A QUAINT DESCRIPTION. 83 



Nicot could have had no presentiment of the agricultural, 

 commercial, financial and social importance which tobacco 

 was ultimately to assume. Nicot published two works. 

 The first was an edition of the History of France or of the 

 Franks, in Latin, written by a Monk called Aimonious, who 

 lived in the tenth century. The second was a < Treasury of 

 the French Language, Ancient and Modern.' ' : 



Stevens and Liebault in the " Country Farm " * give the 

 following account of its early introduction into France aud 

 the wonderful cures produced by its use : 



" Nicotiana though it have (has) beene but a while knowne 

 in France yet it holdeth the first and principal 1 place amongst 

 Physicke herbs, by reason of his singular and almost diuine 

 (divine) vertues, such as you shall heare of hereafter, whereof 

 (because none either of the old or new writers that have 

 written of the nature of plants, have said anything), I am. 

 willing to lay open the whole history, as I have come by it 

 through a deere friend of mine, the first author, inventor, 

 and bringer of this herb into France : as also of many both 

 Spaniards, Portugals, and others which have travelled into 

 Florida, a country of the Indians, from whence this herbe 

 came, to put the same in writing to relieve such grief e and 

 travell, as have heard of this herbe, but neither know it nor 

 the properties thereof . This herbe is called Nicotiana of the 

 name of an ambassador which brought the first knowledge 

 of it into this realme, in like manner as many plants do as 

 yet retaine the names of certaine Greekes and Romans, who 

 being strangers in divers countries, for their common -wealth's 

 service, have from thence indowed their own countree with 

 many plants, whereof there was no knowledge before. Some 

 call it the herbe of Queen mother, because the said ambassa- 

 dor Lord Nicot did first send the same unto the Queen 

 mother, f (as you shall understand by and by) and for being 

 afterwards by her given to divers others to plant and make 

 to grow in this country. Others call it by the name of the 

 herbe of the great Prior, because the said Lord a while nfter 

 sailing into these western seas, and happening to lodge neere 

 unto the said Lord ambassador of Lisbone, gathered divers 

 plants thereof out of his garden, and set them to increase 

 tere in France, and there in greater quantitie, and with 



London 1606. 

 George Bucli: 



fiion to Catherine of Medicls, mid In one of hlft Latin opt.crnms, ailadnto the. hcrh belli 

 called MeilMe, advising all who valued their health to shun it, poi FO much from its belt 

 naturally hurtful, but that it needs must become poisonous II called by so hateful a name. 



t George Buclianan, the Scotch Philosopher find poet trtor of Jnmes I., hud a strong aver- 

 ion to Catherine of Medicls, mid In one of hiaLntin rptprams, allndmlo thn hcrh being 

 called Medirie, advising all who valued their health tosiinn it, POI FO much from its being 



