Callirhoe; commonly called the Well of Spa, or the Nymph of Aberdene. ... What diseases may be cured by drinking of the Well of Spa at Aberdene, and wht is the true use thereof. As it was printed by Andro Hart, Anno Dom. 1615. And now reprinted at Aberdene by John Forbes Younger ... MDCLXX / Resuscitat by William Barclay.

  • Younger John Forbes.
Date:
1799
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Callirhoe; commonly called the Well of Spa, or the Nymph of Aberdene. ... What diseases may be cured by drinking of the Well of Spa at Aberdene, and wht is the true use thereof. As it was printed by Andro Hart, Anno Dom. 1615. And now reprinted at Aberdene by John Forbes Younger ... MDCLXX / Resuscitat by William Barclay. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    49/80 (page 15)
    ']5 No. IV. \ Tht Mcrmu'jmnn of Ilacrloni In a history of the Nether.ancls, it is stated, that in the year 1403. the dvkes were broken, near Ctimpvear, by an inundation ; and when the inundation had returned, a Mcrwoman was left in the Derinet—mere ; and the milk maids, who used to cross that .lere in boats, when they went to milk, saw a human head above water, but believed their eyes deceived them, till the re- peated sight confirmed their assurance, whereupon, they resolv- ed one night to watch her, and saw that she repaired to a feggy or flagjv place, where it was ebb, and near the side ; whereupon, early in the morning, they got a great many boats together, and environei the place, in the form of a half moon, and dis- turbed her; bu she, attempting *to get under the boats, and finding her wav stopped up by boats and other things, on pur- pose fastened..began to flounce, and make a hideous deafening noi'e, and with her hands and tail sunk a boat or two;,4tut at last was f'red out and taken. The maids used her kindly, and cleaned the sea-moss and shells from off her, and offered her water, fish, m Ik, bread, See. wiliich she refused ; but, »'ith good usage, in a day or two, they got her to eat and drink, though she endeavoured to make her escape again to sea : her hair was long and blick, her face human, her teeth very strong, her breasts and and belly to the navel were perfect—the low^r parts of her body- ended iri a strong fish tail. The magestrates of Haerlem command- ed her :o be sent to them, the mere being within their jurisdic- tion. When she was brought thither, she was put in the Town- house, and had a dame assigned to teach her; she learned to’spin, and shew devotion to prav’ers; she would laugh, and when the •women came into the Town—house to spin with her for diver- sion, 'he would signify by signs she knew the irmcaning, though she coul ' iie-ver be t ught to speak. She would wear no clothes in summer ; part of her hair was filleted up in a D'uch dress, and part h^ng loiig and naturally. She would have her tail in the water, d.idaccordingly hada pailof water under her chair made on purpose for her. She ate muk, water, bread, butter and fish. She lived thus, out of her element (except her tail) fifteen or sixteen y^ ars. Her portrait was painted on a hoard with oil, and hangs nov/ in the Town-house of Haeriem, wffth a subscription in letters of gold, giving an account when she was taken, how long she lived, when she died, and in w'hat church yard she was buried. THeirannals mention hej, their books have her pic- ture; and travelling painters draw her portrait from the picture in the Town-house. By the above relation the querist m be tati'fied that she exceeds ail the other creatures in cunning and docility that have ever yet been kno-/vn.