally, we shall add, viz. 
1. St. Peter’s Spring, which is intensely cold, and hath 
proved very beneficial to such as are troubled with Rheumatick 
Pains, Weaknesses, Rickets, &c. for which Reason it is much 
frequented by those who were wont formerley to have Recourse 
to St. Mongah’s Well abovesaid. 
2. Eye-bright Well, which stands on a declining Ground, 
near the Monks-pit, carries its Virtues in its Name, being 
found a Sovereign against sore Eyes, as by long Experience the 
People have found. 
3. The Spring at the Skirt of the High Dam, whose Water 
by the Powder of Galls will turn into a purple colour. It hath 
sometimes been drank medicinally with good Effect. 
4. The Spaw on Quarry-hill, whose Virtues surpass all the 
Rest, and are too many particularly to be set down, being a 
Panacea ; The Ducking-stool, or as the Saxons call it scealping- 
stole, is near it. 
4. Fire, as necessary an Element in those Climates as 
either of the former ; and we may observe, that the farther 
North in this Kingdom a County is, the better it is provided 
with Fuel for Fire, and that in such an Abundance, as that the 
more southern Parts, and particularly London, is supplied 
therewith plentifully from thence. In this Riding there are 
three Sorts of Fuel for Fire, viz. Pit-coal, Wood and Turf ; 
Pit-coal is the most plentiful and cheapest, the great Towns 
and Gentlemen’s Houses being chiefly supplied with that, as 
also the Forges for Iron. The Mines for this Fuel must needs 
have been very great, and common antiently, if not still ; 
since, as we have related above, there was in King Hen. VIII. ’s 
Days, twenty-five Coal-mines within ten Miles of Hassel-wood. 
Wood is not so plentiful as antiently, though it is not wanted, 
but is only used upon better Occasions, because Coal is both 
more common and much cheaper. We do not find that there 
are so many and so large Woods proportionably in other Parts 
of this Riding, as there were in K. Hen. VIII. ’s Days, within 
ten Miles of Hasselwood, as we had said above, viz. 275 several 
Woods, and some of them containing 500 Acres ; and yet there 
may be sufficient for all necessary Uses for Building, Shipping, 
and Firing. Turf, as it is the most unwholesome, so nothing 
but Poverty and Necessity can oblige even the meaner Sort of 
People to use it for Firing. We do not find it dug any where 
1014 Nov. 1. 
