234 RICE. 



LIB. iv. w hi c h they call Locro. To conclude,, these rootes are 

 the bread of that land ; so as when the yeare is good, 

 they reioyce much, for that oftentimes they freeze in the 

 earth, so great is the cold of that region : they carry Mays 

 from the valley or sea coast, and the Spaniardes which are 

 dainty, carrie likewise from the same places wheate rneale, 

 whereof they doe make good breade, because that the land 

 is drie. 



In other partes of the Indies, as at the Philippines, they 

 vse Rice insteade of bread, whereof there growes very good, 

 and in great aboundance in all that countrey, and in China, 

 and it is of good nourishment, they seethe it in purcelaines, 

 and after mix it hote with the water amongest other 

 meates. In many places they do make their wine and 

 drinke of this rice, steeping, and then after boyling it, as 

 they do the beere in Flanders, or the Ac,ua in Peru. Rice 

 is a meate not much lesse common and generall throughout 

 the world than wheate or mays, and perchaunce more ; for 

 besides that they vse it in China, Lippon, and the Phillip- 

 pines, and in the greatest parte of the East Indies, it is a 

 graine most common in Affrike and Ethiopia. It requires a 

 wet ground, almost overflowne like to a medow. In Europe, 

 Peru, and Mexico, where they have the vse of wheate, they 

 eate rice as a meate, and not for bread ; they seethe it 

 with milke or with broth, or in some other sorte. The most 

 exquisite rice commeth from the Philippines and China, 

 as hath beene saycle. And this may suffice to vnderstand 

 what they eate generally at the Indies in steade of bread. 



CHAP. xvin. Of divers Rootes wliicli growe at the Indies. 



Although in these partes the Land be more aboundant 

 and fertile in frvites that growes vpon the earth, by reason 



