The medicinal powers of divers springs near London had been known for generations, and we find them duly advertised and puffed—Acton Waters, Dullidge and Northall Waters, Lambeth Wells, Sadler's New Tunbridge Wells near Islington, 'at the Musick House by the New River.' The London Spaw, 'at the sign of the Fountain in the parish of St. James's Clarken Well; in the way going up to Islington' ('the Poor may have it Gratis'); whilst in 1702 we find an advertisement: 'This is to give notice, That at the King's Arms Inn in Haughton Street in Clare Market, over against New Inn back Gate, is lately discovered a Spring of Purging Water, known by the name of Holy-well, or the London Water, exceeding for their Cathartic Excellency, all other Purging Waters; working in small quantities without neglect of Business. This Water has been tried and approved of by some of the best Physicians. To be had at the Pump, at the place aforesaid at 2d. the Quart, and to those that buy it to Retail it, at the Usual Rates.'
One of those in the country was Buxton, of which we get the following notice in 1705: 'Whereas the Bath House at Buxton, in Derbyshire, so famous in the North for divers Cures, hath of late Years been mismanaged, by disobliging Persons of Quality and others usually resorting to the said Bath; this is therefore to give Notice to all Persons of Quality and Gentry of Both Sexes, That Care has now been taken, by his Grace the Duke of Devonshire, to remedy the like Treatment, for the future, by sending down from London a fitting and obliging Person sufficiently qualified: So that now all Persons resorting to the said Bath will meet with Civil Usage, and have the best of every thing for Man and Beast at reasonable rates.' Then there were springs at Scarborough, Bury, Astrop, Croft, Holt, and Blurton Spaw Water, which was belauded by Floyer. Of course these are not a tithe of those which were locally famous, but were not pushed into public notoriety.
Foreign mineral waters were in use, but evidently only for medicinal purposes. 'Purging Spaw Waters newly brought over from Germany, to be sold at the Two Golden Images in King Street, near St. James's.' And they were sold at prices varying from 12s. per doz. or 1s. per flask, to 15s. per doz.
Not only were the hot springs of Bath frequented for the purposes of bathing, but the Turkish bath was peculiarly an institution of this reign, and the 'Hummums' or 'Bagnios' were well frequented, until the latter got an evil reputation, and the name of Bagnio came to be regarded as synonymous with a disorderly house. Some of the medical men of the time took up the subject of bathing with relation to health, and, as is generally the case, took opposite views; some advocating cold bathing, like Sir John Floyer and Dr. Ed. Baynard in 'ΨΥΧΡΟΛΟΨΣΙΑ: or, the History of Cold Bathing, Both Ancient and Modern,' 1706, or Dr. Browne, who wrote in 1707 'An Account of the Wonderful Cures perform'd by the Cold Baths. With advice to the Water Drinkers at Tunbridge, Hampstead, Astrope, Nasborough, and all the other Chalibeate Spaws'; whilst others took up the cause of hot bathing, and decried the use of cold water, even in immersion in Baptism, like Guidot, who in 1705 published 'An Apology for the Bath,' having previously printed a Latin tract, 'De Thermis Britannicis.'
Ward describes a visit to the Hummums in Covent Garden with a friend, who suggested to him[550] 'if you will be your Club towards Eight Shillings, we'll go in and Sweat, and you shall feel the effects of this Notable Invention.' Let him tell his experiences in his own words. 'We now began to unstrip, and put ourselves in a Condition of enduring an Hour's Baking, and when we had reduc'd our selves into the Original state of Mankind, having nothing before us to cover our Nakedness, but a Clout no bigger than a Fig leaf, our Guide led us to the end of our Journey, the next Apartment, which I am sure, was as hot as a Pastry Cooks Oven to Bake a White Pot; that I began immediately to melt, like a Piece of Butter in a Basting Ladle, and was afraid I should have run all to Oyl by the time I had been in six Minutes; The bottom of the Room was Pav'd with Freestone; to defend our feet from the excessive heat of which, we had got on a pair of new-fashioned Brogues, with Wooden Soles after the French Mode, Cut out of an Inch Deal Board; or else like the Fellow in the Fair, we might as well have walk'd cross a hot Iron Bar, as ventur'd here to have Trod bare Foot. As soon as the Fire had tapt us all over, and we began to run like a Conduit Pipe, at every Pore, our Rubber arms his Right Hand with a Gauntlet of coarse hair Camlet, and began to curry us with as much Labour, as a Yorkshire Groom does his Master's best Stone Horse; till he made our Skins as Smooth as a Fair Ladies Cheeks, just wash'd with Lemon Posset, and greas'd over with Pomatum. At last I grew so very faint with the expence of much Spirits, that I begg'd as hard for a Mouthful of fresh Air, as Dives did for a drop of Water; which our attendance let in at a Sash-Window, no broader than a Deptford Cheese Cake; but, however, it let in a Comfortable Breeze that was very Reviving: when I had foul'd many Callico Napkins, our Rubber draws a Cistern full of Hot Water, that we might go in, and Boil out those gross Humours that could not be Emitted by Perspiration. Thus, almost Bak'd to a Crust, we went into the hot Bath to moisten our Clay, where we lay Soddening our selves like Deer's Humbles design'd for Minc'd Pies, till we were almost Parboiled ... then after he had wiped me o'er with a dry Clout, telling us we had Sweat enough, he reliev'd us out of Purgatory, and carried us into our Dressing Room; which gave us such Refreshment, after we had been stewing in our own Gravy, that we thought ourselves as happy as a Couple of English Travellers, Transported in an Instant, by a Miracle from the Torrid Zone into their own Country. Our expense of Spirits had weakened Nature and made us drowsie; where having the Conveniency of a Bed, we lay down and were rubb'd like a couple of Race Horses after a Course.'
An advertisement of these baths tells us fully of the extent of the accommodation they afforded. 'At the Hummum's in Covent Garden are the best accommodation for Persons of Quality to Sweat or Bath every day in the week, the Conveniences of all kinds far exceeding all other Bagnios or Sweating Houses both for Rich and Poor. Persons of good Reputation may be accommodated with handsom Lodgings to lye all Night. There is also a Man and Woman who Cups after the Newest and easiest method. In the Garden of the same House is also a large Cold Bath of Spring Water, which, for its Coldness and Delicacy, deserves an equal Reputation with any in use.'
There were also 'John Evans's Hummums in Brownlow Street near Drury Lane,' 'John Pindar's (the German Sweating House) in Westmoreland Court, in Bartholomew Close, near Aldersgate Street,' and 'The Queen's Bagnio in Long Acre,' kept by Henry Ayme, chirurgeon; where not only could you have a bath for 5s., or two or more 4s. each, but there was 'a lesser Bagnio, of a lower Rate, for the Diseased and Meaner Sort.' 'There is no Entertainment for Women after Twelve of the Clock at Night, but all Gentlemen that desire Beds, may have them for Two Shillings per Night, for one single Person, but if two lie together Three Shillings both; which Rooms and Beds are fit for the Entertainment of Persons of the highest Quality, and Gentlemen.'
Then there was the Royal Bagnio in Newgate Street, at the corner of what now is Bath (formerly Bagnio) Street. There was also Pierault's Bagnio, which was in St. James's Street, and was established about 1699. 'The charge of going in is 5s.—if lie all Night 10s. each. Here also is a Cold Bath, for which they take 2s. 6d. each Person.'
The disciples of cold bathing might be suited at 'A Convenient large Cold Bath, that is Erected upon an Excellent Cold Spring, adjoyning to the Bowling Green in Queen Street in the Park, Southwark ... Prices 1s. and 6d.—The Chair 2s.'; and at No. 3 Endell Street was a bath which, tradition says, was used by Queen Anne. It was about twelve or fourteen feet square, and was originally lined with old blue and white Dutch tiles. I can find nothing confirming this tradition, which may or may not have a foundation in fact.