The new found vvorlde, or Antarctike wherin is contained wo[n]derful and strange things, as well of humaine creatures, as beastes, fishes, foules, and serpents, trées, plants, mines of golde and siluer: garnished with many learned aucthorities, trauailed and written in the French tong, by that excellent learned man, master Andrevve Theuet. And now newly translated into Englishe, wherein is reformed the errours of the auncient cosmographers.

The description of a sicknesse named Pians, to the which are subiect these people of A∣merica as well in the Ilandes as the maine land. Ca. 45.

KNowing wel y^t there is nothing, not frō the earth vnto y^e first heauen, what making or proportion so it hath, but that is subiect to chaunging and alte∣ration, the aire then that compasseth vs, béeing not simplie an aire, but made and composed, is not alwais like in all times nor in all places, but nowe of one fashion, incontinent of an other. And for that all dis∣eases (as oure Phisitians shewe vs) come or happen either of the aire, or of the maner of mens liuing, I am determined to write and set out here a sicknesse or disease verie rife and common in these countreys of America, and of the West, discouered in our time. Now this sickenesse named pians, by the people of the countrey, cōmeth not of the corruption of the aire, for it is there verie good & tēperat, which sheweth by expe∣ence,

the fruites that the earth bringeth forth, with the benefite of the aire, without y^e which nothing is made, bee it of Nature or artificiall. Also that the sycknesse procéedyng of the corruption of the ayre, hurteth as aswell the yong as the olde, the ryche as well as the poore, notwithstandyng the internall or inwarde dis∣position. Therefore it muste néedes bée, that it procée∣deth of some misgouernement, as to much carnall and fleshely frequentation the man with the woman, con∣sidering that thys people is very lecherous, carnal, and more than brutishe, specially the women: for they do seeke and practise all the meanes to moue man to lust. This sickenesse is no other thyng than the pocks that raigneth, and hath power ouer all Europe, specially a∣mong the Frenchemen: For of vs it is named the Frenche pockes, the whych disease as the Frenchmen wright, was first taken at a voyage into Naples, and thether it was broughte by the Spanyardes, from the West Indies. For before it was discouered and made subiecte to the Spanyardes, there was no mention ther∣of. It is not onely here in Europe, but also in Grecia, in Asia, and in Affrica. Well let vs returne vnto the wylde mens euyll, and to the remedies that they doe vse therefore. Nowe this euill taketh the parties, as well wilde men as Christians that are there, by con∣tagion or touching, euen as the pockes dothe in the realme of Fraunce. Also it hath the like Symptomes, and it is so daungerous, that if it be waxen old, it is harde and daungerous to heale: for sometimes it dothe afflict them euen to the death. As for the Christians, whiche doe inhabite in the lande of America, if they couple them selues with the women, they shall neuer bée rid of the same, but shall fall into the daunger thereof,

muche more sooner than they of the countrey. For the curing of this disease likewise for a certain alteration that oftentymes commeth wyth this euill, they make a certaine decoction of the barke of a trée, named in their language Hiuourahe, of the which they drincke, more easier to cure than with our medicine, and they are more easier to be healed than others, to my iudge∣ment for their temperatenesse and complection, which are not broken out with infections, as the Frenchmen are. Thus much thought I needefull to speake in this place. And he that will make any difficultie to beleue my words, let him aske the opinion of the moste lear∣nedest Physitions of the originall & cause of this dis∣ease, and what internall partes are soonest grieued, where it is nourished. For I sée at this day many con∣tradictions (but not among the lerned.) And to my sée∣ming, I fynde very fewe that toucheth the pricke, spe∣cially of those that take vpon them to heale it: among the which, there are men and women so ignorant, that they cause many mishaps vnto the poore pacientes: for in stéede of curyng and healyng of them, they make them worse and worse. There are other kinde of dis∣eases, as ophthalmies, of the whiche we haue alreadie shewed, that comes of ouermuch smoke, for that they make their fires in many corners and places of their lodgings, the which are great, for that they assemble a great number; for to take vp their lodgings. I knowe well that al ophthalmies come not of smoke: but wher of so euer it be, it commeth of the ylnesse of the brain, being by some meanes grieued. Also all the diseases of the eies are not ophthalmies, as may bée séene among the inhabitauntes of America, of whiche we speake: for many haue loste their sight, hauing no inflamation

in their eyes. And this fulnesse and abundance of trou∣bles of the braine, as I maye learne and vnderstande, commeth of the ayre, and southwindes hot and moyst very common in America, the whiche sodainly fylleth the brayne, as Hippocrates sheweth. Also we feele in our selues, our bodies to wax heauy, specially the head when the winde is at south. For to heale this paine of the eyes, they cut a braunch of a certaine trée, very soft rinde, like to a kind of palme trée, the which they bring home to their houses, and they let drop the iuyce being redde, into the eye of the pacient. Moreouer, this kind of people is always subiect to the leprosie, paralysey, and other exterior vices as we are in this country, but they are alwayes whole and well disposed, walkyng with a great courage and boldnesse, their heads lifting vp like a stagge or hart. This much by the way of this sicknesse, the most daungerous that is in Fraunce An∣tartike or America.

Notes

• Pians a sicke∣nesse in Ame∣rica, and his oirginall.
• The wildmen are very leche∣rous and car∣nall.
• The true origi¦nall of the French pocks, as the Frenche men write.
• The curing of this disease.
• Hiuourahe a tree.
• The wilde mē are afflicted with ophthal∣mies, and from whence they proceede.
• All the paines of the eyes with ophthal∣mies.
• The southe winde and yll token.