Ioyfull newes out of the newfound world wherein are declared the rare and singular vertues of diuers and sundrie herbs, trees, oyles, plants, [and] 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 escuerçonera, the properties of yron and steele, in medicine and the benefite of snowe.

Of Beades, which bee called the Beades of Sainct Elen.

[illustration]

FRom the Florida they bring certayne rounde Rootes which are called the Beades of Sainct Elen. And they take this name by reason that they grow in a place of that Country that is so called: they are greate large Rootes, deuided into seueral peeces, and cuttinges, euery peece by it selfe, they remaine rounde as Beades, which be∣ing bored in the midst, they make of them Beads for to pray vpon, which the Souldiers do hang about their necks, for a thing of great estimation. They dry them, and they are as ha••de as a bone, on the outwarde part they are blacke, and within white, and the Rinde is ioyned in such sorte, that the harte and it is made alone, they are wrought after they bee dry, and this Roote beeing tasted, hath a sweete smel, with a good taste. And it seemeth by the taste that it is a kinde of Spyce, for it i•• lyke to Galanga, they are of the thickenesse of a mans thombe, somwhat lesse, the Plant hath a great stalke: the Bowes doe spread by the grounde, and cast out the leaues broade and greate, and very greene. It groweth

commonly in moyst places, the complexion thereof is hot in the ende of the second degree, and more drie the•• in th•• ••ir••t, th•• ver••ues thereof are these.

The Indians vse t••e hearbe beaten betweene t••••o st••nes ••hen they pretend to wash themselues, ••ubbing ••••l their body with it: for they say that i•• knit••eth their fl••••h t••∣g••t••er, and comforteth them with his good smell. And this they doe for the most part euery day, for the great profit that they f••nde in it.

In griefes of the Stomacke, the Indians doe vse it, by taking the Pouder of it, and our Spania••ds also take it, for the same purpose, receiuing it in wine, being grounde smal, of the which I haue seene notable experience in some.

In the griefe of the Stone of the Ridneis or Reines, the Pouder of this Roote woorketh a knowen effect. For that some haue taken this roote made into Pouder in wyne, ha∣uing the grief, and it hath taken it away. And I maruell not at al that his manifest quātitie is sufficient, to worke the like effectes.

In griefes of the Uryne of them that cannot pisse wel, by taking the Pouder, it doth profite, and expel it. A thing v∣sed of many that haue come from those partes, for that they haue proued it in the lyke euilles, and here hath bin seene the same experience. And one that had a stone which h••e coulde not auoyde from him, vsed certaine dayes the pou∣der of this roote, and did easily auoyde the same. A ••••ul∣dier brought Beades at his Necke, made of these rootes, and m••t with me•• one day, and asked mee if I knew tho••e Beades, and of what they were made, & he saide it was told him that they w••re ••oote•• of Gentiana. But I declared v••to him, that the ••••••des ••ere made of certayne rootes, that 〈…〉〈…〉 of ••aint Elen, & that they were not made of Gentiana▪ a••d then he tolde me great vertues of them, •• t••e 〈◊〉〈◊〉 v••r•• rare that the vse of thē had wroug••t ••hi••h I did beleeue: for it seem••th well, in the roote that they ha••e

greate Medicinal vertues, according to their fashion, and sweete smell, and by that which I had experimented of them.

Notes

• The Beads of the rootes of sainct Elen.
• The forme of them.
• The ••lant.
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• In griefe•• of the ••••••ma••ke.
• In the ••rief•• of the ••tone in t••e 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or ••eines.
• In griefes of the V••i••••.