A DESCRIPTION OF MADEIRA ad. 



c. 1550. 



growe, and yet doe, as Cedars, Cypres, Vinatico, Bar- 

 buzano, Pine trees, and divers others, and therefore the 

 sayd Hand continueth still with the same name. How- 

 beit they hold opinion, that betweene the sayd Hand and 

 the He of Palma is an Hand not yet discovered, which is 

 the true Hand Madera called saint Brandon. This Hand 

 yeeldeth a great summe of money to the king of 

 Portugall yeerely : it hath one faire citie called Fouchall, 

 which hath one faire port or harbour for shippes, and 

 a strong bulwarke, and a faire Cathedrall church, with a 

 bishop and other dignities thereunto appertaining. There 

 is also justice and government according to the Portugall 

 use. But causes of appellation are remitted to the citie 

 of Lisbone in Portugall to the kings superior judges 

 there. This Hand hath another towne called Machico, 

 which hath likewise a good road for ships, which towne 

 and road were so called after the name of Macham the 

 Englishman, who first discovered the same. There are 

 also sixteene sugar houses called Ingenios, which make 

 excellent good sugar. 



There is besides the goodly timber before declared, 

 great store of divers sortes of fruites, as Peares, Apples, 

 Plummes, wild Dates, Peaches of divers sortes, Mellons, 

 Batatas, Orenges, Lemmons, Pomgranates, Citrons, Figges, 

 and all maner of garden herbes. There are many Dragon 

 trees, such as grow in the Canarie Hands, but chiefly this 

 land produceth great quantitie of singular good wines 

 which are laden for many places. On the North side 

 of this land three leagues distant from the maine Hand 

 standeth another litle Hand called Porto santo : the people 

 thereof liveth by husbandrie, for the Hand of Madera 

 yeeldeth but litle corne, but rather is thereof provided 

 out of France and from the Hand of Tenerif. On the 

 East side of the He of Madera sixe leagues distant 

 standeth another litle Hand called the Desert, which pro- 

 duceth onely Orchell, and nourisheth a great number of 

 Goates, for the provision of the maine Hand, which may 

 be thirtie leagues in circuit: and the land is of great 



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