Hiftomoftke fndict. lib.^. 271 



in which two rrees they have great fuper/HtionL 

 The Cacao is a fruit little lefle than almonds , yet more 

 fatte , the which being rqafted hath no ill tafte. It is fb 

 much efteemedamongeft the Indians (yea and among 

 the Spaniards) thatit is one of the richeft and the-grea- 

 teft traffickes of new Sfainc : for being a drie fruite 5 and 

 that keepes long without corruption,they cany whole 

 jDhippes loaden from the province QfGuati&aSa. The 

 laftyearean Englifti Pirat did burnein the Port of Gua- . 4 

 tulco in newSprifte, above a hundred thoufand charges 

 of Cacao. They vfe it in fteede.of money , for with five 

 Cacaos they buy one thing, withthirtiean other, and 

 with a hundred an other , without any comracfidion. 

 and they vfe to give it to thepoore tha^beg for almes. 

 The chiefe vfe of this Cacao y is in a drincke which they 

 &\Chocff0t#ti whereof they make great accprnptiii 

 that Country, fooliflily, and without reaib^jgfor it is I 

 loathfbme to fuch as are not acquainted wiiSlf,having ] 

 askumme or froth that is very vnpleafarit to tafte, if 

 they be not very well conceited thereof. Yet it is a 

 drinke very much eftecmcd among the Indians,where- 

 with they feaft noble men as they pafle through their 

 Country. The Spaniards both men and women, that 

 areaccuftomed to the Countrey,arc very greedy of this 

 Chochdlate. They fay they make diverfe fortes of it,fbmc 

 hotCjfome colde, and fbmc temperate, and put therein 

 much of that ' Chili ^ y ea they mike pafte thereof, the 

 which they fay is good for the ftomacke , and againft 

 the Catarre . Whatfbevcr it be , fuch as have not been 

 nourifhed there , are not very curious thereof J-The 

 tree whereon this fruitegrowes , is of reafbnable big- 

 nefle, and well faflnioned , it is fo tender, that to keepc 

 itfromtheburaingoftheSunne, they plant neerevn- 



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