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 the Coca.

I Was desirous to see that hearbe so celebrated of the Indiās, so many yeres past, which they call the Coca, w^c they sow and till with much care, and diligence, because they vse it for their plea∣sures, which wee wil speake of.* 1.1 The Coca is an hearbe of the height of a yerd, little more or lesse, it carieth leaues lyke to Arraihan, somewhat greater, and in that Leafe there is marked an other leafe of the lyke forme, with a line very thinne: they are softe, and of colour a light greene, they carry the seede in clusters, and it commeth to be red when it is rype, as the seed of Arraihan, when it is type. And it is of the same greatnesse, when the hearbe is seasoned, that it is to be gathered, it is knowen in the seede, that it is rype when it is of some rednes lyke to a blackish colour, and the hearbe beeing gathered, is put into Canes and other things, that they may dry, that they may be kepte and caried to other partes. For that they cary them from the high Mountaines, to other places, as marchādise

to be solde, they barter and change them for Mantelles, and Cattel, and Salt, and other things which runne like money amongst vs they plant the seede in Almaciga, and from that they take them vp and set them in other places, into Earth that is wel laboured or tilled, and made conuenient to set them in by their lines and order, as we do set here a Garden of Beanes, or of Peason.

The vse of it amongst the Indians is a thing generall, for many things, for when they trauell by the way,* 1.2 for need and for their content when they are in their houses, they vse it in this forme. They take Cokles or Oysters, in their shelles, and burne them and grinde them, and after they are burned they remaine like Lyme, very small grounde: then they take the Leues of the Coca, and chewe them in their Mouthes, and as they chawe it, they mingle with it some of that pouder made of the shelles in such sorte, that they make it lyke to a Paste, taking lesse of the Pouder then of the hearbe, and of this Paste they make certaine small b••wles rounde, and lay them to dry, and whē they wil vse them, they take a little Ball in their mouth, and chawe it, rowling it from one place to an other, procuring to conserue it all that they can, and that being done, they take another, and so they goe, vsing it al the time that they haue need, which is when they trauell by the way, and especially if it bee by wayes where is no meate, nor plentie of water. For the vse of these litle Balles taketh the hunger and thirst from them: & they say that they receiue substance thereby, as though they did eate meate. At other times they vse them for their pleasure, although they labour not by the way, and they vse the same Coca alone, chewing it & tossing it in their mouths, from one side to another, vntil there be no vertue remaining in it, and then they take another.

When they will make themselues dronke,* 1.3 and bee out of iudgement, they mingle with the Coca the leaues of the

Tabaco, and chewe them all together, and goe as they were out of their wittes, or as if they were dronke, which is a thing that doeth giue them great contentment, to bee in that sort. Surely it is a thing of great consideration, to see howe desirous the Indians are to be depryued of their wittes, and to bee without vnderstanding, seeing that they vse thus the Coca with the Tabaco, and al to this end, that they would be without vnderstanding, and haue their wittes taken from them, as wee sayde in the second parte, when wee treated of the Tabaco.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The descrip∣tion of the Coca.
• * 1.2

  The vse of i••.
• * 1.3

  Note.