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 Cinamon of our Jndias.

IN the yeere of our Lorde 1540. Francis Pissarro proui∣ded to make towarde his bro∣ther Gonsalo Pissarro gouer∣nour of the prouince of Quito, & the Spaniards wēt thither with a good will, & they went also vnto the coūtrie that was called the country of the Cina∣mō, w^t is an other prouince be∣yond Quito, and the Cinamon was much spoken of amongst the Spaniardes, for it was vnderstood of the Indians that it was a thing of great riches,

Gonsalo Pissarro departed with 200. Spaniards, and it happened to him euil in his iorney,* 1.1 for it was a sharpe coun∣trie, & without vittaile, & with great trauel they came to that prouince called of the Indians Somaca, where the Cinamon groweth, which is right vnder the Equinoctiall line.

The trees which beare it, are of reasonable greate∣nesse, they carrie a Leafe like to Laurel, they be al the y••re greene, and they neuer loose the leafe, which is a thing com∣mon to all the trees of the Indias.* 1.2 They beare their fruite vnto the likenesse of a little Hatte, that hath his Cup and sides as greate as a peece of eight Rialles of Siluer, which is foure Shillinges, and some greater, it is of the colour of a darke tawnie, as well without as within, it is smooth in the inner parte, and sharpe in the vtter, in the highest part of the Cuppe it hath a stalke, whereby it hangeth in the tree, it is as thicke in the side, as a peece of eight Rialles of Siluer, and the vppermost parte is fuller of bodie, and being tasted, it hath the same pleasauntnesse of tast that the same Cinamon hath, which they bring from the India of Portugall, and in like sorte there r••mayne••h in the

mouth the same sweete smell, and tast, that the same Cina∣mon of the East India hath, & there remayneth in the mouth the same sweete smell and tast, with some drinesse: the selfe-same it doeth being ground, respiring out from it the same smell, which the most fine Cinamon hath. And in the meates wherin it is put▪ it geueth the same tast & sauour that the Ci∣namon of the East India hath. The trees haue a grosse rynd, but without tast, sauour or smell of the Cinamon. I cannnot tell if the little inner rynd haue any, onely the rynde I haue seen with the fruite, as it is described: they say that the leaues beyng beaten, geue out s••me smel of Cinamon, onely the ver∣tue, sweet smel and tast, is in the fruite, which is contrary to ••he Cinamon, that is brought from the Orientall Indias, for onely the Rynde of the tree is that which hath the sweete sa∣uour and pleasant smell, as we doe all see. And true it is, that some is better and of more sweete smell and tast, than othersome is. For although that they are all one sorte of trees, which bring forth the Cinamon, yet some haue the rinde thinne, and that is the best Cinamon, and others haue it grosse, and this is not so good: and thereof it hath come, that there bee some which doe distinguish the Cinamon into di∣uers kindes. For one sort they call Cassia, and an other Ci∣namon, and an other Cassia lig••••a, and it is all one kinde of tree, that bringeth them foorth: but that the diuersity of the place bringeth forth one more fine than another, and so Cassia and Cinamon are al one,* 1.3 for that they differ not, but onely in the names, for all is Cinamon, thinne, and fine, and whereas you find written Cassia, may be put Cinamon; and where you doe find Cinamon, Cassia.

This our fruite that is called Cinamon, profiteth in Medicine for many thinges:* 1.4 beeyng taken and made into pouder, it comforteth the stomake, and it dissolueth winds, it taketh away the euill smell of the mouth, & it is an impor∣tant remedy for the griefe of the stomake, it is cordiall, it

maketh a good colour in the face, and Cassia in drest meates is vsed euen as Cinamon is, because it woorketh the like ef∣fect, that it doeth: by taking the Pouder of this fruite with wine, or water made for the nonce, it prouoketh the purgatiō of women. It is hot in the thirde degree, and drie in the first, but with notable comforting, by reason of the drie parts that it hath.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The history of the cōquest of the coun∣trie, where the Cinamon groweth.
• * 1.2

  The descrip∣tion of the trees, and of the fruite.
• * 1.3

  Cassia & Ci∣namō all one.
• * 1.4

  Vertues which it hath in medicine.