indisgestion and rawnesse of stomacke for want of heate it tooke them away with taking of one good cupfull of this water euery morning fasting and so with drinking it continually but that which he dranke euery morning he dranke it cold and yâ—t neuerthelesse hee was healed very well of the flixe which he had many yeeres Iâ— griefes of women the water of Sassafras doeth greatly profite and in especially in that which is called the euil of the Mother and where there is windinesse it consumeth dissâ—â—â—eth it and also any maner of colde of the belâ—y and it dissolueth the swelling of it curing any manner of disease which proceedeth of the Mother And this is so experimented and so put in vse that many haue beene healed with this water that neuer thought to haue recouered health And in the withhelding the Monethly course that commeth not to women this water maketh a meruellous woorke by prouoking and making it come in them that wholie doe lacke it taking one Cuppe ful of this water in the morning drinking it ordinarily at dinner and at supper and in the day tyme being more simple then that in the morning vsing good regiment and dooing other thinges which may helpe the water that it may bee prouoked And vnto them also to whome it doeth not come wel it bringeth manifest profite taking the water in forme as is aforesaide keeping them the tyme that they take it from such thinges as may offende them and beeing vsed it doeth disopilate and make a good colour in the face as it is seene by the experience of them that doe vse it hauing need of it Let them beware if they haue much heate or bee of a hotte complexion in such case let them moderate the quantitie of the wood and the seething of the water as is conuenient and this is easie to be done by seing howe it goeth with them at the beginning with the vse of it and according thereunto they may ryse or fal as it seemeth to be necessarie Some women doe vse of this water for to make them with childe and in some it hath wrought the effect as it is wel knowen That which I can say is that a gentlewoman beeing many yeeres married without hauing children tooke this water for that her husbande vsed it for certayne euilles of Opilations and of an agewe that helde hâ—m with certayne sittes of a double tercian which he had and hee continued with the taking of it in the Morning hotte and at Dinner simple and at Supper and in the day tyme keeping a good gouernement whereby it came to passe that she was with childe and brought foorth a sonne And I vnderstande that one of the principall vertues that this water hath is to dryue away the Mother for this effect for the most parte of women that haue no children is for the greate colde that is ingendered within the Mother which doeth hinder the cause of generation and as the water ryseth it consumeth it comforting the place and dissoluing the windes that are the let of it I am sure that it will manifestly profite as we haue seene in them which doe not bring forth childreÌ„ for hauing too much heate and drieth to whome permit not the vse of this water for because it will not profite them and if they do take it and feele hurt thereof let them not put the fault in the water but in their complexions seing that it is not conuenient for them The vse of this water doeth make fatte and this is certainly knowen for we haue seene many leane and sicke that haue taken it and haue healed of their euils and haue recouered much more flesh better colour as those people that come from the Florida do praise it very much they they al say that the vse of this water doeth make fat and it happeneth so to many and not onely it healeth them of their diseases but also maketh theÌ„ remaine with a good colour And so it seemeth by theÌ„ that come from that country for that they come al fatte and of a good colour who I beleeue as they wâ—re very sick so that they were very leane yellow when as they were healed of their infirmities which they had they gathered fleshe and became of a good colour ingendering in the Liuer good blood by the which the members were â—etter maintayned than when they were sicke And surely it iâ— a greate thing that this water shoulde woorke this effect coâ—sidering that it is hot and â—rye if it were not for the causes that are aboue sayd And I haue seene many that entered iâ— to taâ—e the water of the wood leane and with an euil colour to come foorth strong and fatte and of a good colour eating no otâ—er thing then Resâ—nges Almondes and Bisket In pestilent and contagious diseases which we haue seen in the time of the Pestilence past there were many that desired to drinke it to preserue them from that euill And we did see that none of them which vsed it were wounded of the disease that then reigned Many did vse to carry a peece of the Roote of the Wood with them to smell to it continually as to a Pomander For with the smell so acceptable it did rectifie the infected ayre I carried with mee a peece a great time and to my seeming I found great profite in it For with it with the chewing of the rind of the Cidron nor of the Lemmon in the morning and in the day time to preserue health it haâ—h a great strength and property And it seemeth to me that I was deliuered by the helpe of God from the fire in the which wee that were Phisitions went in blessed be our Lord GOD that deliuered vs from so great euill and gaue vs this most excellent tree called Sassafras which hath so great vertues and worketh such maruellous effectes as we haue spoken of and more which Time wil shewe vs which is the discouerer of all thinges It shall doe well to shewe the quantitie of the wood and also the quantitie of water wherein it shall be sodden to prescribe a rule in waight and measure in effectes and temperatures for them that are hot and others that are colde I will tell you the order that ought to bee kept in taâ—ing the water of this excellent wood which must bee made conformably to the disease of him that shall take it and accordinâ— to the quantitie and compâ—exion of the sicke bodie For vâ—to the Cholerike Person the water ought to bee geuen lesse sodden and with lesse quanâ—itie of wood and to the flegmatike more sodden and with more quantitie of woode So the diseases should be considered of Uâ—to them that are very cold the water ought to be geuen more sodden and with more quantitie of Wood. And vnto them thâ—t be not so colâ—e but doe participate of some heate the water ought to be geuen lesse sodden
fashion of ours sauing that they be somewhat lesse and of the colour and making of ours they haue in the middest of the Beane that doth deuide the two halues one little thinne skinne lyke to the skinne of an oynion They doe take them from theyr shale and from the inner thinne skinne and toste them and make them into pouder and take them 〈◊〉 Wyne and beeing made into pouder and mingled with Sugar one sponeful of the pouder is taken and vppon that a little draught of wyne They doe purge without molestation Choler and Fleame and grosse mixt humors And amongst the Indians they are of great estimation for the easinesse that they haue in the taking of them Many Spaniardes doe purge with them with much securitie and it is a Medicine more easie and gentle than that aforesaide I haue seene many that haue come from those partes purge them therewith and it succeedeth with them very well and purgeth without griefe But they must be aduysed that there be taken from them that little skinne that is in the middest of the twoo halfes of the Beanes For if they take that the strength of it is so much greater and vehement of Uomites and stooles that they put in great hasarde him that shall take them And also they must haue care to coste them for that it doeth prepare thâ—m and delayeth much of the sharpenes and fearsenes which is generall in this Medicine and in all the rest for that to tost them is the true preparation of them After the taking of any of the foresaide Medicines the patient must not sleepe at al it is needful that he keep great watch being purged and in all thinges which in a man purged may be conuenient The Beanes be geuen prepared in Feuers being large and importunate and in diseases of mixt humours beeyng grosse and in the paynes of the ioynts they are an vniuersall Purgation they be hotte in the second degree dry in the first there bee geuen of them from foure too sixe tosâ—ed more or lesse as the obedience and sufferance of the bellie is of him that shall take them Of the milke Pinipinichi IN all the coast of the firme land they take out a certaine kind of milke froÌ„ little trees like to Apple trees which the Indians cal Pinipinichâ— of the which cutting one bough ther commeth forth whereas it is cut a certayne kind of milke somewhat thicke clammy and taking three or foure drops therof it doth purge valiantly by the stoole principally Cholerike Humors and Citrine water and it doth work with much vehemencie and force It must be taken in Wyne or dried into pouder in little quantitie for that the worke thereof is of most strength It hath one property that in eating or drinking of broth or wine or other thing foorthwith it woorketh no longer and he that doth take it hath need to keepe good watch and good order It is hot and dry in the third degree All these Medicines which we haue spoken of be violent and of great force they haue not beene muche vsed sithence the Mechoacan hath come for that in it there is founde a woorke more sure and vnto this not onely we but all the Indians haue runne as vnto a purge most excellent of the which we will treate now Of the Mechoacan THe Mechoacan is a root that it may bee about xxx yeeres that it was discouered in the prouince of the new Spain in the Indias of the Occean Seas it is brought from a Country that is beyonde the greate city of Mexico more then 40. leagues is called Mechoacan the which Sir Fernando Curtes did conquere in the yeere of our Lorde 1524. This is a countrie of much riches of Gold and chiefly of siluer and it is vnderstoode that in all that Countrie is much siluer For more then 200. leagues here those Mynes be so celebrated and of so great riches that they bee called the Cacatecas euery day they discouer in the lande verie riche mines of siluer and some of Golde It is a countrie of good and holesome ayre and doeth bring foorth healthfull hearbes for to heale many diseases insomuch that at the time the Indians had the gouernment therof the inhabiters there rounde about that Prouince came thither too heale their diseases and infirmities For the said causes it is a couÌ„trie very fruitfull and of great abundance of bread wilde foule and fruites It hath many fountaines and some of sweet waters which haue much abundance of fish the Indians of that countrie are of a tauller grouth of better faces than the Borderers are and much more healthfull The Principall place of that Prouince the Indians doe cal in their language Chincicila and the Spaniardes do cal it as they cal that Realme Mechoacan it is a great towne of Indians situated neere to a lake which is of sweete water abounding with very much Fish The same Lake is in fashion of the making of an horseshoe and in the midst therof standeth the Towne the which at this dâ—y hath greate trade of buying and selling for the great Mynes of Plate that are in all that countrie As soone as that Prouince was gotten from the Indians there went thither certain Friers of Sainct Frances order as in a Countrie so far distaunt from theyr naturall soyle some of them fell sicke amongest whom the Warden who was the chief Fryer of the house was one with whome Caconcin Casique an Indian Lorde a man of great power in that Countrie had very great friendship who was Lorde of al that Countrie The father Warden had a long sicknes and was brought in great danger of life the Casique as hee sawe his disease proceede forwarde saide that hee woulde bring him an Indian of his which was a Phisition with whome he did cure himself it might be that he would giue him remedy of his disease The which being hearde of the Frier and seing the little helpe that hee had there and the want of a Phisition with other thinges of benefite he thanked him and desired him that hee woulde bring him vnto him who beeing come and seeing his disease saiâ—e to the Casique that if hee tooke a pouder that he would giue him of a roote that it woulde heale him The which beeing knowen to the Fryer with the desire that he had of health he accepted his offer and tooke the pouder that the Indian Phisition gaue him the nexte day in a little wyne with the which hee did purge so much and wiâ—hout paynes that the same day hee was much lightned and much more from that tyme forward in such sort that he was healed of his infirmitie The rest of the Fryers which were sicke and some Spaniardes that were sicke also did follow the father Wardens cure tooke of the selfesame pouder once or twise as oft as they had neede of it
a wood which maketh the water yellowe and this is not it which doeth profite but that which maketh the water blewe and this hath the couetousnesse of them caused that bring it because they haue seene that it is wel solde in this citie for the manifest profites that it doeth in these griefes of the Urine by tempering the Reines and the Liuer and procuring many other benefits they bring of all the wood that they finde and sell it for wood of the stone The same hath happened in the Mechoacan which when it came to be worth twentie Ducates the pounde they laded so much from thence of it some not being rype other not being right that when it is come hither it woorketh not the effect that thâ— good and wel seasoned wâ—s wont to doe Wherefore it is needfull to see to that which is taken that it bee the same and that it bee well seasoned That which is very whyte is not such as the yellowe is in myne opinion for that which is yellowe wee see that it mâ—keth the better woorke it may bee that the very whyte is not of it or hath not the perfection that the good hath And comming to our water of Sassafras it prouoketh Urine it maketh them to Uryne well which haue the impediment of it chiefly if it come by humors of colâ—e causes I did knowe a Priest which came in this flâ—ete from the Florida who being in those parts did make water very euil and cast from him stones some tymes with very much griefe and some of them did put him in hazard of his life when hee was in the Florida as hee dranke of the water of Sassafras ordinarily as many other did in the place of wyne hee auoided many great smal stones without any paines and after that hither vnto hee hath founde himselfe whole and very well of this euill by drinking the simple wâ—ter of this wood ordinarily and watering his wyâ—e therewith Many doe drinke of this water for the same purpose and they cast out much Sande and doe finde themselues cured therewiâ—h In them that bee lame or creeples and in them that are not able to goe nor to moue themselues as for the most part that infirmitie commeth of colde humours by taking this water hot in the morning and procuring sweate all that hee can eating things of diet and drinking the simple water continually and vsing it many dayes wee haue seene many healed And it is to bee noted that in taking of this water there is nothing to bee obserued as in other waters but when they shal take it hotte if any sweate come to keepe it and after this they may ryse and goe well clothed it is not needefull of any thing els but of this and good order and to eate good meates and if they sweate not it maketh no greate matter but if they sweate not they shal be healed I knowe a Captaine one of them which came from the Florida and hee certified mee that hee was so weake in all his body that his Soldiours carried him vppon their shoulders for that in any other manner he coulde not stirre and hee was in a place where the tree of Sassafras was not and he sent for it and toke the water and therewith sweate for certaine dayes and afterward he tooke it simply and hee was restored to his perfect health and I did see him whole and well In the toothache this wood beeing broken and chewed with the tooth that is grieued and leauing that which is chewed in the hole of the tooth which is grieued if it haue any hollownesse and although that it haue none yet it taketh away the paines meruellously with experience done vpon many In the euil of the Poxe it worketh the same effectes that the rest of the waters of the holy wood the China and the Sarcaparillia doeth taking it as these waters bee taken with sweates putting vp more or lesse the decoction of the water and the quantitie of the wood as the complexion is and the disease of him that shall take it For that in colde humours Flegmatike it maketh a better woorke then in them that bee Cholerike and so in the Poxe that bee of a long tyme it maketh a better and greater woorke than in them that be of smal continuance and more where there bee knobbes and moisture of matter old griefes of the head with the order as is aforesayd And in these euils the simple water is continually taken for a great tyme and it worketh greate effectes chiefly in them that bee leane which be altogether weakened debilited with the vse of many Medicines Many which haue the Gout haue vsed and doe vse to drinke of the Water of this tree some of them taking it hotte as wee haue sayde and others simple continually by it self and watering their wyne therewith That which I haue seene is that which in the olde kinde of Goutes doeth neither good nor euil and if it doe any good it is to comfort the stomacke and to dissolue winâ—inesse to giue them some lust to their meate the rest of the benefite that it bringeth is to them that hâ—ue bin sicke but short time if the cause proceede of cold vnto whome it procureth notable profite but if the humour and cause be hot it doth them no good but hurteâ—h them inflâ—ming and causiâ—g them to haue greater paynes In one thing I haue seene it in many people to bring notable profit with the continual vse of this water and it is in them which haue foule diseased handes which cannot exercise them as they were wont to doe I healed a Gentleman which could not write that when he went to write his hande fell downe by little and little and the penne also after hee had begon to write not past fiue or sixe letters And hee toke a Cuppe full of that which was last sodden in the morning and after he dranke it hee continued twoo houres in his bedde and after he rose and went about his businesse And he did eate at his dinner good meates and at his Supper vsed diet and dranke the simple water of the self same Sassafras and he was healed very wel hauing spent a great somme of money on Phisitions and Medicines which did not profite him any thing vntil he came to be remedied in the order as is aforesaide Many did certifie mee that which nowe I finde by experience and learned of them that were sicke in the Hauana and could not goe to the stoole that the Phisition which is there did cause them to take in the morning fasting a good Cuppe full hotte of the water of the Sassafras and it did soften the belly and they went to the stoole very well which we haue seene heere to bee true by experience And there was a Soldiour which certifâ—ed mee and prooued it with others of his companie that hauing stooles by
the Canes of the small Canafistola there is made an other Conserua verie good which is an excellent purge and delicate for they take the small Canes which are growing of a small time and seeth them in Sugar and with the seething and Sugar is taken from them the sharpenesse and the drinesse which they haue and they are made tender and softe and of a very good sauour These beyng taken make a very good woorke and purge without griefe or molestation and without all accidentes and faintnesse that purges are vsed to procure for that they are full of good tast at the taking of them and light of woorking They are geuen from two Ounces to three I haue geuen them many times with very good successe and haue taken them beyng sicke and they haue wrought verie well with mee Of these Conseruas they bring hither euery yeere from Sancto Domingo and Puerto Rico many Barrelles full The Canafistola that is perfect and rype is the moste excellent Medicine for to purge withall of as many as haue been knowne to this day and that doeth his woorke best in that which it serueth for and with most assuraunce as it is wel knowne not onely to Phisitions but also to all the world and doeth his worke without the hurtes and accidents which other Purgatiue Medicines are vsed too doe and it is a generall Medicine and amongst them that are called blessed is the most blessed of all whose vertues and properties wee doe treate of particularly in the first part and that which we haue spoken heere hath beene to geue relation of the leaues and flowers of it which they haue now brought mee One thing I would they should be aduertised of that when we are commanded to geue Canafistola to lighten and soften the bellie and that the common matters may bee voyded downe is ment that they shoulde take it a smal tyme before meate be eaten at the most halfe an houre before for the meate being mingled ioyntly with it worketh with it and in this order it maketh a very good woorke and purgeth very wel without paines which is not done with that which is taken any long time before meate as two or three houres before as now many doe vse it for that the meate beeing dilated it maketh an ende of woorking And as it is a thing without strength and weake it goeth al into vapours and so sheadeth it selfe abroade throughout al the body if it tarry long it is conuerted into meate and substaunce which I haue seene by experience many yeeres wherein I haue practised that alwayes as I gaue it halfe an houre before meate at the most it maketh a good worke and if it be giuen many houres before meate it purgeth and euacuateth little Concerning mingling of medicines which doe purge with the meate Hipocrates treateth of it in many partes and Galene in his Commentaries And trueth it is that when we wil that the Canafistola should not euacuate but that the vapours shoulde bee spred abroade by the reines and all the body wee geue it many houres before meate and then not working it performeth the effect that wee haue spoken of Of the Balsamo of Tolu THey newly bring now from the Firme lande from a Prouince which is betweene Cartagena Numbre de Dios which the Indians call Tolu a Balsaâ—o or licour that is the best thing and of greatest vertues of as many thinges as come from these partes They gather it from certaine trees which are after the manner of litle Pines which cast out many bowes to al partes It carrieth the leafe lyke to Algarrona al the yeere it is greene they are the best which growe in a softe grounde well tilled This Balsâ—mo the Indians doe gather by way of incision gyâ—ing certaine cuttes in the rinde of the tree for it is thinnâ— and soft and they set vnderneath it neere vnto the tree thinges like to dishes made of waxe which is in that country blacke which they take out of Hiues that certaine blacke Bees doe make in the chappinges of the grounde I haue seene brought much of this Waxe into Spainâ— and it was spent in Torches but it was forbidden that none of it should be spent for the smoke which it cast from it had so euil a smel that it coulde not bee suffered They did vse this waxe in matters of Medicine for therof were made Cereclâ—thes which wrought very good effects in mittigating griefe of any colde cause it dissolueth any maner of swellinges and woorketh many other good effectes Of this waxe the Indians doe make vessels lyke to a spoone and set them close to the tree that they may receiue the licour that commeth out of it by the places where the cuttingâ— are made and from thence they receyue it into those vesselles and it is needfull that it be done in tyme of great heate that the cuttinges may cast out the licour and in this tyme lykewyse there soketh out of the ioyntes of the sayde tree some licour and it is lost because it is so little and falleth into the grounde in the night time there commeth forth none This licour or Balsamo is very much esteemed amongst the Indians and is of greate value and with the notable woorkes which therewith are done and the Spaniardes haue learned and by seeing the great woorkes which it maketh they haue brought it hether as a thing of great estimation and such a thing as they buy there for a great price and they haue reason so to doe for one of the best thinges that haue come from those partes which haue beene brought for Medicine is this Balsamo which seemeth to be better then that of the newe Spaine and in it selfe appeareth to haue more vertues It is of an Alborne colour very neere lyke to a thing that is gilt it is not very thinne nor very thicke it clyngeth faste wheresoeuer it bee layde and it hath the taste and sauour sweete and although it bee taken it maketh not any horriblenesse as the other Balsamo doeth it hath a most excellent smell lyke to Limons insomuch that wheresoeuer it bee the good smell thereof giueth greate contentment and it can not bee hidden for a little of it smelleth much and if you rubbe your hande therewith there remayneth a maruellous smel The woorkes thereof are excellent and very greate for that it is licour which is taken out by incision as they tooke out in olde tyme the Balsamo in Egypt and for al those diseases for which that was good this of ours is as good It healeth al fresh woundes comforting the partes and ioyning them without making any matter and without leauing any signe of them The superfluitie that is in the wouÌ„d must be taken away of what sort soeuer it be washed with wine ioyned wel in the lippes parts therof and then the Balsamo laid to it when the coldnesse is out of it and
inner partes Galen sayth that the vse therof healeth the dropsie and doeth euacuate the grosse humors Serapio saieth that being taken with water and hony it looseth the belly chiefly grosse humors many doe prayse it for the dropsie with water and hony I vnderstand that the loâ—â— stone ought to be prepared in such sorte that iâ— may bet vsed as wee haue saide of the preparing of the yron B. Doth your woorship minister any time the rust of yron prepared'â— for I haue prepared it by commandement of a Phisition being a stranger and geue the pouder thereof vnto such as had opilations and hee saide to mee that they did better woorke then the pouders of steele D. We haue spoken of Plateario and of Mathew Siluatico howe they say that the rust of the yron and the yron it selfe and the filing of it and the steele haue al one maner of vertue and therfore the rust of the yron prepared wil profit as much for the said purpose as the rust doth and I haue vnderstood for to consume and dry vp the moysture of the stomake and the slimy humours therof it wil make greate effectes for the rust of the yron and of the steele is the most hot partes the dryest parts of them And so Galen doeth command it to be prepared with vineger and that there bee made of it pouder most small the which dryeth extreemely as hee saieth in the nienth of simples and in the fifth of his Methodo Mesue in that of the vlcers of the eares hee doeth put a confection for them wherein in is conteined the preparing of the rust and before that hee putteth the same rust prepared in vineger and made in small pouders hee maketh of them a liniment for the eares that are troubled with vlcers Rasis in the nienth chapter of those thinges that doe comforte the stomake after hee hath shewed of many compound medicines saieth if they doe not profit let there bee giuen the skales of yron with wyne and hee saieth the same in the bookes of the Deuisions in the chapter of the diseases of the moyst stomake hee commandeth to giue a composition called Trifera Minor and after that the rust of yron And in the same chapter before for the weakenes of the stomake and the debilitation of the natural heate hee commandeth that there bee giuen Trifera and after that the rust of yron and at the end of the sayde chapter for such as do eate earth clay and coales hee commandeth them to bee purged with Acibar and after that they eate Trifera made with the rust of Iron B. You haue spoken very wel Maister Doctor but I pray you shew vs how wee shoulde minister the pouders of these things D. seeing that there with wee shal make an end I wil shew it in short tyme considering that the time doeth no longer giue place The cause and original of the disease being knowen the sicke person ought to bee let blood and purged if it seeme good to the Phisition to bee so and if the sicke person hath strength therefore for there are some so leane that it is not conuenient to vse of any euacuations in them This beeing done they shal take of the pouders that shal seeme most conuenient for them of the three thinges which are spoken of the yron the steele or the rust of them the quantity that shal seeme good to the Phisition according to the age vertue strength I do giue to them of a meane age a dramme and from thence I ryse or fal as the age and strength or the continuance of the disease requyreth and that it may not be lesse then twoo graynes of waight nor more then a dram halfe I giue it many kinde of wayes either mingled with suggar of Roses or with conserua of violettes or with a syrope of Coriander or of the roote or made in pilles with a syrope made for the purpose casting them into the mouth or any maner of these wayes that they bee taken there must bee dronke after them a little sacke that it be not cold nor very strong And if the person that taketh it drinke no wine then he may drinke water sodden with Cinamon although the wine be the better it must be taken fasting in the morning and immediatly after it be taken they must goe and exercise their bodies twoo houres after if they haue strength therefore and if there bee not strength to doe it one is sufficient or the tyme that they may possibly The going must bee in such sort that the partie bee not ouerwearied and if he be let him sit downe now and then and by reason such as do take them haue stoppings or opilations of any maner of exercise although it bee little they are foorthwith wearie and all the payne is for the first dayes for afterward they shal goe very wel and shal not be so much wearied This exercise is better to bee vsed out of the house and by the streetes and in the fieldes it doeth importe very much by the going whereby these pouders do make their woorke and doe good that if they bee not well gone with all they doe not the effect that is desired and the exercise being made let him take rest in his house or in the place where hee commeth vnto not vnclothing himselfe but euen so apparelled let him lye downe vpon his warme bed and rest himselfe one houre and let him eate foure houres at the least after hee hath taken these pouders or when hee perceyueth his stomake to bee cleere of them hee shall eate of a Hen or of another Byrde without any sauce with some dry fruite or some conseruas and not to eate any greene thing Let the drinke be according to the disposition that hee hath wine watered if it bee conuenient for him to drinke it or water sodden with Cinamom let him refraine to that day from al thinges that may offend him let him not drinke betweene meales let him make a light supper with that as may dry vp moysture I will not counsell that they take these pouders euery day but euery third day and chiefly these first dayes and especially such which are leane and delicate for in taking of them euery day they wil bee much wearied and one day that they rest betweene they will be restored and take strength for the next day The day that it is not taken if there doe appeare any feuer it would doe well that there were taken a good vessel or great cup full of whey made of goates milke hot whot with suggar if it be not to be had then take a smal table of rosade of a sweete smel this day their liuer shall bee anoynted with some oyntment made for the purpose and their lungs with some thing that may vnstoppe them and the stomake with some thing that may comfort This shal bee done in the morning
woulde bee incurable and without anye remedy of which thinges although that some haue knowledge yet they be not common too all people for which cause I did pretend to treate and to write of all things that they bring from our Indias apperteyning to the arte and vse of Medicine and the remedie of the hurtes and diseases that wee doe suffer and endure whereof no small profite doeth followe to those of our time and also vntoo them that shall come after vs in the bewraying whereof I shall be the first that the rather the followers may adde herevnto with this beginning that which they shal more knowe and by experience hereafter finde out And as in this Citie of Seuill which is the Porte and skale of all the Occidentall Indias we doe knowe of them more then in any other partes of all Spayne for bicause that al things come first hither where by better intelligence and greater experience it is learned so doe I with practice and vse of them this fourtie yeeres that which I doe cure in this Citie where I haue informed my selfe of them that haue brought these thinges out of those partes with muche care and I haue made experience thereof with many and diuers persons with all diligence and foresight possible and with much happy successe Of the Anime and Copall THey do bring from the new Spaine 2. kinds of Rosine that be both much alike one to the other the one is called Copall and the other Anime The Copall is a Rosine verie white and of muche brightnesse it is brought in certaine great peeces which are like too peeces of Diacitron very cleare it hath an indifferent smell but not so good as the Anime with this Copall the Indians did make perfumes in their sacrifices so the vse thereof was frequented in the Temples by their Priestes And when the first Spaniardes went too those partes the Priestes went out to receiue them with little firepots burning in them this Copall and geuing to them the smoke of it at their noses wee doe vse heere to perfume with it in diseases rising vpon coldenesse of the head in the place of Incence or Anime it is hotte in the seconde degree and moyst in the first it is resoluatiue and softneth by some watrish partes that it hath The Anime is a gumme or Rosine of a greate Tree it is white it draweth neere to the coulour of Incence it is more oyly then the Copall is it commeth in graines as the Incence doeth although somewhat greater and beyng broken it hath a yellowe collour as Rosine hath it is of a very acceptable and pleasaunt smell and put vppon burning coales it doth consume very quickely It differeth from our Anime that is brought from Leuante which is not so white nor so bright insomuche that some doe say that it is spice of Charabe or Succino which is called Amber congeled wherwith they doe make Beades but it is not so for that the Charabe is a kinde of Pitche that is founde in the Germayne Sea and it is taken out of the Sea in great peeces with a dragge of Iron so that it seemeth to come foorth of some Fountaines into the Sea after the maner of pitch and beeing come foorthe vnto the colde ayre it congeleth for because there is sâ—ene in the same peeces of stickes other superfluities of the Sea cleaning vnto it and in this they shall see the errour of them that say that it is Gumme of Alamo and of others that it is of the Pinetree Of our Anime Hermolaus Barbarus a man most excellently learned doeth saie that it is gatherâ—d about the place where Incence is founde and that lande or soile is called Amintin and therefore the thing is called Anime That which is brought from the newe Spaine is gathered from certaine Trees of a reasonable greatnesse by way of incision as the Incence and Almasiga are gaâ—hered we do vse thereof for many infirmities and principally for the griefe of the head and paines therof caused of humours or of colde causes and for sluffyng in the head that thereof doeth proceede after euacuation perfuming therewith the chambers in the Winter season and where as are generall infirmities it doeth purifie and correct the Aire and they doe perfume therewith their head kerchers when that they doe goe to sleepe for them that doe suffer paines in the head and occasions thereof it doeth profite to perfume the head of him that is so diseased it doeth comforte the head vnto such as haue it debilited or weakened and doe suffer paines by occasion thereof they doe put it also in plaisters and in seere clothes where as is neede of comfort and to dissolue especially cold humours or windinesse they doe vse it also in place of Incence as well in the perfumes as in the aforesaide It doeth comfort the braine applied in the forme of a plaister and euen so likewise the stomacke and all partes being full of Sinewes made after the fashion of a Sere cloth with the third parte of Waxe it taketh out the cold of any member whatsoeuer being applied therevntoo for a long time with refreshing it It is hotte in the second degree and moist in the first Of the gumme called Tacamahaca AND also they doe bring out of the newe Spaine an other kinde of Gumme or Rosine which the Indians doe call Tacamahaca and the same name did our Spaniardes giue it it is Rosine taken out by incision of a tree being as great as a Willow tree and is of a verie sweete smell it bringeth foorth a red fruite as the seede of Pionia This Rosine or Gumme the Indians doe much vse in their infirmities chiefly in swellinges in any part of the bodie wheresoeuer they bee ingendred for that it dissolueth ripeneth and maruellously desolueth them And euen so it taketh awaie any manner of greefe that is come of a colde cause as humours and windinesse this the Indians doe vse very commonly and familiarly And for this effect the Spaniardes hath brought it The colour is as the colour of Galuano and some doe say that it is the same it hath white partes like to Amoniaco it is of a good smel and the tast is like insomuch that being cast vpon hotte burning coles and giuing the smoke thereof at the nose of a woman that doth swoone or els hath lost her feeling by suffocation of the Mother it doeth cause her to come quickely and easily to her selfe And the Rosine putte to her nâ—uell after the manner of a plaister causeth the Mother to keepe in her place and the vse thereof is so much amongest women that the most parte which is spent thereof is for this effect for that they doe finde themselues very much eased by it taking awaie from them all manner of chokinges of the Mother and comforting the stomacke Some that bee curious doe adde thereuntoo Amber and
that do presse it because the more quantitie thereof may be taken out they bring it for merchaundise for that they vse to dresse Gloues therwith for the common people and in this trade there is much spent It is vsed in Medicine for many diseases and it is of greate vertue to heale colde diseases for it healeth excellently well al partes wheresoeuer it be applied it dissolueth and mollifieth any maner of hardnes taking away the paynes it dissolueth the hardnesse of the Mother and openeth the opilations thereof It prouoketh the Monethly course in women and it maketh soft any maner of hard thing It is hotte welneere in the third degree And it is to be noted that many doe bring this Storax very thin from the Indias which is not so good for because that they make it of the bowes of the trees cut in peeces and sodden and they gather the fatnes that swimmeth vpon and the Indians doe sell the buddes of the trees whereout the Liquid Amber is taken made in handfulles doe sell it in their market places for to put amongst their clothes which causeth them to smell as of the water of Angels for this purpose the Spaniards doe vse it Of the Balsamo THey doe bring from the newe Spayne that licour most excellent which for his excellencie and meruellous effectes is called Balsamo an imitation of the true Balsamo that was in the land of Egypt and for that it doeth such great workes and remedie so many infirmities there was geuen to it such a name It is made of a tree greater than a Powngarnet Tree it carrieth leaues like to Nettles the Indians doe call it Xilo and we doe call the same Balsamo It is made two maner of waies the one is by the way of incision cutting the rynd of the Tree which is thinne geuing many small cuttinges out of the which there commeth a clammish licour of colour white but it is little and moste excellent and very perfect The other fashion is whereby the Indians doe vse too take out licour of the trees which is a common vse amongst them is this thâ—y take the bowes and the great peeces of the trees and make them as small as they can and then cast them into a greate kettle with a good quantity of water so boyle them vntill they see it sufficiently done and afterwarde they let it coole and gather vp the oyle that doeth swimme therevppon with certayne shelles and that is the Balsamo that commeth too these partes and that commonly is vsed the colour therof is Alborne which is likened to blacke it is of most sweet smel and very excellent It is not conuenient nor it ought to bee kept in any other vessel then in siluer Glasse or Tinne or any other thing glassed it doeth penitrate and doeth passe through the vse thereof is onely in thinges apperteining to Medicine and it hath been vsed of long time well neere since the new Spaine ws discouered for that incontinent the Spaniardes had knowledge of it because they did heale therewith the woundes that they did receiue of the Indians being aduised of the vertue thereof by the same Indians and they did see the saide Indians heale and cure themselues therewith When it first came into Spayne it was esteemed as much as it was reason it shoulde be for that they did see it make meruellous woorkes one ownce was woorth tenne Duccates and vpwardes and now it is better cheape the first time that they carried it to Rome it came to be woorth one ounce one hundreth Duccats after that they brought so much and such great quantity that it is nowe of small value this commeth of the abundance of thinges And when it was very deere all men tooke profite of the profite of it and since it came to bee of so lowe a Price it is not so muche esteemed beeyng the sâ—lfe same Balsamo that it was then when it was woorth one hundreth Duccates the ounce Surely if the Indias had not beene discouered but onely for the effecte to send vs this meruellous licour the labour had been wel employed which our Spaniardes vntill the woundes be whole and for this cause the vse therof is a common medicine in all surgery for poore folkes seeing that as with one medicine all effectes are wrought therewith that are necessary it is a common thing to say that when one is hurt let Balsamo be put therevnto and so they doe it doth heale them In the woundes of Sinewes it woorketh a meruellous effect for that it doeth both cure heale It healeth better then any other medicine doeth it resisteth colde the wounds of the head it healeth very well not hauing the Skull broken nor perished Any manner of woundes beyng freshe it doeth heale in any parte of the bodie wheresoeuer they bee so that there be no more in it but a simple wounde In ioyntes what manner of wounde soeuer it bee it doeth make a maruellous woorke The vse thereof is very common in this Citie in woundes For that you haue fewe houses but you haue Balsamo in them for this effect so that in wounding of any person foorthwith they goe to the Balsamo for with little quantitie thereof they doe cure and heale and many times with putting of it once euery thirde day they finde the wounde whole In olde sores applied by it selfe or with any other oyntment it doeth mundifie and fill them vppe with fleshe In large feuers Paroxismales beyng layde halfe an houre before the colde doeth come vppon the moulde of the headâ— very hot the patient being very well couered with clothes and taking forthwith 〈◊〉 or sixe droppes thereof in wine it taketh away the colde in three or foure times doing it It is of a sharpe sauour and somewhat bitter wherby are seen the dâ—y partes and comforâ—atiue that it hath it is hot and dry in the second degree I will not let to write of a certayne Hearbe which the Conqâ—erours of the newe Spaine doe vse for the remedy of their wounds and shottes of arrowes which vnto them was a great remedie in thâ—ir troubles and it was discouâ—red by an Indian which was Seruaunt too a Spaniarde called Iohn Infant He was the first that vsed it they did call it and doe call it at this present day the Heaâ—be of Iohn Infant this hearbe is little they gather it greene and beate it and so they lay it simply vpon the wound it doth restraine and stoppe the blood and if it be a wounde in the flâ—she it doth cause it to growe together and healâ—th it by glewing the partes The woundes of the Sinewes and other partes it doth comfort mundifie and ingendreth flesh in them vntill they be whole and because they doe not find this hearb in all places they bring it made into pouder for that it woorketh the same effect as well as being greene and the pouder as some say doth it
content with one euâ—cuation but with many digesting by little and little and auoyding out by little and little seeing that the auoyding out is done with such assuraunce by this Medicine so blessed He that hath neede of it must haue a good hart and with trust that it will profite him much which hetherunto wee haue experimented in so many that with iust title all credit may be giuen to the good workes therof We see with how much easines without any accideÌ„ts it worketh the effects that we haue spoken of it is looked for that euery day will bee discouered greater matters that may bee added vnto these The Rule and order that must be kept in the administration and geuing of the Pouders made of the roote of Mechoacan was learned of the Indian Phisition that wee haue spoken of and since it hath beene vsed in diuers and sundrie fashions The first thing that is requyred of him that shal take this Pouder is that he do prepare himself with good diet good order keeping himselfe from all thinges that may offende health and to vse these meates which are most conuenieÌ„t for him to dispose the humor that principally hee pretendeth to auoyde out with some Syrope that may haue the same respect that the humor is disposed vnto the way to be prepared where he may go out And for this it is good that he take the counsel of a PhisitioÌ„ he must vse Glisters if the Belly be not obedient at the least the day before he shal take it and if by chaunce he shal neede letting blood he shall doe it with the iudgement and opinion of a Phisition The body so prepared and ready to be purged he shal take this roote chosen as we haue said and it must be grounde making Pouder of it of an indifferent sinenesse and way of it the quantitie that must bee taken as wee shall speake of and put it into whyte Wyne which is Sacke as much in quantitie as is needful for to drinke and it must be tâ—ken in the morning Wyne is the best licour that it can bee taken withall and so it is vsed generally in the Indias for the Wyne as wee haue sayde doeth corroborate and geue strength to these Pouders and because there be some that can drink no wine in such case they may geue it in sodden water wherein Synamon hath beene boyled or Anis or Fenell seede and if the pure wine doe offend them it may be delayed with any manner of Water but the quantitie of the Wine that shall be taken is so little that it canâ—ot offende nor molest anie person It may be delaied with Endife or Langdebeefe water and because this medicine is not geuen in sharpe Agues but in large and temperate diseases it doth heare the Wine better then any other licour Also they geue these Pouders with Conserua of Uiolets and with Syrope of Uiolets and it is a good practise for with his colde and moysture it doeth correct the litle heate and drought that the Patient hath and let them drinke vpon it Wine watered or some water as aforesaide There is made of this Pouder Pilles formed with electuary of Roses and surely they make a very good worke and purge well Also they doe put it in paste of Wafer bread or in Marchpaines and as it hath no euill sauour so they doe not feele it It serueth much for children and for them that cannot take the like thinges The Pilles that must be made of this pouder must be very little somewhat greater then Coriander seede that they may dissolue the rather and not heat and so they work more quickly and better They may be geuen in the morning and at night these pouders be receiued with most prosperous successe beeing made vp with Syrope of Roses of nine infusions mingling the quantity that thereof shal be taken in two ounces of Syrope and surely this mixture doeth make a meruellous woorke for that it doth strengthen and inforce much the worke of the pouders It auoydeth Cholerike grosse and fleugmatike humors and permixt and the fearcenes of the blood and so it is a greate Medicine and of maruellous woorke It auoydeth also most strongly the Citrine water of them that haue the Dropsie frequenting it many tymes giuing betweene one purge and another that which may corroborate and make strong the Liuer in Broth it is taken many tymes and maketh good woorke This Medicine or purge must bee taken in the morning early and after it is taken they may sleepe halfe an houre vppon it before it doe purge for that the sleepe doeth slaye the Uomit and the natural heate shal make a better worke in the Medicine Hee that shall take these Pouders if he do feare them or any other Medicine purgatiue and if he feare Uomit may vse this one remedy of the which I haue large experience and is when hee hath taken this purge or any other let him take the Yolke of an Egge rosted hot broken betweene his Fingers and put into a course Linen Cloth and so rounde let him put it into the Throate Pit and let him holde it there vntill that hee doe beginne to purge for that surely it will slaye the Uomiting and also the Fumes that doe ryse of the purge and this is no small content After that hee hath somwhat slept if hee can at the tyme that it beginneth to woorke let him not sleepe nor eate nor drinke any thing but bee in place where the ayre doe not offende him nor with much company for that all the intent shall bee for to purge staying all thinges that may let the auoyding out And he shall be aduertised that one of the greatest excellencies that this purge hath is that it is in the handes of the sicke person to auoyde out what quantitie of humour hee will the which is a thing that they of olde tyme did consider much of And waying which was surest of purging or the letting of blood they doe not aleage any other cause more principall than that the letting of blood is more sure Forasmuch as in the letting of blood wee may take out what quantity of blood we lust not in the purge which once being taken it is not in the handes of the PhisitioÌ„ nor the sicke person to let it to doe his woorke which quality is not in this our purge of the roote of Mechoacan seeing that with taking of a little Broth or eating any maner of thing the working of it seaseth and it worketh no more and so it cannot exceede nor hurt the patient Surely it is to be holden of much price that there is fouÌ„de a kinde of purge with so much assurance and that so mightily doeth his woorke and is at the will of him that doth take it After it hath done what to the patient seemeth good and sufficient then with a little Broth which
sides of it taking away that which is superfluous then powre into it the Iuyce of this hearbe lay vpon it the stamped leaues and being well bound it shal coÌ„tinue on vntil the next day that thou shalt returne to dresse it After the same fashion the patientes shall keepe good order in their meate vsing the diet necessary and if it be needful of any euacuation by stoole the cause being greate let it be done what shal be conuenient And with this order they shal be healed without any neede of any more Surgerie theÌ„ this hearbe only Here in this Country in this City they know not what other to doe hauing cut or hurt themselues but to runne to the Tabaco as to a most readie remedie It doth maruellous workes without any need of other Surgery but this only hearbe In restrayning the fluxe of blood of the wounds it procureth most maruellous workes for that the Iuyce and the Leaues being stamped are sufficient to restraine any fluxe of blood In olde Sores it is maruellous the woorkes and the effects that this hearbe doeth for it healeth them wonderfully making cleane and mundifying them of all humors that are superfluous and of the rottennes that they haue bringeth vp the flesh reducing them to perfite health the which is so common in this Citie that euery man doeth knowe it and I hauing ministred it to many people as well men as women in great number and being grieued of tenne and of twentie yeeres haue healed olde rotten sores in legges and other partes of the body with this remedy only to the great admiration of all men The order of the Cure that is to bee wrought with this hearbe is this following For the olde rotten sores although they bee cankered let the sicke man bee purged with the counsell of a Phisition and let him blood if it be needfull and then take this hearbe and pounde it in a Morter and wring out the Iuyce and put it into the Sore and then after the maner of a Plaister laie the stamped leaues vpon it which are the Leaues that the Iuyce is taken out of and this doe once euery day eating good Meates and not exceeding in any disorder for otherwyse it will not profite And doing this it wil make cleane the euil flesh that is rotten and superfluous vntil it come to the whole flesh and it is not to be maruelled at if the wounde bee made very greate For the euil must bee eaten vp vntil it come to the good and in the same cure putting in lesse quantitie of iuyce it wil incarnate and reduce it to parfit health in such sort that it accomplisheth al the workes of Surgery that all the Medicines of the worlde are able to doe without hauing neede of any other maner of medicine This woorke doeth cure olde Sores with very great admiration and not onely in men but in brute beastes also As at this day in all partes of the Indias where there are any cattel hauing woundes or gaules and the countrie beeing hotte and moyst ouer much doeth soone rotte them and very quickly they come to bee cankered and for this cause much great cattel doe dye To remedy this and the wormes that doe increase in the sores they had for remedy to put into the sores Sublimatum for that in this remedy they did â—â—â—de more benefite than in any other that they had vsed And for that the Sublimatum beares there so high a price mâ—â—y tymes it was more woorth then the cattel that it healâ—â— For this cause and for hauing founde in the Tabaco so much vertue too heale newe woundes and rotten they did accorde and agree together to vse the Tabaco in the healing of beastes as they had done in the cure and remedy of men powring the Iuyce of the Tabaco into the woundes washing them therwith laying vpon them the stamped leaues of the Tabaco after that the Iuyce is taken from them And it is of so greate efficacie and vertue that it killeth the wormes and maketh cleane the sore eating away the euill fleshe and ingendering newe vntill it be whole as in the other thinges which wee haue spoken of The like it doth in the gaules of the beasts of Cariege the iuyce being powred in the beateÌ„ leaues wherout the iuyce commeth of the Tabaco as it is sayde although they be cankered it doeth make them cleane and incarnate them and cureth and helpeth them And so the Indians doe carry it when they iourney for this purpose and effect and it procureth the like profite that the iuyce doeth I sawe a man that had certayne olde sores in his nose wherby he did cast out from him much matter which dayly did rotte and canker inwarde and I caused him to take at his nose the iuyce of this Tabaco and so he did and at the seconde tyme hee cast out from him more then twenty little wormes and afterwarde a fewe more vntill that he remayned cleane of them and vsing it so certayne dayes hee was healed of the sores that hee had in the inner part of his nose and if he had taried any longer I thinke that there had remayned nothing of his nose but al had bene eaten away as it happeneth to many which we see without them And beeing wryting of this a daughter of a Gentleman of this Citie had many yeres a certaine kinde of drieskabbes or wel neere skuruie in her head I had her in cure and did vnto her many benefits vniuersal and particular and also Maisters of Surgerie had done their diligence and al did not profite And a Gentlewoman which had the charge of her as sâ—e heard me speake one day much good of the Tabaco that 〈◊〉 did good and profitable for so many infirmities shâ—e sent for it and did rubbe hard the disease that the wench had that day shee was very euill and as though she had bene fooliâ—h and the gentlewoman did not let in seing her after that sorâ— to rubbe her harder and then the wench did not feele so much griefe but the dry skabbes begâ—n to fall and the whyte scurffe of her head in such sorte that it made cleane and healed her head with dooing so certaine dayes so that shee was healed of her scuruie disease very well without knowing what she did One of the meruâ—lles of this hearbe and that which bringeth most admiration is the maner howe the Priâ—stes of the Indias did vse it which was in this manner when there was emongest the Iâ—dians any manner of businâ—sse of greate importaunce in the which the chiefe Gentlâ—men called Casiques or any of the principall people of the countrie had necessitie to consult with their Priestes in any businesse of importance then they went and propounded their matter to their chiefe Priest foorthwith in their presence he tooke certayne leaues of the Tabaco and cast them into the fire and did
and little of them and it seemeth wel by them that they haue medicinal vertues many persons bring them which are now come in this Fleete who come to mee as though I were the first discouerer of them They declare maruellous effects of theÌ„ that iâ— seemeth wonderful I brake one and gaue it made into pouder to a boye of whome it was sayde that venom had bene giuen to him I cannot tel whether any other benefites done vnto him or that healed him but hee was well recouered I wil vse it in other infirmities and what I find of their operation and the rest of the medicines which shal be newly discouered I wil shew in the thirde volume which I wil wryte of this Medicinall historie wherein shal bee expressed thinges maruellous and greate secretes of Phisicke that may giue contentation to al men and much more to the sick that shal be healed with them Of one thing you must bee aduertised that which is heere written part of it we haue learned of them that haue come from those partes and brought knowledge of them hither and parte is attributed to theyr complexion and qualities what they may doe and part wee haue experimented and in all haue this consideration that al these things which are brought from our Indias bee for the most parte hotte and see that you vse them in this qualitie in all causes wherein they shal bee needful And it is needful that there bee some aduertisement giuen heereof since the vse of the things doeth so import it ¶ Of the Dragon the other the blood of Drago in bread The one and the other haue vertue to retayne any maner of the fluxe of the bellie layde vppon the bellie or geuen in glisters or taken by the mouth Made into pouder it staieth the running of the head and to the lower parts applied in any maner of fluxe of blood it doeth retaine and slanch it It sodereth and gleweth woundes together which be fresh and new made It letteth that the teeth fall not out and it maketh the flesh to grow on the bare gummes It is a meruellous colour for Painters And besides this it hath many other vertues I do meane to sow some of the seed to see if it wil grow in these partes It is thought that the blood of Drago is temperate with little heate There was a gumme geuen vnto me which they bring from the firme lande of the Peru wherewith they purge them which haue the Goute in those partes they put of it as much as a Nut into distilâ—ed water and let it stande all the night in steepe and in the morning they strayne and wring it and take that water which must be the quantity of two Ounces and the patient must remayne without meate till the middest of the day and therewith they purge the humour which causeth the Goute I saw a Gentleman who came in this last Fleete vse it which hee brought for remedie of this euill who was full of the Goute and with vsing this euacuation he findeth himselfe well and the Goute doeth not come to him as it was woont to doe for that it came to him very cruelly and often and he gaue mee as muche as a small Nutte and would geue me no more and I gaue it in the order aforesaide to one which had the Goute and hee had three stooles with it I know not how it will proue it were needfull to haue more quantitie for to proceede forewarde in more experience thereof but it will bee brought hither by others as they haue done many other thinges It hath a goâ—d tast in the taking for that it hath neither smel nor sauour it maketh his worke without paynes It is hot in my opinion in the first degree I know not what manner of thing the Tree is wherout they take it for hee which brought it knoweth not so much himselfe Of the Armadilio THis beasts portraiture I tooke out of an other naturally made which was in the Counting house of Gonsalo de Molina a Gentleman of this Citie in the which there is greate quantitie of Bookes of diuers Authours and the fashion and fourme of many kindes of Beastes and Birdes and other curious thinges brought from the Orientall Indias as also from the Occidentall and from other partes of the worlde And great variety of coynes and stones of antiquity and differences of armes which with greate curiositie and with a noble minde he hath caused to be brought thither waight then two pound hollowe in some partes and very white they are al somwhat heauie Of these stones they haue in the Indias great â—xperience geuing them made into pouder vnto those that suffer the griefe of the stone in the Kydneies and to them that cannot pisse and to them that cannot cast out the stone of the Reines and of the Bladder beeyng of such greatnesse that it may not passe out This is a thing amongst the Indians very common and well knowne and likewise amongest the Spaniardes which dwell in those partes and they which come hither auerre it plainly and affirme it to be so I haue tasted it and it seemeth a thing vnsauorie but I haue not proued it nor applied hitherto in time it shal be done we wil geue some reason thereof They bring also from the newe Kingdome and from the prouince of Cartagena a certayne TurpeÌ„tine very cleare of sweet smel much better then that they call de Vetae which they bring from Venice it hath all the vertues that the good Turpentine hath it worketh the selfesame effectes better and with greater efficacie and readinesse Here hath beene vsed of it in woundes and it is a thing maruellous to see the good worke which it doeth especially in wounds of ioyntes and Sinewes of Legges wherein I haue seene greâ—t works done with it And it doth mundifie being mingled with other thinges all kind of olde soares it is an excellent thing washed prepared for the faces of Ladies which haue neede of it Moreouer they bring from the selfesame parts Caranna of Cartagena purified so cleare that it is like to Cristal and surely it is better it is applied vnto much better effect then that which hithervnto hath come and maketh better works and is of a more sweet smel and more excellent in operation Of the Flower of Mechoacan MAny persons of them which came now in this last Fleate from the firme land brought very good Mechoacan better then that of the new Spaine gathered in the Coast of Nicaraga and in Quito yea since the Mechoacan was discouered in the new Spaine they haue founde the selfsame hearbe and roote in those partes which I doe speake of And they vse it to purge and it doth maruellous works and they vse it in those countries and in al the firme land as they did vse that which was brought from the newe Spaine with maruellous successe From the
Cape of Saint Elen which is in the same coast they bring another kind of Mechoacan but it is very strong and beeing taken it causeth great accidentes of vomites and faintnesse with many stooles and for this cause they cal it Escamonea no man vseth it bicause it bringeth by incision which commeth foorth like to a whyte teare or drop most cleare with a maruellous sweete smel declaring wel the maruellous effectes and Medicinal vertues that it hath of the which wee haue treated in the first parte And that Balsamo which is made by seething as wee doe there showe we see the maruellous effectes that it worketh with so great and maruellous vertues that it bringeth admiration to the whole worlde with many other maruels which hetherunto we haue seene that be there spoken of And greater wil these woorkes bee that shal bee done with the Balsamo which they nowe bring made by incision seeing that one drop of this is more woorth then twoo Gallons of the other as it is manifestly seene by vsing of it And surely that which was in Egypt and failed so many members of yeeres past I beleeue that it had not more vertues then this And I am sure that this is of greater vertue and effectes then euer that was of I haue the fruite of this tree which is little according to the greatnesse of the tree and it is a grayne as great as a white Pease the taste of it is a little bitter it is shut into the end of a little â—od of the length of a finger beeing narrowe whyte and thinne of the thicknesse of vi d. It carieth no more but one graine in the ende which is the fruite that the Indians doe vse to perfume them withal in griefes of the head and in Reumes Surely the Balsamo is a maruellous thing and it sheweth well in it selfe what it is according to the workes therof They bring moreouer from the firme land a TurpeÌ„tine or Licor which is called Deabeto and it is gathered from certaine trees of mixture they be not Pine trees nor Cipres for they bee higher then our Pine trees they are as straight as Cipresses trees In the highest part of the tree it bringeth forth certaine bladders of two sortes the which are great and smal and being broken there cometh foorth of them a maruellous licour which falleth drop after droppe and the Indians gather them with great deliberation and they receiue the same droppes which bee in the bladder into a shel and alwayes haue shelles lying vnder the bladders whereouâ— they distill and it is a thing done with such leasure that many Indians doe gather very little al the whole day The Licor serueth for all things that the Balsamo doeth it healeth very well woundes it taketh away colde griefes and windie Some do take it for the griefs of the stomacke caused of colde humors or for windines with a little white wyne And it is to be vnderstood that the Balsamo which is made by seething or that which is made by incision and this or any other manner of Licour of these of the Indias which is to bee taken by the mouth ought to bee taken but in little quantitie which must not bee more then foure or fiue droppes and it must not be taken in the Palme of the hand as it is sayde but putting a litle wine or Rose water into a spoone and pouring vpon that the droppes of Balsamo putting the spoone wel into your mouth and letting the Licor fal in so that it touch not the tongue For taken with it or touching it the sauour and tast is not remoued away in a long time it procureth an euell tast in such sort that for this onely cause many doe abhorre it and wil not take it and from others it hath taken away the lust of their meate by receiuing it and touching it with the tongue Of long Peper ALso they bring from Cartagena and from the coast of the firme lande from Nata neere to Veraga a certain kinde of Peper which they cal long Peper which hath a sharper taste then the Peper which is brought from the Oriental Indias and biteth more then it and is of more sweete taste and of better smell then that of Asia or the Peper of the East India it is a gentle spyce to dresse meates withall and for this purpose al the people in that country doe vse it A Gentleman gaue me a platter full of it for he brought a great quantitie of it for the seruice of his Ritchin because they vse it in place of blacke Peper and they take it to be of a better tast and more healthfull I haue tasted it and it byteth more then the blacke Peper doeth and it hath a more sweete taste then it hath I haue caused it to be put into drest meates in place of the Oriental Peper it giueth a more gentle taste vnto the meates that are drest therewith It is a fruite that casteth out a high plante of the greatnesse of a grosse Packethreed and the lower parte neere to the roote is as great as a litle sticke that is very small and vpon it are ioyned the little graines very neere together as though they were wrested one within the other which causeth the greatnesse whereof wee spake and beeing taken away from the litle sticke the stick remaineth bare and whole and it is greene being fresh but the Sunne ripeneth it and doeth turne it blacke and so they bring it into these partes It groweth in the coast of the firme lande in Nata and in Cartagena and in the newe kingdome in all these partes they vse it as I haue saide It hath the Medicinall vertues which the Orientall Peper hath that we vse The complexion thereof is hotte in the third degree And going to visite a childe the sonne of this Gentleman which gaue mee this Peper being diseased of the fire in the face I commanded him to bee let blood and that to his face they should apply some litle cloth with Rose water and the hearbe Mora hee saide to me that hee liked the letting of blood well because the boye was of Sanguine complexion but as for that which should be laid to his face hee had wherewith to heale it in short tyme and he commanded to bee brought foorth a thing lyke vnto a cake as great as a meane platter the outside was blacke and within yeallowe and beeing brought wel neere twoo thousand Leages it was moyst and hee dissolued a little of it with Rose Water and layde it to the boyes face I was desirous to know what it was he said that when the worke was seene what it would do he would tel me whereof it was compounded The next day I returned to the sicke and his face was so amended that I maruelled at it and immediatly he was washed with Rose water a little warme and hee remayned as
the vse of it doeth breake the stone from the bladder if the Stones bee soft that they may bee dissolued with taking very little quantitie of it and of this they haue so many examples that they cause mee to maruell at it because I thinke that the stone in the bladder cannot bee expelled but onely to cut it out is the remedie for that no Phisicke can dissolue him They say that taking the seede grounde with some water made for the purpose causeth it to bee cast out in Clay and being come foorth it returneth to be congeled and turneth it self into a stone Only to a yong man I sawe this happen who had a stone in the bladder and I beeing certified of it by the Maister Surgions that had felt him and of the accidents which hee had caused him to bee caried at the beginning of the Sommer vnto the Fountaine of the stone and in twoo monethes after that hee was there hee came whole from thence and brought in a paper all the clay which hee had voyded from him at tymes being of stone dissolued into peeces We wil sowe the seedes although very little onely to see the effect wrought by them which as they say is in a cause so greate and if it doe growe we wil vse of it Of the flowres of blood I Sowed a seede which they brought mee from the Peru more to see the fairenesse thereof then for any Medicinall vertues that it hath The hearbe commeth to bee of the height of twoo spannes litle more or lesse bowes it casteth out straight with certaine rounde leaues very greene and thinne in the hiest of the bowes there groweth a flower being yeallow very high in colour and onely it beareth fiue leaues and in the middest of euery leafe there is figured a droppe of blood so red and so firmely kindled in colour that it can not be more This flower hath at the foote of it a stalke very long which commeth out a good space from the flower It is a flower very beautifull which doeth adornate gardens it groweth very wel of the seede or of the plante and beeing tasted it hath the same sauour and taste that the Mastuesso hath it is notable hotte A rinde of a tree for the Rewme AMongst the thinges with they sent mee froÌ„ the Peru there is a thicke rinde which seemeth to bee of a great tree and being tasted hath a sharpnes of tast with some drynesse the trees growe at the side of a riuer where this rinde is taken of which is twentie and sixe Leagues from Lima and they are not founde in other partes of the Indias but onely there The tree is after the fashion of an â—ime as wel in the greatnes as in the leafe The Indians when they feele themselues laden with Reumes or haue the Cough or any paynes of the head they make pouder very small of the rinde of the tree and take it in at their noses and it causeth them to purge much at them and with this they cleare themselues of the euil which we haue experimented by taking the pouder in at the nose and it maketh them to purge notably It seemeth to be more then hot in the second degree Of the Pacal IN the same Riuer there groweth an other tree which the Indians call Pacal which tree is lesser then that wee haue spoken of before the Indians doe vse it made in Ashes mingled with Soye it taketh away any maner of sore or skabbe in the head howe grieuous soeuer it bee as wel those which growe in the head as in the bodie as also it taketh away the markes of the sayde skabbes or sores being neuer so olde Hether they sent mee a little of the wood wherewith the Ashes are made that we might make experience of it Of the Paico THey sent mee an hearbe which in the Peru they call Payco they bee certaine leaues after the manner of the leaues of Planten of that making and greatnesse and as they come dry they are very thinne and being tasted they haue a notable bityng so that thereby they seeme to bee very hotte And being made into pouder and taken in wyne they take away the griefe of the stone in the kidneis which commeth of windinesse or cold causes and being sodden and made into a plaister and laide vpon the griefe they take it away also An hearbe for the euill of the Reines LIkewise they sent mee another hearbe which profiteth much in the euill of the reines when it commeth of a hotte cause The Iuyce mingled with the oyntment of Roses amongst it and one of the leaues or more if it bee needful laide vpon it is good for an inflaÌ„mation the iuyce thereof being put and it profiteth much for it doth resist the inflammation and mittigate the payne The leaues which they sent me bee lyke to small Lettice with the same greatnesse and being tasted they are of an euill savour it seemeth to be some hearbe notable cold ¶ Of a fruite which groweth vnder the ground THey sent me from the Peru a fruite very good that groweth vnder the earth and very faire to beholde and of a very good taste in eating This fruite hath no roote nor doeth produce any plante nor plante doth produce it but that it groweth vnder the ground as the Turmas doe grow vnder the earth which are called the Turmas of the earth It is of the greatnesse of halfe a finger rounde and rounde about it is wrought with a very fayre worke it is of a bay colour It hath within it a little kernel which when it is dry maketh a sounde within lyke to an Almonde the rinde of it is tawny and somwhat white parted into twoo partes lyke vnto an Almonde It is a fruite of goood sauour and taste and eating of it it seemeth that you eate Nuttes This fruite groweth vnder the earth in the coast of the Riuer of Maronnon and it is not in any other part of al the Indias It is to be eaten greene and dry and the beste way is to toste it It is eaten alwaies after meates as fruite eaten last of all because it dryeth much the stomacke and leaueth it satisfied but if you eate much of it then it bringeth heauinesse to the head It is a fruite in great reputation as wel amongst the Indians as the Spaniardes and with greate reason for I haue eaten of them which they haue brought mee and they haue a good taste It seemeth to be a temperate fruite Of the fruite called Leucoma THey brought mee likewyse a fruite of a tree which the Indians call Leucoma which is like vnto a Chestnutte of these of ours as wel in colour as in the greatnesse as also in the whytenesse that the Chestnutte hath It seemeth that within it is another thing I did not breake it to see what it was because they brought me but twoo of them the one I haue sowen
seeth and bee consumed the one halfe and so set out too coole it serueth for very good Uineger and it is vsed as if it were made of Wine and if you seeth it vntill it be throughly purged and thicke it serueth for Honie and becommeth sweete you may see how much the seething auayleth in these thinges seeyng that of mortal venome it maketh meate and healthfull drinke And I will say an other thing which bringeth admiration that all this kynde of Corne which groweth in the firme Lande which is like to that of Sancto Domingo which they call Cacani is healthfull and the Fruite thereof is eaten and the Water that commeth of it is drunke without hauing any venomous qualitie and that of Sancto Domingo howsoeuer it be eaten and the iuyce therof vnles it be sodden it killeth And that the disposition of the place is so greate a cause that that which is healthfull and allowable sustenance in the firme lande the same is mortal venome in al the Islandes as Columela writeth of the Peache that it was venome most mischeeuous which in Persia did kil men and being brought into Italy it lost that malice and propertie that it had to kill and geueth vnto vs health and a sweete iuyce Howsoeuer it be hauing in the Indias so much Mayes and so common in all partes thereof I woulde not eate Casani seeyng that the Mayes are of as good substaunce as our Wheate and in no parte hath eyther venome or poyson but rather is healthful and maketh a good stomake There is bread made of it as of the Casani for they grinde it and with water they knede it and in a Frying panne of Earth they bake certayne Cakes which they make of it and it must be eaten freshe assoone as it is made for beyng dry it is sharpe and trouble some to swallowe downe and doeth offende the teeth The Batatas which is a common fruite in those Countries I take for a vittayle of muche Substaunce and that they are in the middest betweene fleshe and Fruite Trueth it is that they be wyndie but that is taken from them by rosting chiefly if they bee put into fine Wyne there is made of them Conferna very excellent as Marmolade and small Morselles and they make Potages and Brothes and Cakes of them very excellent they are subiect that there be made of them any maner of Conserua and any maner of meat ther be so many in Spaine that they bring from Velez Melaga euery yeere to Seuill tenne or twelue Caruelles laden with them They be sowen of the same Plantes that are sette the smallest of them or peeces of the greatest in the Earth that is well tilled and they growe very well and in eyght Monethes the rootes waxe very grosse so that you may eate of them They be temperate and beeyng rosted or otherwise drest they soften the Bellie and beyng raw they are not good to bee eaten because they are wyndie and hard of disgestion Of the Canes which are good for the shortnesse of breath THey bring from the newe Spayne great Canes of a Cane that are couered within without with a certain gūmme to me it seemeth that it is mingled with the iuyce of Tabaco it is heauy It seemeth that the Cane is annoynted as a thing that the clingeth fast it is clunged wel to the said Cane and it is of a blacke colour and being hard it clingeth not they kindle the Cane at that part where the gumme is and the other parte of it they put in the mouth and they receiue that smoke and with it they cast out from them all fleume and rottennesse that is in the breast and this they do when they finde themselues greeued with the shortnesse of winde so that they be all ready to choke I haue seene it done by a Gentleman who is much payned with it many times and receiueth by it great profite and did it first with the Tabac◠taking the smoke of it and it brought to him the like benefit And for this cause I say that it seemeth to carry with it the iuyce of the Tabaco mingled with the one and with the other It is done with al assurance for that we do see it experimented with manifest assurance in many Some beeing sicke of the shortnesse of breath that come frō the Indias with it I haue seene expel cast out this rottennes by taking a little Tabaco green chewing the iuyce of it with although it be lothsome it doth them much good to expell the rottennesse fleumes which are retained within the brestes so that they be lightened with it notably It is a maruellous thing the greate vertues and sundrie and diuers effectes that they doe discouer of the Tabaco for besides that which I haue written of it in the second parte of the maruellous vertues therof I determined to make further triall of it as I haue vnderstood and seene since that time ¶ Of the Carlo Sancto IN the second parte wee entreated of the vertues of a Roote that then they had brought from the newe Spayne which they cal Carlo Sancto now in these ships they haue brought it with great veneration and estimation and the roote is called Indica and they bring written many vertues of it more then they are woonte too reporte of the Rosemarie Nowe that which hath beene experimente◠and seene since that I wrote of it I will speake of this Roote which being made into Pouder geuen to women that newly brought Children who for euill keeping haue taken greate colde and be numbe it profiteth muche to prouoke them to sweate and maketh them remayne cleere it profiteth muche geuen with Wine or water of the floures of Orenges vnto them that haue a harde labour There was a Frier which had paynes of the Stomake and no tast of his Meate but had an euill breath and much windynesse and all did proceede of colde that hee had taken and little natural heate He sodde of these Rootes in water at his discretion as the water of the Sarcaparillia is sodden and so he dranke it continually at dinner supper for a long time and it did so well with him that he amended his stomake and increased the heate of it whereby hee did digest and consume his meate very well and tooke from him his euill breath and consumed the windes and in taken from twoo to three Ounces of it it purgeth well and easily and euen as it is good to take so it is good to worke for that I haue purged many people with it and it maketh a very good woorke and purgeth without paynes One thing they doe euill in those partes which is that they neuer bring them hither made with good Sugar if they come so they woulde be the better and of better tast They bee purges for delicate people they euacuate the same humor that the Canafistola doth Of
propertie against venom but these which I haue spoken of are the most principal and found most true by experience The simple medicines bee many the most principall is the earth Lemnia so celebrated of the olde wryters in especially of Galen who only to see it and to see how the priests did make it saylâ—d to the Ilande of Lemnos that at this day is called Estalimene which is the most principal simple medicine that the Greekes knewe The true Diptamo is another which â—roweth in the Iland of Creta which at this day is called Candia wherevnto the people of the Isle doe runne when they feele themselues in vayne Lykewyse it is to be giuen to them that are bitten wâ—th venomous beastes or pricked of them bycause it may extinguish and kil the malice of the venome And although that these pouders are of so much vertue as aforesayde the Bezaar stone is of greater vertue and excellencie for that in it alone is founde all the vertues and properties that are in all medicines which we haue already spoken of by his own propertie hidden and by grace from heauen infused into it against venomes which you shall find to bee the best and most present remedy of all others as wee wil shewe in that which followeth Of the Bezaar stone THis Bezaar stone hath many nâ—mes for the Arabiens do cal it Hagar the Persians Bezaar the Indians Bezar the Hebrewes Belzaar the Greekes Alexipharmâ—cum the Latinistes Against venom the Spaniardes the stone against venom sounding Conrado Gesnero in his booke that he made of beastes speaking of the Goate of the mountayne sayth that this name Belzaar is an Hebrew name for that ben in Hebrewe is as much to say as Lord and zaâ— venom as if ye would say Lord of the venomes and by good reason it is so named seeing that this stone is Lady of the venomes and doeth extinguish and destroy theÌ„ as being Lady and mistresse ouer them And of this it commeth that al thinges that are against poyson or venomous thinges are called Bezaarticas for theyr excellencie This stone is ingendered in the inner part of a beast that is commonly called a Goate of the mountaine The ingendering of stones in beastes is a common thing and also in man chiefly there is no partâ— in his body wherein they bee not ingendred and lykewyse in byrdes and fishes rattes of the field Plinie in his 28. booke the 9. chapter sayeth that the wilde hartes goe to the hollow places where snakes and serpents are and with their breath doe bring them foorth and eate them And this is gathered heereby that they doe it eyther to heale them of some disease or to wax yong againe that they may liue many yeeres The Arabiens doe amplifie this cause and say that the wild hartes by eating of these serpents come to ingender the Bezaar stone and they declare it in this manner In these East parts are bred certaine beastes which are called hartes which for the great heate of the Sommâ—r goe into the â—aues and hollowe places where the adders and snakes and other vermin being of poyson are which in that country be many and very venomous bycause the countrie is so hot and with their breath they driue them out and tread vpon them and kill them and eate them and after they are filled with them they goe as speedily as they can where water is and they plundge themselues therin in such sorte that they leaue no part of their bodies out but their snowt for to fetch their breath and this they doe that with the coldnes of the water they may delay the greate heate of the venome which they haue eaten and there they remayne without drinking a droppe of water vntil they haue alayed and cooled that feruent heate wherein they were by feeding vppon the venomous vermine And being in the water there doeth ingender in the places wâ—ere the droppes of water coÌ„meth foorth of their eyes a stone which being come foorth of the water falleth from them and it is gathered vp for the vse of medicine This is thaâ— in effâ—ct which the Arabiens doe wryte of the manner howe the Bezaar stone is ingendered I haue procured and with great diligence sought to find out by such as haue come froâ— tâ—e India of Portingal and such as haue past beyond the China to knowe the trueth of this matter and it is thus In the greatest India where Ptolomeo doth write to bee founde so much goods and so greate riches before the Riuer Ganges in certayne mountaynes which doe ioynâ— with the Countrie of China there doe breede certaine beastes lyke to Hartes as well in greatnesse as in swiftnesse and are very much lyke vnto hartes sauing in some respect they doe participate with goates as well in their hornes which they haue lyke a goate beeing turned backewarde as in the making of the body whereby they giue them the name of goates of the mountayne wherein in my opinion they are deceiued for they rather ought to bee called harte goates in that they haue the partes and likenesses of both which is of a harte and of a goate These harte Goates in those partes doe vse themselues lyke to the hartes that Plinie speaketh of in these places as is aforesaid that goe to the dennes of wilde venomous beastes and with their breathing cause them to come foorth and eate them and afterwarde doe goe whereas water is and doe plundge themselues therein vntill they perceiue that the furie of the venom which they haue eaten bee past and vntill then they dare not drinke a droppe And beeing come foorth from thâ—nce they goe into the fieldes and there they eate many healthfull herbes of greate vertue which are against venom which they by their naturall instinct doe know that there doe aryse as wel of the venom which they haue eateÌ„ as of the herbes which they haue fed on being ingendred by meanes of the naturall heate and by that vertue which is declared being infused at the tyme of the generation in the inner parts of the bowelles in other parts of their bodies certaine stones of the greatest and of the smallest sort which is a thing of greate admiration of the greatest vertue that to this day is knowen against venom It is vnderstoode of that venom which is so pernicious and â—urtful that they did eate of those herbes being so healthful that they fed vpon by a meruellous woorke the Bezaar stone is ingendered And as they say which come from those partes and haue seene this beast from whom they take out these stones hee is of the greatnesse of a harte and well neere of this making hee hath onely twoo broade hornes with the pointes sharpe turned and falling much backewarde his hayre is thicke and grosse of a mingled colour for the most parte and reddishe and of other colours you haue many of them in those mountaines
original Trimegisto sayde that the earth was the mother of the metals and the heauen the Father And Plinie saith these wordes The inner parte of the earth is a thing most precious for into it and through it doe goe and pearce all the influences of heauen ingendring therein thinges of greate pryce as stones and metals and this is done as Calcidonio Platonico doeth say by reason of the greate heate that is in the inner parte of it Calisthenes vnderstood that the forme of metals were all one Anaxagoras and Hermes sayde that the metalls had one forme in the inner parte and an other in the outwarde parte one secret and an other manifest after the manner as the lead hath within it gold and the gold lead and so of al the rest of the metals See you my maisters howe many and howe variable opinions there are among wise men There is another opinion which is that which is common and which for the most certayne we doe followe which Auicen wrote in his bookes of Metheurous and in the bookes hee made of Alcumisto which were confirmed by Geber and Raymond Lullio and Arnolde de Villa noua and all the rest that haue treated of these matters euen vnto our tyme doe say that the true matter of all metals is ingendred of brimstone and quicksiluer the brimstone as the father and the quicksiluer as the mother and the heat of the brimstone doeth incorporate and congele with the quicksiluer in such sorte that of these twoo thinges are made the metals which are in the bowelles of earth and of the variation of these twoo beginninges they come to differ the one from the other and of the purenesse of these twoo beginnings some doe come to be more excellent then other and for this the golde is more profitable more fayre then all other metalles for bycause it is formed of his beginning cleane and pure which was the cause and originall of his perfection And there were Philosophers which said that al metals should haue bin gold if it had not bin for the imperfection of the sulphur and the quicksiluer And al other metals besides the golde they call imperfect mineralles bycause they had not their purenesse and concoction that the gold had with that maruellous friendshippe which nature gaue vnto it And of this it commeth that the Alcumistes for to make golde doe pretende to make cleane and purifie these twoo beginninges of the which all the metalles are made and beeing put into their perfection the golde is made by of them which is the metall most pure and cleane of all other Thus they dâ—e woorke with their distillations and limbecks and howe harde it is to doe let them report and speake that haue spent their goods and also their patrimonies therevppon and yet in the end haue performed nothing at all Such as doe wryte against them making impossible their woorkes and effectes doe say that in the bowels of the earth the metals are not ingendred nor made of brimstone and quicksiluer as they thinke and holde it for certayne so they cannot make of them by arte for if it were so that of brimstone and quicksiluer they were ingendred there would be some â—ase of them in the mynes of golde and siluer and of the other metals for it is seene that there is no signe or vayne of them in any of those mynes howe deepe so euer they bee but rather they are mynes of themselues as wee see that neyther in them are founde metalles nor in the mynes of the metals are foundâ— sulphur nor quickesiluer And if it were so as they say that the metalles doe breede and are newly ingendred of these twoo beginnings it must bee of force that one metall were alreadie made and the other shoulde goe a making for that all coulde not bee made alyke but rather they take out all metalles ready made and perfectioned and in the meltinges the Iron doeth fall downe into the lowest parte and so is made a great cake the which being deuided into peeces they carry them to the forge where are certeine great hammers or sledges of Iron which the water dryueth and they beate them and there they are forged and doe make these planches that you see there leaning Trueth it is that there are mynes where some Iron is more strong then other some and likewise harder and stronger to labour The Iron of Almayne is softer and gentler to worke That of Flaunders is harde and naught and therefore it is that manye things are soone broken that are made of it In Italy you haue all sortes that of Biskey is the best by reason it is good to worke and it is more mightie and strong then all other and for the goodnesse it hath it is carryed to all partes Doctour Do they bring Steele from Biskey as they do from Italy OrtunÌ„o They do bring a certeine kinde of Iron so harde and strong that being wrought it serueth for Steele cheefely with a temperature that is giuen to it that doeth make it very strong although that it be wrought with great labour There is great difference betweene this and â—he Steele which they bring from Italy and cheefely from Milan for this is verye pleasant to worke and softe and is farre better and the craftes men that doe worke it for this cause are desirous of it and do vse it more then any other Doctour Some will say that the Steele is a myne aâ—one of it selfe distant froÌ„ the Iâ—on OrtunÌ„o It is not so foâ— all are mynes of Iron but that some is more strong then other some and the stronger and harder it is for the strength and haâ—dnesse thereof wee call it Steele and there are countries which haue no other Iron but this which is harde and strong as all the countrey of Mondragon where all the mâ—nes that are in it are of this Iron strong harde whereby it is called Steele all that is taken out of them the disposition of the place doeth cause it but that which they bring from Italy is of another sorte In that countrie are diuers mynes of yron some of soft yron easie to woorke and other of hard strong yron not easie to worke And for to make the steele which they sende vs they vse it in this sorte they take of the soft yron the quantitie they seeme good and they make it in â—â—â—aine small thinne planches then they take marble ground small and also the rust of the yron grounde smal and mingling it al togither they put it into a furnace to melâ— prepared for this purpose with much quantitie of kindled coale they cast al together into it geueth it a strong fire and after they cast to it some of that hard Iron that is so hard that it cannot bee wrought and with a strong fire it is al melt and they make it one peece
drithe it causeth the dropsie by reason it corrupteth the first disgestiâ—n consumeth the body with his heate Auicen himselfe confirmeth this in the thirde of the first part saying the colde water is conuenient for them that haue a temperate complection for being whot it causeth the stomake to be sicke Isaac Aliabas and Rasis say the same that Auicen saith the which he did let to wryte of bycause hee woulde not bee long in his sayings One thing Auicen would haue in the thirde of the first parte that hee which shoulde drinke very cold must first make a good foundation eating first a good portioÌ„ of meate before he drinke Also he saith that the cold drinke may not be dronke much at one draught but by litle and litle by reason it doth bring two benefits which is that there is taken more taste in that which is drâ—nke and it doâ—th not kill the natural heat as it is seene by the pot that boyleth if you cast into it much water at one tyme it doeth cease boyling but if it be cast by litle and litle it ceaseth not his working And therfore Auicen himselfe sayeth when that you will drinke colde that you drinke with a vessell which hath a straight mouth that the drinke run not in hastily the said vessel beeing a limet or a yewre with a poynt surely it is a greate benefit for them which are affectioned to drinke with the lyke â—esselles if they ought first to take out the winde or not I do remit me to the Doctor Villalabos who treateth largely of this matter And by that it is seene howe Auicen woulde that those which woulde drinke very colde they shoulde not drinke foorthwith at the beginning of their meate For sâ—me there bee that as soone as they begin to eate foorthwith they will drinke that as is very colde the stomacke beeing empty without meate which cannot choose but hurte and so the hurt which doth come to them by this they doe attribute it foorthwith to the colde of the drinke and not to their euil order the which Auicen sayth speaking of cold water that to drinke it without order is the cause of many diseases if it be dronke in order as wel in time as in quantity it profiteth as he hath said Therfore let euery one loke to that which is conuenient for him and let him make experience in himself and if that it be conuenient for him to drinke colde that hee may beare it without that it doe offende him that doe it for therof wil follow the benefites which we haue spoken of but if he bee sicke and fall into any disease whereby hee saith that the drinking of colde drinke doeth offende him in such case let him not vse it for my intent is to shâ—w and perswade them that doe drinke colde that if it doe them no hurt nor offende them that they drinke it so aâ—d such as doe vse it of custome and haue experience that it doe not offende theÌ„ vnto such iâ— they drinke not that which they drinke cold the lust of their meate is taken away from theÌ„ for they take no taste in that which they eate and they eate it with grief and with an euil wil for that which they drinke doth not satisfie them the whot drinke doth fil the stomake full of windinesse and cannot make therewith a good disgestion But what is hee that hath a reasonable health being in the tyme of great heate or in the whot summer that comming to eate being weary of exercyse or of greate labour hauing the tongue dry the breath shorte that doeth let to drinke colde seeing that to doe it there doe followe the benefites that I haue sayde and doeth succor his necessity and remayne content and glad without hauing offended his disposition and health Unto the which Galen doeth animate and exhorte vâ— in the booke which hee made of good and euil meates saying In the tyme of hot weather when our bodies are whot and somtymes inflamed then we must vse of thinges that may refreshe vs although that they bee euill meates as Plummes Apples Cheries Melons Goords of other colde fruytes in these lyke tymes Galen saith that wee may vse colde meates as the feete of a pigge or hogge sodden in vinegre and crudded milke and the same meates must be made colde and likewyse the drinke must bee made colde as the water and the wyne watered with colde water or made cold in snowe the one and the other must be made colde in the most cold water of a fountaine and if it be not to be had let it bee made colde in snow chiefly the drinke And after that Galen hath made a large digression as it is conuenient so much in the tyme of greate heate to eate and to drinke colde things hee doeth describe who they are that should drinke colde and saith in this sorte those that should drinke cold are such as haue much buzines and haue care of many things as those which are gouerners of cities and common wealthes and the ministers which doe helpe them and doe participate of such cares and troubles and those that are much exercised in bodily buzines in especially the sowldierlyke exercises or other great exercises and they which doe iorney and inespecially long iorneyes giuing to vnderstand all corporal exercises Here I doe see many being sicke and hauing great occasions of sicknes after that they drinke cold they are whole and when they vse it not they become sicke agayne And although experience doe shewe it yet Galen doeth teach it vs in many places being the Prince of Phisicke For in the thirde degree of the substance of meates he saith that vnto them which are whot of stomake it is conuenient that their drinke be made colde with snowe the same he doth confirme in the booke of good and euil meates And in the 7. of his Methodo it hath beene seene as he saith that diseases haue beene healed and the griefes of the stomake with colde water made colde with snowe and in the 6. of the Epidimias hee doeth vse much of water first sodden and after cooled with snow and in many partes hee doeth put to coole in snowe the medicines which he doeth vse of and the same doe the Arabiens for that as it is sayde it doeth seeme that the snowe was had in reuerence by the ancient wryters and that they did vse of it in the preseruation of their health and in the healing of their diseases for that it was the best maner how to nake it cold more cleane and more without scruple For the cold that proceedeth of snow is healthful without receyuing hurt by that which is cooled with it nor causeth any alteration bycause it is a very good congeled water and doeth make cold Truthe it is that it is not conuenient to vse of the sayde snowe continually if it be not in tyme
¶ IOYFVLL NEWES out of the newfound world wherein are declared the rare and singular vertues of diuers and sundrie Herbs Trees Oyles Plants Stones with their applications aswell to the vse of Phisicke as Chirurgery which being wel applied bring such present remedy for all diseases as may seeme altogether incredible notwithstanding by practize found out to be true Also the portrature of the sayde Herbes very aptly described Englished by Iohn Frampton Merchant Newly corrected as by conference with the olde copies may appeare Wherevnto are added three other bookes treating of the Bezaar stone the herbe Escuerçomera the properties of yron and steele in Medicine and the benefite of snowe Imprinted at London in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Quenes Armes by William Norton 1580. ¶ To the right worshipfull Maister Edwarde Dier Esquier Iohn Frampton wisheth much health with prosperous and perfite felicitie REturning right worshipful home into Englande out of Spaine and now not pressed with the former toiles of my olde trade to passe the tyme to some benefite of my country and to auoyde idlenes I tooke in hande to translate out of Spanish into English the three bookes of Doctor Monardes of Seuil the learned Phisition treating of the singular and rare vertues of certaine Hearbes Trees Oyles Plants Stoner Drugges of the West Indias for that the same booke is of high commendation in Spaine and other countries in such sorte that in deede it might bring in tyme rare profite to my Country folkes of Englande by wonderful cures of sundâ—â— great diseases that otherwise then by these râ—â—edies were incurable And hauing finished â—he same translation I determined to dedicate my trauaile therein to some rare louer of knowledge for the worthinesse of the woorke and not finding any Gentleman of myne acquaintance that was more studious and more delighted with learned works or that more cherished trauellers and louers of all good knowledge determined to dedicate the same to your woorshippe before al others requesting your woorshippe to accept the worke and to be a patron of the same and to take it into your protection since the matter is of good substance and of much value and of me truly fâ—ithfully translated into English And since the aforesaid Medicines mentioned in the same worke of Doctoâ— Moâ—ardes are now by Marchants others brought out of the West Indias into Spainâ— and from Spaine hither into England by such as doe dâ—ily traffickâ— thither and that the excellencie of these Hearbes Trees Oyles Plants stones c. haue bin knowen to be so precious a remedie for all manner of diseases and hurtes that may happe vnto Man Woman or Childe they haue leâ—t of and forsaken very much the olde order and maâ—ner of Phisicke which was vsed before that this was knowen as thinges not of so present remedie for all manner of diseases as these nowe late founde owt are which by greate experience made in Spayne and other Countries were throughly and effectuously prooued and experimented to woorke the effectes which are contayned in this Booke And thus I leaue your woorshippe to the Almightie beseeching him to gyue you long lyfe and for the Common-wealthes sake that aduauncement that your good nature and rare vertues doe wel deserue From London the first of October 1577. Your worships during lyfe to commaunde Iohn Frampton THE FIRST PART OF THIS BOKE TREATETH OF THE thinges that are brought from the Occidentall Indias which serue for the vse of Medicine and of the order that must be kept in taking the roote called Mechoacan wherein are discouered great secretes of Nature and great experiences made and compiled by Doctor Monardus Phisition of Seuill IN the yere of our Lord God a thousaÌ„d foure hundreth ninetie two our Spaniards were gouerned by sir Christopher ColoÌ„ being naturally born in the couÌ„trie of Genoua to discouer the OccideÌ„tal Indias that are called at this day the newe world and they discouered the first land thereof the xi day of October of the said yere from that time vnto this they haue discouered many sundry Islandes and muche firme land as wel in that couÌ„trie which they cal the new Spaine as in that which is called the Peru where there are manie Prouinces many Kingdomes and many Cities that haue contrary and diuers customes in them in which there haue beene founde out thinges that neuer in these partes nor in any other partes of the worlde haue beene seene nor vnto this day knowen and other thinges which nowe are brought vnto vs in greate abundance that is to say Gold Siluer Pearles Emeraldes Turkeies other fine stones of great value Yet great is the excesse and quantitie that hath come and euery daie doeth come and inespecially of Golde and Siluer that it is a thing woorthy of admiration the great number of Melons which haue come from thence besides the great quantity of pearles which haue stored the whole world also they doe bring fâ—om those partes Popingaies Griffons Apes Lions Gerfaucons other kinds of Haukes Tigers wool Cotton wool Graine to die colouâ—es with al Hides Sugars Coppar Brasill the wood Ebano Anill and of all these there is so great quantity that there commeth euery yeere one hundred ships laden therewith that it is a great thing and an incredible riches And besides these great riches our Occidentall Indias doe send vnto vs many Trees Plants Hearbes Rootes Iuices Gummes Fruites Licoures Stones that are of great mâ—dicinall vertues in the which there be founde and haue been found in them very great effectes that doe exceede much in value and price all the aforesayde thinges by so muche as the corporall health is more excellent and necessary then the temporall goodes the which thinges all the world doth lacke the want whereof is not a little hurtefull according to the greate profite which wee doe see by the vse of them to follow not onely in our Spayne but also in all the world And this is not too bee meruelled at that it is so for the Philosophâ—r doeth say that all Countries doe not yeelde Plantes and Fruites alike for one Region yeeldeth such Fruites Trees and Plantes as an other doeth not wee doe see that in Creta onely groweth the Diptamo and the Incence onely in the region of Saba and the Almaciga onely in the Islande of Chio and the Sinamom Cloues and Peper and other spices onely in the Islands of the Maluca and many other thinges you haue in diuers partes of the worlde which were not knowne vntill our time and the people of olde time did lacke them but Time which is the discouerer of all thinges hath discouered them vnto vs greatly to our profite considering the greate neede that wee hâ—d of thâ—m And as there are discouered new regions newe kingdomes and newe Prouinces by our Spaniardes so they haue brought vnto vs newe Medicines and newe Remedies wherewith they doe cure many infirmities which if we did lacke them